Preparation Is Everything

A few weeks ago I was invited to speak in front of around 250 brand managers for a global brand owner.
Speaking to that kind of audience can be intimidating, but not if you’ve done your homework first.
There’s the research, the planning and then pulling the whole presentation together.
It was also a handy reminder that, in situations like this, it’s not so much about telling people something new.
It’s about giving them your perspective on it.
The there are the rehearsals.
Lots of rehearsals.
It feels like a lot of work in the run-up to it, but it’s worth it once you’re up there on stage.
That’s the power of face-to-face communication.
The reward comes once you’re done speaking – in the interactions you have with your audience after the fact.
That’s when you find out what they’ve taken from your speech.
And the ideas that you’ve helped to trigger.
You also get a sense for the contagious nature of energy – you pass it on and your audience will do the same.
If you’re someone who gets tongue-tied at the prospect of presenting to a large group, try to keep in mind how great it’s going to feel when you’re up there.
Thanks, you’ve been a great audience