Have you ever snoozed during a presentation? Presentations Magazine finds that most executives have! In the December, 2005 issue, Presentations reported that seventy-one percent of 382 business managers reported that they have fallen asleep during presentations.

And the news gets worse: these managers reported that the most difficult types of presentations to stay awake for were speeches (35%), followed by training sessions (23%).

The challenge is obvious. How to ensure that absolutely no one falls asleep during YOUR presentation or workshop?

Three Rules that Keep Them From Snoozing

1. Own the Real Estate.

This rule is all about ownership: of your physical space, of your material, and of your state of mind. Let's look at each:

Own Your Physical Space

In my workshops, we have a name for the physical space from which you will present. (No, this place is not called "Hell!") This area is called the Magic Circle. In it, you must grow larger, more vivid, more animated, and more authoritative. The Magic Circle is space that you actively take possession of, and own, for the duration of your presentation.

The actual size of your Magic Circle could be restricted. For example, you may be required to sit while presenting. Or the area can be more spacious, as in the center of a training room. The size of the Magic Circle doesn