I would love you to try this

A friend and I were texting back and forth. I was waiting for her reply, saw three dots, then nothing. Three dots and then nothing.

The third time, I was like ‘Yesss, what is happening!’ and rang her.

What she’d stumbled onto, without knowing it, is something all brilliant presenters do.

It’s called a curiosity gap.

Everything you need to know about a curiosity gap is in the name. You the presenter create the gap. Your audience provides the curiosity.

You make half a statement and then pause. You ask a question and don’t rush to answer it. You let people hang there for a moment or two, wondering what’s coming next. The gap pulls their wily, wandering attention back into the room.

The most common worry I hear: what if I pause and someone jumps in?

Of course, this might happen. But it’s a good thing, it means people are thinking and someone just thought aloud. I often use humour in this situation to show that the pause was intentional.

And here’s the other thing a curiosity gap does. (Aha, see what I did there?)

A curiosity gap saves you from the two great sins of presenting.

Tell mode, where you tell your audience everything they need to know, leaving no room for their own thoughts. So tedious for everyone, including you.

And the even grimmer Sell mode, where you’re flogging an idea so hard you’re practically chasing people around the room with it.

A curiosity gap sidesteps all of that. Because now your audience is right there with you, wanting to know where you’re going, what you’re going to say next.

You’re not talking at them, you’re thinking together.

And when the answer lands and you see it on their faces, that’s the moment you’re presenting for.

Wishing you a safe and Happy Easter 🐣

Enjoy the long weekend and maybe try a well-timed pause at the dinner table.