“I'm sorry, but I had only an hour to put this speech together.”

“I'm sorry … I need to look at my notes.”

“I'm sorry to get started late; the traffic was horrible.”

“I'm sorry, but my slide remote isn't working.”

Excuses! Excuses!

Apologies tell your audience they're getting less than what was promised. An apology is an admission of failure—your failure to give value to your audience.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding your performance may be, deal with them!

Your audience has problems of their own, and they didn't come to listen to you complain.

If equipment fails or you forget a line, smile, do what you need to do, and keep on going.

If you get started late, jump into your presentation with verve and let them wonder if they got there early.

Your audience will find it remarkable that you have the chutzpah to get up on the stage and speak at all.

When gremlins sabotage your show, even if you have to interrupt your speech to put out a fire, tend to your work with grace and dignity. Engage and amaze your audience by showing them how cool you are under pressure.

The style with which you manage inevitable performance problems is an indicator of your power and leadership. When problems come up—and they will—treat them as rites of passage on your speaker's journey.

Being a professional means never having to say you're sorry.