The Presentation Whisperer Show

Trust At A Distance: Tips On Presenting Virtually

Episode Summary

Technology has reshaped the way we communicate, sometimes helping us connect, sometimes getting in the way, and often changing the psychology of trust without us realizing it. Understanding what happens when a screen sits between you and your audience has become a new essential skill for every presenter and leader. Author Peggy Kendall sits down with Rob to explore how digital communication affects trust, attention, engagement, and the way audiences receive messages. Drawing from her 25 years as a communication and leadership professor, Peggy breaks down the shifts she’s seen in both presenters and audiences, and the practical adjustments speakers must make to connect in a tech-driven world.

Episode Notes

In this episode of The Presentation Whisperer Show, you'll learn:

• What happens cognitively and psychologically when communication becomes digital — and why trust becomes harder to build through a screen.
• Insights from Peggy’s book Trust at a Distance, including practical strategies for managing and presenting in remote environments.
• The four most common mistakes presenters make when moving from an in-person room to the virtual ZOOM stage, and how to fix them.
• How technology reshapes communication by removing context, adding distractions, reframing relationships, and increasing passivity.
• The biggest misconceptions presenters have about virtual and hybrid environments — and how to overcome them.
• How changes in technology have shifted the way audiences engage over the past 25 years.
• What presenters can do to capture attention spans in a noisy, tech-driven world.
• Why more slides rarely help — and the strategies that create real virtual interaction instead of visual clutter.
• The single most important mindset shift presenters need to thrive as communicators in today’s tech-saturated environment.

To learn more about this guest:

Email: p-kendall@bethel.edu