Vulnerability as Strength

When a talk goes wrong — you lose your place, the tech fails, the audience visibly disengages — most speakers pretend nothing happened. That is the worst response. The audience already knows, and the mismatch between reality and forced composure erodes trust fast.

Admitting a mistake triggers the pratfall effect: competent people who show vulnerability become more likable and more trusted, not less. A quick, honest admission creates shared humanity. Delay and it loses power.