Stick the landing! I openly admit the only gymnastics I watch are every 4 years at the Olympics; however, for that short window of time I’m glued to the TV watching female athletes perform vaults, beams, bars and floor routines. One of the consistent phrases shared by the commentators is, “stick the landing”. No matter how amazing the rest of the routine is, if the gymnast wobbles or takes an extra step on the landing, the overall score is negatively impacted.
It’s the same when delivering a formal presentation or leading a group facilitation; you’ve got to stick the landing. Unlike the gymnast you don’t need to do a death-defying move to wow your audience but you do need to plan and execute an effective ending. An effective ending requires you to pull your content together in a short summary or circle back to an opening statement and show the audience how you’ve connected all the dots.
If you leave audience questions as the very last item of your presentation you run the risk of a poor ending because you can’t control the questions that will come to you; therefore, the last point you make, may not be your strongest. Or you can find yourself in the situation in which no questions are asked and then you end on a flat note. Instead, pause for questions when you are extremely close to the end and then come back with your final comments so that you have control of the final message the audience hears from you. No wobbles for you! P.S. Mark your calendar for Paris 2024.