If you want to lose your audience's attention right off the bat, be it at a conference or in a classroom, here is a tip: start by outlining what you will cover. “Today I will cover these eight points …” By the time the sentence is out of your mouth, your audience has mentally checked out. They are either on their cell phones or, if they are more courteous, thinking of something else while practicing yawning with their mouths shut. Plus, nobody actually remembers that outline during the presentation—it's a waste of time.
