Podiums, drum kits, and removing barriers to communication

I'm not a fan of the podium. Yes, it has its place, and sometimes its use is unavoidable. But in almost every speaking situation, standing behind a podium is like standing behind a wall.

While we were flying back on United Airlines from Honolulu to Osaka a few weeks ago, I caught an interview with Phil Collins on EM's Performance Theater on one of the in-flight audio channels. Phil was discussing his career and life in the musical trenches in between songs performed in front of a small, intimate audience. You may know Phil Collins as a singer, of course, but he originally started out playing the drums. As his musical career progressed he eventually would sing from behind the drums, and in time he would have to come out from behind the drums completely and take center stage. Phil is a fantastic drummer, so the interviewer asked Phil about the idea of singing lead vocal and playing drums at the same time:

"Most songs are vocally driven. Yes, it is physically possible to sing from behind the drums... But they [audience] want to see you. When you're behind a drum kit, it is very difficult to connect to people. That is why I am out in front."    

                                                       — Phil Collins

Collins said that while with Genesis early on, singing from behind the drums was his "security blanket." Sitting behind the drums is indeed a pretty secure place to be. Karen Carpenter (remember The Carpenters?) was very hesitant to come out from behind the drums back in the '70s. It's scary to stand front and center, naked.

Presenting from a podium is like singing lead vocal behind the drums
Physically, it's possible to sing lead from behind the drums and you can sound just as great, but what of the connection with the audience? Likewise, if you present from behind a podium, you may, more or less, sound the same and the media may look the same, but it's not ideal. Far from it. The connection is lost. Imagine if your favorite singer performed from behind a podium. Ridiculous, of course. Imagine, too, if Steve Jobs gave keynotes with the same slides and same video clips, same jeans and black turtleneck, but did all the talking from behind a podium/lectern. He may sound the same. The visuals may look the same. But the connection is not there. A connection with the audience is not a sufficient condition, but in the "Presentation Zen" approach, it is a necessary one. A podium is fine for a fifteen-minute speech at a university graduation ceremony, but it's a barrier in almost every other setting. (Of course, there are exceptions.)

 
What if Steve did his world-famous keynotes behind the podium? Would they be just as good? (Podium is a vector image from iStockphoto.com, $1.00 US)

 
If we make the podium a little more Apple-like, does it fit the Steve Jobs keynote style now?

Podiums, however, can make a speaker look authoritative and in command. This is why politicians love speaking from behind a podium in most cases. If you are aiming to look "large and in charge" then perhaps a podium is appropriate for you. But for most of us — conference presenters, lecturers, sales reps, etc. — the last place we want to be is behind a wall.

Also, podiums are often placed to the side and back from the edge of the stage. In this case, then, you are not only behind a barrier, your slides (if you use any) are the main focus, your physical presence is now very much playing second fiddle. It's possible for both you and the screen to be front and center, which is where people are naturally going to focus their attention. Next time you have a choice and decide to speak from behind the podium, ask yourself if you are doing so for your benefit (security blanket, etc.) or because it is indeed the most appropriate way to deliver your particular message to the particular audience in front of you.

Recently I attended a Toastmasters' speech contest in Japan (I was the keynoter the day before). Toastmasters is rather traditional, you may be thinking. However, I found it very interesting that not one of the contestants spoke from the podium, not a single person. All speakers placed themselves front and center (inches from the edge of the stage) and gave excellent talks, many of them moving slowly to different sides of the stage as they spoke, connecting with the whole audience.

Removing the podium: Going from good to great?
If you have the time, take a look at this presentation by Michael Crichton entitled "Fear, Complexity, & Environmental Management in the 21st Century." I am biased because I am keenly interested in the content of his talk, so I enjoyed the talk very much in spite of the imperfections. However, I am not pointing out this presentation because Michael Crichton makes good use of visuals (he does a better-than-most job of it) or because it is a superbly delivered talk; I think the delivery is merely adequate under the circumstances. I point to this presentation because it's a good example of a very good presentation that could have been insanely great if the speaker moved away from the podium and stood in front. Even sitting on a stool up front would be preferable. Michael Crichton instead sat at the podium. Now, Michael Crichton can get away with it because he is, well...Michael Crichton. The audience seemed very pleased indeed and the content was provocative and a bit (some would say a lot) controversial. However, for the rest of us without the fame and celebrity of Michael Crichton, burying ourselves behind a podium and reading notes, is usually not going to fly with our audience, even if the content is more or less solid. (Note: Michael Crichton is an extremely tall man, he may indeed have a physical need for sitting for such a long presentation. Again, my point is not to critique Michael Crichton's talk here so much as to give you a very visual example of "podium-as-a-barrier." Thanks to Stephanie Allen for the tip.)

And the walls came tumbling down
Generally the podium, if I may put it in the vernacular, "is so last millennium." Yet, there are times when the use of a podium is perfectly acceptable, such as when you are one of many speakers taking their turn at the center stage at a formal ceremony. But in cases where the people have walked in that room specifically to hear you, to learn from you, to be convinced or inspired by you, then you've got to do whatever you can to remove all walls —literally and figuratively — between you and the audience. It's scary. It takes practice. But it's worth it.

Below are some visuals I'm preparing for a talk which touches on similar themes. As usual, all photos are from iStockphoto (the image of the man climbing the podium is a composite of three photos).

 
Less walls, more connections. Nature provides us with plenty of walls...we need not build more.

 
Let people see you. All of you. Let them see you naked.

 
Walls are for climbing, not for speaking behind.

Links
• Top five singing drummers
• Present naked

Comments

[russ stalters]

Great post Garr. I agree completely.
One thing that frustrates me when I am asked to present is when I arrive and find that the only microphone available is tethered to the podium on the Dias. I have two choices. First try and see if they can find a lavalier microphone so I can move around and connect with the audience. Or the other choice is to make sure people in the back of the room will be able to hear me without a microphone and I up the volume and projection of my voice.
In many cases I am one of many invited speakers and we do not have much influence over the room set up. Normally if I do have an opportunity to control the room set up I make sure they know I want a lavalier so I can come off the Dias and connect with the audience.
Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Russ

[Guy Kawasaki]

You flatter me by listing me as an exception.

I like to have podiums because I want my Macintosh near me, so that I can control the slide changes. I use a remote so that I can leave the podium, but I do not trust a remote to control a computer backstage nor do I trust an AV tech watching for a light to blink.

As for mikes, I now have a rider in my contract that stipulates that the venue provides a bodypack that is compatible with my Countryman E6i. I have bought one of these and take it to my speeches, so there are no excuses that there's no wireless mike.

Guy

[Tod Maffin]

As a professional speaker, I'm really enjoying this blog.

But you are talking about a LECTERN, not a podium.

podium (n): a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it

lectern (n): A reading desk, usually in the form of a stand with a slanted top that holds books or lecture notes at a height convenient for reading by a speaker who is standing.

:-)

[Garr]

Good point, Tod. Yes, I am speaking of "lecterns." The kind that are usually on a platform/stage. The correct term is "lectern" as you say, though many people seem to use "podium" for elevated stages such as the one used for winners in the Olympics and for lecterns. When you do a Google image search for example for "podium" nearly half of the pics are of "lecterns." Thanks very much for the correction! -G

[bdecker]

I was about to mention the lectern/podium distinction, but Tod beat me to it. It's a factually correct but basically useless piece of information anyway.
But your post is GREAT Garr. The lectern/podium is a barrier, and 95% we don't need it. And if we're one of many speakers we can get a lavelier mike or take the mike off the stand and come out from behind the crutch.
And 95% of the time we can control the physical environment - I tell my clients to always get a wireless mike and get out and connect with your audience.
And Guy, I always have my laptop on a table at the side so I can control it - more accessable than on that lectern/podium. And I'm not sure you even need the remote - I rarely use it unless I'm forced to have the computer in the back (5% of the time.)
Great blog Garr.

[Ellen]

You have said it so well -- and one feels that wall when a podium comes between people. It seems to me that until better strategies are developed that the podium is here to stay though. What do you think?

Brain Based Business

[Rhea]

I am a drummer and I am here to say that it is so nice to sit behind a big set of 'skins'. But when it comes to giving talks, I agree that podiums are just ugly boxes for nervous public speakers to hide behind. Bust out!

[Sherman McCoy]

Your comment about your fellow Toastmasters "moving slowly to different sides of the stage as they spoke, connecting with the whole audience" made me think of (rather raunchy) comedian Dane Cook. He is all over the stage in his performances, and now I realize that the primary effect of that is to draw the audience in and make a connection.

[Ray]

Garr,

Very good post again (just as the rest of them). Funny enough reading your posts allways teaches me something about presenting and talking, but mostly points me to some other topics discussed in the examples you give. In this case it's Michaels Crichton's presentation that made me write a little piece about it's content.

There's no sense adding to your point. It's clear, complete, correct and to the point.

Don't stop adding to the group!

Ray

[Steve Farber]

I agree! Pacing and roaming the stage gives you the chance to more fully connect with the audience. I'd take it one further, though. Whenever possible, get off the stage and into the audience. (You'd need IMAG for this with a large crowd, but it's worth it). Getting out and about gives you the chance to move beyond connection to intimacy.

[Zen Faulkes]

Another problem with lecterns is that they are usually built for people of average height, and they are not adjustable. For speakers who are short, this results in a disconcerting "talking head" appearance.

It can make someone look like one of the singing busts from Disney's Haunted Mansion ride...

[Olivier]

http://www.linuxworld.com/events/keynotes/lwsf06-lessig.html
Lawrence Lessig's keynote at LinuxWorld. Great presentation, with a podium. Unfortunately, after the introduction, the video focuses on his numerous slides. Very static position, very dynamic slides.

[xiaoxiaosun]

I joined Toastmasters club recently, I really learned a lot.:)