Silly / Absurd

#88 · Point dramatically at a whiteboard

Stop using your finger like a civilian. Command the room by pointing at key diagrams with full authority and gravitas.

Pointer sticks in the shops cost £15 and telescope out to 60cm. A chopstick is about 23cm, costs nothing, and points at whiteboards with just as much authority.

How to do it

1. Grip near the blunt end for maximum reach.
2. Tap the board once, decisively, on the thing you want people to look at.
3. Stop talking for a moment. The pause is doing most of the work.

Why it works

Pointing works because it directs joint attention - a room full of people will follow a pointed object to its target almost involuntarily, and it is one of the earliest social behaviours humans develop. A stick simply extends the gesture far enough that the back row can see what you mean.

Tips & warnings

• Sand the tip smooth first, or you will eventually score a whiteboard.
• Tap once. Repeated tapping reads as anxiety rather than emphasis.