Crush: [kruhsh] an often-unrequited emotional response some audience members have to the sound of an authoritarian voice over the microphone.
Crushes are the presentation world’s Sirens of Titan: adulatory praise is sure to bolster the egomaniacal red devil that stands on your shoulder, forcing you to engage them in the cosmic love affair you’ve got going on during Q&A. Meanwhile, your true intended audience—the board members who love the profits you can bring to the table—is fading…fading…fading…and gone.
Shutting down admirers in the audience can be tough, so it’s best not to encourage it in the first place. By no means should you purposefully bedeck yourself in sackcloth, scrape your boils with broken bits of pottery, and eat locusts and honey; rather, just dial it back a little bit. Do you have to wear your black leather jacket that makes you look like John Travolta circa Grease? If you’re a woman, is a bikini really appropriate presentation garb? And in both cases, what is with the intro that focuses on your Eharmony and Match.com profiles? Let’s pull it together, people.
The truth is, love that incubates in the halls of a speaking engagement rarely pans out. It’s like love formed during a dramatic rescue: what happens when Rambo decides he doesn’t want to take out the trash anymore, and refuses to put the toilet seat down? Real drama, that’s what.
Your presentation self isn’t your true self, and adoring fans just can’t see that. They’ll only ever love you for the authority and power you represent, and unless you want to roll a lectern around you on all your dates, you’re going to seriously disappoint them. So, against the wishes of your egomaniacal evil side, try to tamp down irrelevant praise and keep your eyes on those board members. They’re the ones that can really give you what you’re looking for.
The Takeaway: Excessive praise can be as damaging to a presentation as excessive criticism. It’s the appearance of balance that engages audiences: real, meaningful discussion of the matter at hand. Don’t let a need for edification derail your presentation at the end by keeping all questions on topic.
