How British presenters present

It probably goes without saying that presenting to a British audience is different from presenting to an American audience. After watching British presentations for almost a year, I think I've finally picked up on a few themes. I'm not necessarily saying these are rules, I'm mostly saying these approaches almost seem to be what's expected by the audience.

Minimal hyperbole and pithy/poignant/dramatic statements.

I didn't realise it, but it's quite common for presenters to use "attention grabbing" statements. You won't hear much of that here. 

Ask questions as opposed to making statements.

Thought provoking stories and examples are common. It's also common to insert multiple pauses, audiences seem to appreciate a moment or two to think. (Oh but definitely stay short of "awkward", the line is crossed there)

Provide multiple perspectives, almost apologising that you're only one person.

This one goes along with asking questions and telling stories. If you share multiple ways of thinking about something, that seems to be valued.

Use ironic and/or self effacing humour, maybe cynicism, but stay far away from sarcasm. 

Audiences are primed to pounce on humour, but it's very easy for the "wrong kind" of joke to go completely flat or even cause damage.

Broad, sustainable and diplomatic. 

Similar to sharing multiple perspectives, this one is more about being reasonable in the words you use. There's usually an undertone of "is this person credible and professional", which seems to be driven by this slightly challenging capability of diplomatically making a strong case. Keep it simple and memorable, strive to deliver with humble confidence.

Now, all that said, I've sat through several presentations that seem to break all the "rules". I've asked dozens of people how they felt about it, and they say it was fine! So of course there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and I guess one measure of success is how much conversation is generated in the room and thereafter. Maybe these ideas help if that's something you're seeking.