Smoke Signal: [smohk sig-nl] An attention-grabbing gesture, usually performed by an audience member wanting to share an idea. Characterized by the frantic covering and uncovering of the mouth with either one or two hands.
When an adult has an idea but cannot express it, they display certain symptoms: desperation in the eyes, shifty feet, inability to focus, rage, etc. The wisest, most intelligent ones exhibit only one: the smoke signal. Hand up. Hand over mouth. Hand up. Hand over mouth. And so on.
Adults understand that presenters can be…different. Unlike most people, who tend to be afraid of public speaking and hate the sound of their voice on answering machines or—God forbid—microphones, presenters get great pleasure from these things. They like the way their tongues tingle after saying synergistic flow of data or global supply chain. When they became adults, they replace the old, glowing plastic stars on the ceiling from childhood with fake eyes because they like being looked at.
It can be difficult, then, to get a presenter’s attention long enough to share an idea. The smoke signal is the only known method of doing so. Anthropologists point to ancient tribal gestures that have been honed over several millenia, but a more plausible explanation is that the smoke signal is so bizarre that the presenter forgets what he is saying. Desperate not to look tongue-tied, he’ll always allow the audience member to participate.
The Takeaway: In the olden days, when smoke signals cluttered the Western skyline, it usually was time for a pow-wow. If you start seeing smoke signals in the room during a presentation, it’s probably time to let them know you’ll make time for their questions, comments, or ideas, and when that time will be.
