At a seminar this week, in a conference room crammed with thirty of my ‘Type A’ peers, a presenter stood up and said “I’m not going to use the microphone, can everyone hear me okay?”
He encountered an immediate and emphatic chorus of “no!”s, relented, and used the microphone. The presentation continued without incident and everyone understood him.
There’s a kickoff meeting for the sports teams at my local high school every athletic season. The gym is filled with parents and athletes and without fail, the Athletic Director stands up for his presentation and says, “I’m not going to use the microphone, can everyone hear me okay?”
The audience fails to respond* and he continues without the microphone. The presentation continues without incident, nobody understands him, and everyone’s time is wasted.
Who’s to blame?
*Except me. When I say “No” those near me turned around to hammer down the nail that stuck up.