Is Your Whiteboard Picture Perfect?

Worried about being 'picture-perfect' at the whiteboard? Use these simple tips to master this medium for business and educational presentations.

Tip 1. Don't Try to Be Perfect
Whiteboarding is an interactive medium. Perfection is not the target. Interaction is. When you work at a whiteboard, your writing might not be exactly straight. Your drawings might not look very realistic.

What's important to focus on? Get your message across. Your enthusiasm, passion and commitment to sharing ideas is much more important than a perfectly straight line.

Tip 2. Don't Apologize
If you draw or write something that is a little funny looking, what should you do? Don't apologize. Don't point out the funky drawing and criticize yourself in front of a group. Instead, keep going.

Sure, you may want to laugh or make a light joke. But your audience is much more likely to overlook details if you are presenting with enthusiasm.

Tip 3. Don't Set Up for Critiques
"I'm sure you can't see this."
"I'm not an artist."
"I never could draw a straight line."

These comments invite criticism about your whiteboard chart. This is not the point. Your chart may not be pretty or get an A+ in penmanship. However, your whiteboard could be exactly the answer to an important question your client has been asking.

The value of your whiteboard display is in its authentic expression of your desire to communicate and connect. Focus on this and make a big detour around self-criticism and inviting critiques at the level of artwork.

Hey, isn't this a lot more fun than fretting about being perfect?