The Susan Effect
by Graham Davies

It happens exactly 2 minutes and 3 seconds into the video....a video that has been watched more than 21 million times on You Tube in less than 6 days. It was the moment that Susan Boyle received a standing ovation from a packed theatre for the first two notes of what will most certainly be a brilliant singing career. At the same time she struck a blow for every 40 something who has ever thought that their dream will never come true.

There was hardly a dry seat in the house.

There are some presentation coaches that will tell you that most of anyone's personal impact will always come from how they look. They get this from a widely discredited study that was carried out nearly 40 years ago.

Susan has a very plain appearance....so plain, that you can see some audience members cringing in anticipation of what they have already decided will be an entertainment train wreck. Simon Cowell was clearly relishing the chance to demonstrate his Black Belt in Condesencion. But he really should have realised that something special was about to happen from the bubbling confidence that was obvious in every word that came out of her mouth.

And then the Boyle brilliance burst forth.

You don't have to be a singer to learn from Susan Boyle. The next time you are listening to a presentation, decide nothing about the presenter until well after they have opened their mouth.

And the next time you give a presentation, have the same attitude that Susan showed the first time that she said these words into a sneering camera lens:

I am going to make that audience ROCK.