I am about to stand up and deliver a presentation, the subject… well the subject has been my life for the last few months, I know everything about it. I have learnt the top line and the details off by heart. I have spent hours ensuring that the presentation is aesthetically pleasing, and every slide adds value. I believe my preparation has been perfect. However, when the moment arrives. I will stand up there; panic, stumble, and stress.
As disappointing as this is to me, I still love the thrill of presenting. With my coaching background, I love to share my knowledge and my passions with others. What I want to understand is why I can deliver comprehensive coaching sessions but I can’t seem to transfer these skills into a meeting room.
My Presentation Psychology
Pressure and Expectations: If I am being honest with myself, I set my bar really high. If you ask my mentors, they’ll tell you too high. It is driven by my passion to perform above the standard that is expected. However, I am learning this can often lead to self-inflicted anxiety. How I deal with this anxiety, is by working even harder to prepare. In coaching sessions, on the other hand, the focus is on facilitating growth rather than the pursuit of perfection. There is a much greater focus on the participants learning journey rather than my delivery of the information. This shift in expectations can allow me to determine the successes based on the participants outcomes rather than my own.
The Distant Audience: Coaching sessions thrive on immediate interaction, on the exchange of ideas and responses that shape the course of the session. In a presentation, this dynamic changes. The audience, though present, might seem distant in terms of engagement. I find this shift from dynamic interaction to a one-way discourse can be disconcerting, it makes me lose faith in the points I am delivering.
Mindset Transition: The art of coaching involves a distinct mindset – one of guidance, empathy, and individualised attention. In a presentation, this mindset needs to shift to that of an expert sharing knowledge to a wider audience. I worry that my waffling ways may leave the audience annoyed, disengaged and frustrated. This transition can be mentally demanding, often leading to a disconnect between my coaching self and my presenting self.
Harnessing the Coaching Spirit for Presenting
Yet, amidst the challenges lies the undeniable truth: I cherish the opportunity to present. The thrill of standing before a group, of kindling that spark of curiosity and understanding, is a reward in itself. So, how can I bridge the gap between my coaching prowess and my presentation anxiety?
Reimagining Engagement: I am a vibrant, expressive and active coach. I have been moulded by my experience with children and young adults, the more energy you give, the more they will get out. I believe that infusing interactive elements into presentations can foster a sense of connection. Encouraging questions, brief discussions, or even activities can transform the meeting room into a space of engagement, much like a coaching session.
Embracing Authenticity: A developing point, sure. I want to get to a place where I can accept that presentations don't demand perfection can alleviate performance pressure. Embracing authenticity and acknowledging that mistakes are part of the human experience can create a more relaxed atmosphere.
Leveraging Visualisation: Drawing from my coaching toolkit, visualisation techniques can help mitigate anxiety. It’s a technique that I have developed with my experience on the river. When faced with a challenging, dangerous rapid, where every stroke counts, I imagine every movement I make, each stroke, or edge change, until I am confident the I will be successful. By visualising a successful presentation beforehand, I can prime my mind for confidence and composure.
Embracing the Learning Curve: Just as I guide my clients through their learning curves in coaching, I must allow myself the grace to navigate the learning curve of presenting. I need to remember that I am at the start of my journey, and I have a long way to go with a lot of skills to develop. Each presentation is an opportunity for growth, and stumbling today paves the way for a smoother stride tomorrow.
Who said presentations was easy? I think I am starting to understand why throughout education, there is a big drive to increase your presentation skills. Whether I understood it or not, it seems to be such a valuable trait to have. I look up to my managers in the factory, in awe of their confidence and conciseness when delivering information. I wonder, are these fears of presenting a rite of passage to becoming a respected and high performing leader. Have they learnt from the same experiences. I guess time will tell. I need to remind myself that growth is a journey, not an instant transformation. With each presentation, I inch closer to bridging the gap between coaching and confident presenting. And while the road might be winding, I'm learning to revel in the journey itself.
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