Being asked to present is an honor. Whether it’s a customer or prospect requesting education or a proposal, a group of peers in your field of expertise, or an audience of some other genesis entirely, the simple fact that you have been dubbed worthy of giving the message reflects highly on you, your experience and your knowledge.
But don’t let that ruin your presentation.
It’s human to be flattered by acknowledgement. It’s also human to feel the need to justify that acknowledgement by “proving” yourself. We see a lot of presenters stand before the audience and proceed to demonstrate their intelligence, background and charisma, all without ever getting down to the business that was meant to be conducted.
Even thought-leadership presentations are acts of salesmanship. Sometimes, you are selling yourself—your personal brand—rather than a company product or service. Even in those situations, as presenters, we need to dissociate ourselves from what we’re advocating for, teaching or selling. Presentations are all about advancing the ball, moving people’s attitudes or behaviors toward our vision for how things ought to be done. Brands both personal and professional are mental stand-ins for the ideas you are advancing, and when you deliver a presentation of any kind, it is that mental stand-in that you’re trying to crystalize for the audience.
The practical takeaway here is that what we say about ourselves in front of the audience should only ever be for the purpose of building rapport, consolidating or explaining a point of view, or providing a primarily story-based “case study” or example that the audience can relate to or identify with. Beyond the very initial introduction, it rarely if ever makes sense to rattle off qualifications, past achievements, or sphere of influence information to an audience that is seeking, primarily, education and enlightenment from a trusted source.
Therein, perhaps, lies the reassurance for presenters: if you’ve been asked to speak at all, you’ve already proven your individual self to them. You can relax, take a step back, and do what’s best for the “brand” you’re representing. Toe the line, focus on that most important objective, and let the audience infer from your commitment, enthusiasm and preparation that you’re the professional wizard you want them to see.
Question: How do you stay humble and down-to-earth while presenting?
