Limit the number of unknowns

It really is that simple. If someone asks you to use their machine, their presentation remote, be polite in explaining that you insist on using your own such.

The important part here is – be polite in explaining it.

So many things can go wrong if you’re not using your own devices and trust me, you don’t want to add more elements that can throw you off balance. Some personal examples:

1. Performance issues – the machine is just not as powerful as yours.
2. You can’t type what needs to be typed – keyboard is in another language.
3. Popups or watermarks everywhere – oh, yeah. The OS. It’s not licensed…
4. Slides are not playing the way you want – missing features in Office.
5. Want me to continue? I can get you at least 50 of these.

Don’t trust devices you are seeing for the first time. Bring your own and be ready to communicate diplomatically why you insist on using them. If not possible, then plan the time needed to test them out. Again – minimise anything that can throw you off balance before your next important presentation.