As an avid runner and budding triathlete, I have noticed particular personalities, characteristics, and behaviors that run rampant in the broader community. A 1982 study titled “Psychological Mood State in ‘Average’ Marathon Runners” even showed that male and female athletes experience decreased levels of stress, depression, fatigue, and confusion, while also feeling more energetic. Just think how different the presentation production process would be if you weren’t anxious, tired, and utterly confused. Adopting the mindset of a runner – or any endurance athlete for that matter – could help you create a focused deck with the ability to drive the results you desire. Here are 4 ways to look at your next presentation through the lens of a runner:
1. Set goals
Bernard Lagat, 41, entered the distance running scene over a decade ago; first, earning medals for Kenya in 2000 and 2004 at the Olympics. After obtaining citizenship in the United States, he represented the country in the Olympics in 2008 and 2012. Despite his age, he will also be among younger counterparts at the Rio Games – fighting for a medal. Lagat’s story isn’t an uncommon narrative in the running community. Goal-setting is a primary drive of most runners and endurance athletes.
Presentation Tip:
During the preparation stage of your presentation, determine the outcome you want to achieve. Do you want audience members to schedule a consultation with you? Do you want to sell a product post-talk? Do you want to drive people to your website? Settle on the purpose and establish a credible method to measure whether or not you meet the goal. For example, monitor the visits to your website immediately following a presentation. Did they increase? If so, you can reasonably attribute some of the growth to your presentation.
2. Pay attention to details
Nearly every runner struggles with pacing – both during training and races. A European Journal of Applied Physiology study illustrated this reality through experiments, where they found that the average runner believes they are either going 40 seconds faster or slower per mile than their true pace. Even experienced, competitive runners are roughly 10 seconds off their actual pacing efforts, according to Runner’s World. All of that to say that runners tend to be highly-detailed folks. To bridge the pacing gap, some runners listen to their bodies. When – and why – do they breathe faster in certain instances? How fast is their leg turnover? And how do these behaviors correlate to one another?
Presentation Tip:
To become a more meticulous presenter, monitor your reactions throughout a talk. Record yourself while you are rehearsing and take note of the frequency with which you say words like “um” or “okay”; or you start talking rapidly; or where you lack tonal changes. Becoming more aware of yourself in presentation mode will only lead to positive results.
3. Manage time
More often than not, you’ll be limited to a specific duration for your presentation. This means that you need to utilize your time wisely. A runner doesn’t have to necessarily operate under these time constraints, however, they are most certainly racing the clock. In fact, one study found that most marathoners focus on pace and distance during the course of a race. Runners strategize tactics to release and harness their energy in order to reach their goal time. Presenters who take this strategic approach to their presentation and its delivery will surely beat out the competition.
Presentation Tip:
Managing time in a presentation situation begins with the content creation stage. Analyze your audience and select a topic that would be most beneficial to their lives and meet their precise needs. From there, devise your narrative to engage, yet also inform with only the most important of points. For example, if the audience already knows the fundamentals about your company – your “About Us” section – then delete that slide as it adds no value. Make the most of the minutes you have with your audiences.
4. Visualize the performance
Sometimes in the middle of a tough race, the only way to make it through is to imagine the emotions you’ll feel – the relief, pride, and sense of achievement that will rush over you when you cross the finish line. There’s also the more transitory visualizing that occurs when runners distract themselves from the pain by zeroing in on environmental changes, which an International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology study found happens approximately 28% of the time.
Presentation Tip:
There’s 2 lessons here for presenters. First, visualize the outcome of your presentation. Enhance your confidence in your presenting and persuading abilities by constantly replaying the scene where you cross the finish line of your presentation. Second, give your audience visual delights to indulge on with you. Running legend Steve Prefontaine perfected a style that engrossed spectators. The response far outweighed the physical act.
Form your ultimate goals, adopt a heightened awareness of yourself and your audience, emphasize time management in your process, and use visualization as a tool to improve presentation performance. For more information about the running mentality and how to develop a better presentation, check out the following resources:
5 Psychological Lessons from Marathon Running: The psychology of pushing your limits
How to Take Ownership of Your Presentation
The Art of Committing to Presentation Practice
