Executive Presentation Training 101:
The mic is always hot.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As soon as you enter a media or presentation environment assume everything you say and do is being recorded. Heck, as soon as you enter 7-11 these days you are on videotape. There are fewer and fewer corners of the world where what you say isn’t subject to scathing public replay and scrutiny.

Consider poor California assemblyman Michael Duvall who was recently caught on tape boasting about his sexual peccadilloes, with  a couple of lobbyists no less. He should be the one getting spanked—but I guess losing your job and mortally embarrassing your family and friends, to say nothing of your political party,  is masochistic enough.

The moral irony is almost too much. Here we have another politician who espouses, who publicly and passionately champions one thing and does another. Well, no surprise there. That’s hardly even news anymore.

Maybe one day we’ll do a blog on the return of the shadow, or why successful people so often self-destruct. But for now let’s take a presentation skills training lesson from this poor man’s stupid demise.

Is that too harsh?

Is stupid too strong a word for boasting about your sexual indiscretions in a public place like the legislative chambers? That’s bad enough, but while wearing a mic?

Let’s see, how many political and business figures have been caught with their pants down, I mean, with their mics on when they thought they were speaking in private? Too many to count. You would think this lesson would be learned by now.

So let’s say this one more time. As soon as you enter an environment where there are cameras, recording equipment and other conveyances for capturing your image and words consider yourself speaking publicly. Why risk it?

Howard Stableford covers this topic of live mics with humor and insight in his downloadable audiobook, which you can get for subscribing. It’s at the top right of this page.

Related posts:

1. TV Interview at Your Office?
2. Should CEOs Speak Up?
3. Why Online Presentation Coaching Works