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Yes, Virtual Presenting Is Weird
By Sarah Gershman
I once worked with a CEO who told me that she dreads giving virtual presentations. “I used to enjoy getting up in front of an audience,” she explained. “I loved working the room. Now, I feel like I’m speaking into a black hole.”
What is it about virtual presenting that can feel so unnerving? Surprisingly, one answer to this question can be found right outside our windows by listening to how birds communicate. Birds call out to one another primarily for survival—to signal danger and to attract a mate.1 Imagine how scary it must be for a bird to call out and receive no response. This is how we often feel when we present on Zoom—like the bird who calls out and hears only silence.
When we present ...
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