‘𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥. 𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺, 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬’. 𝗔 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

I was speaking at a conference, and a couple of speakers before me had seriously overrun their slots.

So, before going on stage, I asked the organiser if they’d like me to shorten mine.

 ‘𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?’

‘𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘦’.

‘𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨’.

At the time, I hadn’t thought about how I would do it. 

But I knew that I could.

Unlike some presenters, I don’t have fixed content that I’m wedded to.

I’m not delivering a lecture to teach a syllabus; I’m trying to connect with and inspire the audience. 

This means I often add content at the last minute or even adapt my presentation while I’m delivering it.

So, shortening shouldn't be a challenge.

As I got up on stage, I realised there was only one thing for it.

I’d have to tell the audience what I was doing.

Because they could see the running order and knew that lunch would be hugely delayed. 

So, I used a musical analogy.

I wouldn’t be playing my entire album, and I wouldn’t play all the instruments.

This would be the 𝗠𝗧𝗩 𝗨𝗻𝗽𝗹𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱 version.

It wasn't what we’d planned, but they’d hear the songs, and it would be a one-off experience.

With that, I got started, and with one eye on the clock, I brought it in on time.

Helped by the fact that I said I’d do Q&A over lunch.

While I’d have loved to have had my full slot, the time constraint created something unique that received great feedback.

I think the art of presenting isn’t about what makes m͟y͟ life easier but rather what’s going to engage the audience. 

Not any audience but t͟h͟e͟ specific audience I’m in front of.

And if it’s me versus rumbling stomachs, there’s only going to be one winner.