How to present to an audience who know more than you do

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Harvard Business Review on May 8, 2024 there is an article by Deborah Grayson Riegel titled How to Present to an Audience That Knows More Than You. She says to:

 

Choose self-affirmation over self-doubt

Be intellectually humble without undermining your credibility

Acknowledge and invite their expertise and experience – without letting them take over

 

Another recent article by Minda Zetlin at Inc. on April 22, 2024 is titled With 1 Sentence, Wharton Psychologist Adam Grant Just Revealed a Quietly Powerful Truth About Communication.

 

For introducing himself to an audience of generals, Adam said:

 

“What could I possibly learn from a professor who’s 12 years old?”

 

In reply one of the generals piped up with:

 

“Ah, ridiculous. You gotta be at least 13.”

 

The stepladder image came from Openclipart.