There are a whole lot of things that we shouldn’t say when we’re presenting in business. I’m Michelle Bowden. I’m an authority on persuasive presenting in business, and welcome to What Not To Do, a segment designed to help you eliminate all those annoying little habits that you’ve picked up over the years that aren’t actually helping you to be persuasive.
One of the things that you shouldn’t say when you’re presenting is, “For those of you who don’t know me.” It’s a really common thing that a lot of people do say. It’s something that you say to preempt your introduction of yourself.
My question to you is this: what about those of you who do know me? Never mind about you! That’s the reason you shouldn’t say it. It’s because it’s known as an exclusive statement. For those of you, who don’t know me implies that you’re only talking to those people who don’t know you and that all the other people in the audience who do know you don’t matter, and that’s not what you want to do when you want to be 100% inclusive in an audience.
A better way is just to say your name. “Good morning, everyone. I’m Michelle,” or, “How wonderful to see you all. I’m Michelle.” “It’s terrific. You’re all here today. I’m Michelle”.” The people who know that you’re Michelle won’t mind that you did it that way and the people who didn’t know your name know it now. So there you go. Don’t say, “For those of you who don’t know me.”
Happy presenting.
© Michelle Bowden 2021. Michelle Bowden is an authority on presentation & persuasion in business. Michelle is a CSP (the highest designation for speakers in the world), Creator of the Persuasion Smart Profile (a world-first psychometric indicator that tests your persuasiveness at work), best-selling internationally published author (Wiley), and a regular commentator in print, radio and online media. www.michellebowden.com.au