So what’s the protocol when it comes to giving a speech in the rain? Well, that depends on just how much rain is in the forecast.

Torrential downpours and crashing thunder at Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois yesterday (literally) drowned out President Obama’s Memorial Day remarks.

Politico reports Obama was “huddled under a white tent off to the side of the stage as the rain drove down.” Holding an umbrella, he told service members and their families in attendance, “‘We are a little bit concerned about lightening. This may not be safe.’”

When it was clear the rain wasn’t a passing summer storm, the president canceled the speech and instead visited with audience members inside parked busses.

Of course the president was already under attack for another more serious breach of protocol: shirking his national responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief in favor of a little weekend-getaway back home.

Today, the social secretary just may be looking into some sturdier umbrellas.

While it’s become customary for the president and vice president to attend the WHCAD, it looks like Tonight Show host Jay Leno got a run for his money, following what critics claim was a slam dunk performance by President Obama.

It reminds me of a story I once heard:

During the time of the Romans, a crowd came looking for an old hermit.  They brought him to the Colosseum in Rome where he was met in the middle of the arena by a pack of lions.  Surrounded by ferocious – and very hungry – lions, the old man slowly approached the leader of the pack and whispered something in his ear . . .after which, the lions ran frantically out of the arena and back to their cages.

The audience, which had been waiting in anticipation for the man to be eaten by the lions, mumbled and moved anxiously in their seats – they couldn’t believe what they had just seen. Finally, the head of the legion asked the old man, “What did you say to the lion?”

The man just smiled and said, “I told him that after dinner come the speeches!”

All far less meaningful than it could have been because almost every single one of the presenters–to a man and a woman–made three simple mistakes.

–They arrived with many slides, in some cases more than 40, for presentations that were to be no longer than 15 minutes.

–They crammed their PowerPoints with enough words and bullet statements to fill a book.

–They insisted on reading their slides, instead of engaging in a conversation with the audience.

Why do smart people make these stupid mistakes?  They do it because they are so in love with their research they that can’t bear to parse out a single point or telling fact.  They made the mistake of giving lectures when they should have given presentations.

Presenters understand that if they can communicate three ideas in a single presentation, they have succeeded.  Links to a full slide show or paper can present the details for those who are more deeply interested.  Otherwise, save the lectures for the classroom.

More than anything else, speaker training is about getting the speaker so comfortable with a text that his or her enthusiasm for the subject and natural charm can come out.

Most business people are very good extemporaneous speakers, a skill that requires a fast mind and a heightened sensitivity to the audience.  On the other hand, speaking from a text requires practice, practice, practice — practice until the text is so familiar that the speaker can stop thinking about the next word or sentence and start thinking about the idea being put across or the sale being made.

The first task in speaker training is getting the speaker to where he (or she) is prepared  to make that connection with the audience.

This Leader will soon be facing a very large and critical audience–the global meeting of the major investors in his company’s far-flung empire.  The case has to be made that these investors need to reach into their pockets and pony-up for a fresh wave of modernization.  To make this case, the Leader needs to get off the operational details and shift the thinking of his stakeholders to see startling possibilities.

He needs to be spellbinding.  But he isn’t.

The Company began to look at all the bells and whistles that might be added.  Celebrity guest stars.  Video.  And, of course, compelling PowerPoint.

And that is fine–up to a point.  The bottom line is that the last impressions that audience will have is the last moments of the presentation.  (By the way, comedian Tim Lee sees the funny side of PowerPoint.)  If it is an impression of a Las Vegas-style revue, they will not be motivated to change.  No gimmick can fill in for you here.  We advised Company X to work with the Leader.  Challenge him.  Find the passion that we know must exist.  And then coach him to share that passion.

The take-away for the rest of us?  PowerPoint and other A/V aides are swell.  Up to a point.  But in every important executive speech, the times comes to turn off the screen, turn up the lights, and show everyone why you are a leader.

Comedian Tim Lee sees the absurdity of PowerPoint