“It’s not a big deal,” a speaker said to me right before a presentation in front of his peers at a monthly department meeting. Actually, it is a very big deal. Here’s why.
- Teamwork. Your peers are your teammates. They can be there for you when you need them and as a team you need to work cohesively. If they don’t believe in you and your capabilities or don’t trust you this can pose a problem. Your presentation is a great opportunity to demonstrate your credibility and build trust.
- Problem Solve. Your presentation is a vehicle to offer your teammates something of value. For example: thought leadership, a better way of doing things, new ideas, hope, a resource, encouragement, etc. Get the idea? There is always a problem to solve: you can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. Be a problem solver.
- Personal Branding. No matter how well you know your audience (and how much they like you) they are still judging you. This is your opportunity to show them what you are made of and remind them who you are. Remember that every word counts.
- New Ideas. You never know when new and better ideas will sprout. If you give a presentation that inspires or fosters creativity sit back and watch the magic happen.
- Greater Good. You know that a great presentation is about your audience first, so focus on the greater good of the team or organization and present something that’s relevant and helpful to everyone.
- This is an opportunity to reinforce how your audience perceives you or redirects how they see you (there is always room for improvement). Make sure you think about your audience’s goals before you focus on your own image.
I don’t want to add stress to any speaking opportunity. But people are judging you constantly – what you say, what you do – and as a result…it is a big deal.