Get to know your audience in advance and then adjust the lecture content to the 70% of people that are the core of the audience. In case there is a large discrepancy in knowledge on the subject allow 15% to get lost because it is too difficult for them and 15% to get bored because it is too easy.

Before you even introduce yourself tell your audience what your objectives are.

Introduce yourself and let the listeners introduce themselves also. Less than half a minute should be enough. It gives you added information on your audience. Ask them to put their first names on their name cards in large letters if it is a class in which one can use first names. Also give your own first name.

Tell them where you are going to talk about and tell them where you are NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT. It sets the scene. To avoid unnecessary writing let them know what handouts they get.

Tell them they can ask questions whenever they like and tell them that you may not know all the answers but can get them from the experts later. It lets them know you are also human.

Tell them that there is NOT SUCH THING as: "A stupid question".Tell them to raise their hand when you use unfamiliar jargon. But then also answer seriously any question, also the ones that have in your eyes an obvious answer.

Leave the jokes out, it is a waste of time and they have always irritated me when I had to listen. Tell a good real life story related to the business.

DO NOT REPEAT WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LEARNED AT SCHOOL or at a previous course. If it is necessary to use a formula, do not go through the motion of developing that formula but only let them use it and realize what the important input parameters are.

ASK QUESTIONS, do not allow volunteers to answer, but wait 7 seconds before pointing at somebody. It lets them all think a while about the question. It gives you also an idea on how the subject matter has come across and it avoids that the eager and/or smart guys or girls dominate the lecture by always volunteering to give the answer.

If the answer is only 10% correct use that 10% as a start to the complete answer.

Participants get the feel they gave a good answer and will try next time again.

In a days lecture having a class EXERCISE after lunch helps the listeners to stay awake and gives you a break. Let two or three people work together. It removes the "I am tested" idea. Nobody will fail and if a group of three does, it does not hurt so much. Tell them that you do not like answers that are accurate. Two significant numbers are good enough.

A class exercise of the type in which participants have to come in front of the class adds a dimension of involvement en feel that they are part of the lecture and can contribute.

At the end of the lecture take a few minutes to give a helicopter summary of the main points.

If YOU have to select a lecturer then choose the good lecturer and not the one that knows the subject best but can not lecture.

Talk to your audience not to the blackboard, do not play with a pencil or piece of chalk, do not walk up and down like a tiger in a cage, do not use four letter words, avoid "uh" as people will start counting the number of times you say it, NEVER EVER READ OUT your story but talk around good view-graphs with key- words, speak loud, do not look at only one person all the time while you talk and for those that speak quickly by nature put a reminder on your desk saying " STOP 3 SECONDS " and do it, so your listeners can catch-up.