Many professionals (of all ages) have slipped into the bad habit of… sitting down when we should be standing up!

Oh, sure, the pandemic lockdown/work from home made us a bit casual [frustrated/depressed/lethargic/lazy/overly comfortable… working from home and wearing slippers and pajama pants], but it’s time to pull ourselves back together for the sake of respect and professionalism!

Does this ring a bell?

Ask yourself if you do (or would be likely to do) the following:

• On a video call, do you make presentations from a seated position?
  
• In an in-person meeting, do you make presentations from a seated position?
  
• In an in-person audience participation situation, such as a large room/auditorium/conference center, would you ask a question of the speaker from a seated position?

If yes to any of these, I challenge you to take this simple step to increase the professionalism and effectiveness of what you have to say: STAND UP.

If you have something that is worth saying,
it is worth saying standing up?

Being shy is not an excuse. Just do it.

Here’s why: Standing up to speak is an opportunity to present YOURSELF in your best light and makes for a higher quality experience for everyone, however subtle. (When I RECORD my lectures for my asynchronous college lectures, I stand up! All by myself, alone at the bar in my basement, and my recordings are better for it.) Just as you would never sing in a choir from a seated position, you should never present yourself sitting down.

When you stand to speak…

• You project your voice better; people are better able to hear you.
  
• Your body language and hand gestures come naturally and reinforce what you are saying, making your communication more clear, and frankly, make it easier for YOU to express yourself. You are more animated and your speech comes more easily! (Try speaking while sitting on your hands. Difficult for some. Impossible for others.)
  
• Others give you their attention; they are less distracted – looking at a person is more engaging than looking at a crowd and not knowing where the voice is coming from.
  
• Certainly, it shows respect, to everyone in the room but also to the speaker, if you are asking a question of a presenter: They know where to look and to whom to address their response.
  
• You have more confidence and credibility when you stand up when you speak. Standing up gives your words more importance that those spoken from your seat.
  
• The presentation is just better, more energetic! Honestly, we sit in enough meetings and presentations; we sit at desks all day long. Get up! Get your blood flowing. It’s more interesting for EVERYONE.

It’s disappointing to see how accepted is now is to make business presentations from a seated position – not just on video calls, of course, but even in person, in a conference room in front of colleagues or clients!

Presenting sitting down feels disrespectful to others and to yourself, undermining the importance and effort put into the presentation!

When I work hard on a report for my clients, I want to present in the best possible way, with all the energy and enthusiasm that I feel about it and all the attention I – and the subject, and my clients – deserve!

Sitting down to present may not be inappropriate in ALL situations, but frankly, it lowers the energy. It’s boring. Plus, when you sit down to present, you have to work HARDER and to make your presentation feel engaging!

CHALLENGE: Practice your presentation standing up… and then practice it again sitting down. See the difference? I bet others would if they were watching! Don’t believe me? Try recording yourself both ways and note the difference! Working from home? Presenting via video conference? Try a stand up desk, or set up your laptop and camera on a stack of books at the kitchen counter or bar-height table/shelf.

Another benefit of standing up when you speak or present is the lasting IMPRESSION that you make on others and the subtle ways in which this can impact others’ opinions of you, your reputation and even your career.

Imagine you’re at a conference or seminar with a large group of people and the floor is opened to questions or discussion from the audience.

If you a) STAND UP to ask your question /express your thought, you are seen and heard because you are projecting your voice and emphasizing your point with gestures.

If you b): Ask your question from your seat, the audience and the person to whom you are directing your question may not know who is speaking or not hear everything you said.

But here’s the other part of these two scenarios that you might not have considered:

The potential residual benefit of standing up and being heard is this: Later, someone sees you in the hall and says, “Hey, great point… I’ve had that same experience…” or “I’m glad you asked that question…” This is a better experience for everyone and can have long term benefits. Standing up to participate in a setting like this is a better, more engaging, energetic and effective method!

Yes, perhaps I exaggerate a bit to make my point, this happens to me: People approach me after a conferences to follow up on my point/question and make the connection! (Conferences/seminars are great opportunities to network!)

One last reminder: Don’t worry so much about what everyone else is doing, especially your peers. Likely no one taught them about traditional business ettiquette like this. Experienced adults can be just as uncomfortable and insecure about speaking in front of others as you are. They sometimes take the easy way out too, by staying seated.

Okay, in your defense, if you’re really thinking, “What if it’s seriously awkward to stand up?” Then DON’T, by all means! But you can always ask the person leading the meeting, “Would you mind if I stand up?” or “Is it appropriate for me to stand?” Likely, they will encourage you to do so and others will follow suit.

Maybe you will start a trend.

Others appreciate the confidence you exude when you stand to speak.

Some of you might already do this as second nature, but if you don’t, a critical habit for your success is to write things down.  And we mean actually writing with good old-fashioned pen, not typing on a phone or computer. “WHAT?!” you might be thinking. No, seriously.

Trust us on this one. Just try it. Get yourself a pen (or pencil or cute little rainbow set of fine-tipped markers, or whatever brings you joy) and a simple notebook. For a few weeks, try taking simple notes (a rough outline, key points) in your lectures or meetings.

Try making a lists of things you want to accomplish each day. When you finish them, check them off. (Very satisfying) If you dont accomplish them, move them to the next day’s list.

Why?

Taking notes helps you LEARN and REMEMBER MORE. Making lists, setting goals and having plans helps you PRIORITIZE, FOCUS and ACCOMPLISH MORE.  We are not making this up. It’s scientifically proven:

“It seems that writing anything down makes us remember it better. On the other hand, not writing things down is just asking to forget.
It’s a kind of mental Catch-22: the only way not to have to write things down is to write them down so you remember them well enough not to have written them down.

– Dustin Wax, Lifehack

source: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/writing-and-remembering-why-we-remember-what-we-write.html

Don’t be Shy.

Just because no one around you in class or a meeting isn’t taking notes doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. You’ll just be that much farther ahead of them. I amazed by the number of young people who come into my office for a conversation, to a meeting or presentation without a notebook. (In fact, just today I sat in on a high school field trip presentation where the teacher had to actually TELL the students to get out pens and paper to write down detailed information, like the cost per square foot of retail space.)

I’ve also noticed that a lot of people would rather take a laptop to class or a meeting and type their notes up.  Some really lazy people just take a photo of the teacher’s assignment or notes on the dry erase board after class.  This may be efficient and make for neater notes, but for real, it doesn’t have the same effect:

‘Overall, it seems those who type their notes may potentially be at risk for “mindless processing.” The old fashioned note taking method of pen and paper boosts memory and the ability to understand concepts and facts.’

(Source: https://www.medicaldaily.com/why-using-pen-and-paper-not-laptops-boosts-memory-writing-notes-helps-recall-concepts-ability-268770 )

Writing Notes is a Sign of Interest and Respect.

An additional bonus to writing things down is that the person talking (teacher, colleague) sees that you are conscientious, organized and responsible, and that you think what they are saying is important.

They are also not wondering if you are actually checking your email or playing computer games. Do not underestimate the importance of this in your education and career. I have spent many hours preparing for a meeting only to have both colleagues and clients typing away on their computers while I’m presenting.

Being on a screen during a class, meeting or presentation is nothing short of RUDE. I believe strongly in a NO SCREENS RULE: If you are so busy and so important that you can’t leave your screen for one hour, then don’t come to my meeting. If you NEED to be on your phone during a meeting, the polite thing to do is to tell the presenter before the meeting that you are not trying to be rude, you are expecting a very important call/email. Then sit in the back and try to pay as much attention as you possibly can.

Last point: Practice Making Lists

In addition to note taking, if you get in the habit of writing down what you want to accomplish every day (in addition to any appointments on your calendar), you are more likely to prioritize the important things you need to do and not get distracted by less important things.

Keeping lists is a wonderful way to stay organized and productive. We will talk more about this in our blog about keeping a PLANNER and setting GOALS.

Now go grab a pen and notebook.