A Powerful Secret about Presentations You already possess
Josh Bledsoe
Senior Director Enterprise Solutions, Dale Carnegie | USAF Squadron Commander | Professional Development Instructor | TEDx Speaker Coach
Something struck me, and I’m talking it was like lightning, during one of our recent High Impact Presentations programs I got the opportunity to coach our participants in.
This is a two-day program that’s 100% focused on skill development in sharpening public speaking skills. Whether skill growth is needed for formal in-person presentations in meetings at work, webcast meetings, or public speaking the structures and tools in Dale Carnegie: High Impact Presentations program empower a wide range of professionals. We have a wide range of participants inside this program from corporate executives, small business leaders, managers, individual contributing professionals, people in education professions, medical professionals, legal professionals, coaches, and even some people who just want to grow their public speaking skills for the sake of crushing their public speaking fear. People participate for their own unique reasons and during their own unique seasons.
One thing that joins them all is this one thing that effects all of us. The fear/anxiety that builds up inside of us before we step up to speaking. In fact, it’s so universally common you may even have already felt it as soon as you read the words “public speaking”. It’s still ranked amongst the top fears in people today.
All of us experience some level of anxiety before we step up to speak in front of other people.
The most interesting piece of feedback a participant in our recent High Impact Presentations program shared with the whole group as we were finishing the program was what struck me like lightning. She said, “My biggest takeaway from these past two days in the program was that I don't need to worry about what other people might be thinking about me. That worry was what was holding back the real, more engaging and impactful, version of me.”
She’s so right! Her best version showed up when she allowed her authentic self to show up. As we coached her, and others in the program, she discovered her natural and powerful abilities to bring her presentations alive! It was an awesome privilege getting to work with her in discovering her natural gifts as a presenter.
Her comment made me think… "...dont worry about what other people might be thinking about me."
That’s a common statement we see and hear from people all over. You can find it on social media posts, in memes, blogs, and videos where people are claiming victory over "worrying about what other people might be thinking about them".
No longer concerned about what others think of me!
Here’s the question that popped in my cranium as she gave her feedback…
How do we know what other people are actually thinking?
Hmmm???? 🤔
We don’t! We actually can't know! At that moment and while we are delivering our public speech, we simply cannot know the thoughts that are actually rolling around our audience’s minds! Unless mind reading is a real thing.
The reality is people think about themselves and what they have going on FAR MORE than they can possibly think about us. People just are more interested in their own worlds than they are interested in other people's worlds. They take in the information we present and internally processing it as it fits their own process, not ours. In other words, (regarding our presentations) it’s absolutely impossible for our audience to know if we missed a point we wanted to talk about, skipped a portion of our talk, or began the way we planned. Cue sigh of relief…
Let that sink just a moment…
If our audience has no clue about the presentation we prepared, then we are in full control of how we adjust during it. If we miss something or mess up, move on quickly and they will continue on with us because they dont know the content. How we deliver that content is what's most remembered. Delivery is exactly what participants sharpen and grow proficient in during their time in a High Impact Presentations course.
That doesn't change the real fact that public speaking fills our gut with anxiety and constricts our breathing. 👈 And these are just a few real, physical reactions to anxiety associated with public speaking. 🤢
One participant in the Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentations program stated she feared public speaking SO MUCH that she actually changed her major in college so she could avoid public speaking classes. WOW! She also told us she has deliberately past on opportunities in her professional career that involved presentations, which she acknowledged the fact that those opportunities she passed on effected her chances for promotions. YIKES! 😬
And here she was, finally conquering her fear of public speaking once and for all so she didn't have to live with it hovering over her anymore. Boy did she ROCK those presentations inside the High Impact Presentations program!! Introducing structures and some one-on-one coaching, she CRUSHED that fear and showed us all her innate greatness. I spoke with her just the other day, and she said she’s more confident in her presentations at work now and they are so much better because of it.
The reality is public speaking, either in small groups or ballroom filled audiences, is the only method in which we can communicate a great idea with complete clarity. When we need to call people to action, inform others on the great work we are doing, instruct others, communicate complex information, or inspire people to embrace a change that needs to happen public speaking is the vehicle required to get it done.
So how do we conquer this common fear for ourself, once and for all?!?!?! I’m glad you asked LOL 😆
- Consider taking the feedback from the woman mentioned earlier who graduated the High Impact Presentations program STOP worrying what others are thinking about. Plus they aren't really thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves. The truth is we cannot know what other people are thinking.
- Own your stage (presentation area). No one knows your content better than you do! Even if you miss something, or don't begin the way you rehearsed, no other person knows that but you. It's ok, move on with ownership of that presentation.
- Dale Carnegie says there are 3 types of presentations: The one we practice to give. The one we give. The one we wish we gave.
- Unlock your Presentation Greatness!! Enroll and participate in a High Impact Presentations program with your local Dale Carnegie Training team. We are in 88 countries and the programs are delivered in 34 languages. There may be one happening close to you soon. Inside the program, you’ll learn several structures that keep you lined up for success in what you want your presentation to accomplish. PLUS➕ from in the moment one-on-one coaching, you’ll discover and learn how to use your natural abilities so you can show up the most authentic and powerful version of you. Links to that program are below
Links to check out High Impact Presentations:
If you are in the central to eastern North Carolina area you and I will most likely get to work together. Here’s a link to programs in our area:
If you’re outside of this small and important piece (to me at least 😁) of the world called North Carolina, here is the link to High Impact Presentations program overview and to your location:
https://www.dalecarnegie.com/en/courses/high-impact-presentation
In closing....The next time you get up there remember, you know your content better than any other person there. You’ve earned to the right to be up there through study and/or experience.
So TAKE COMMAND that presentation!
Cheers to your best outcomes,
Josh Bledsoe
Dale Carnegie Instructor
josh.bledsoe@dalecarnegie.com