Lately I noticed that after one of my talks about Automation, Agile, or Robotics, people come to me and ask how I seemed so good onstage. Then they ask me how they can conquer their fear of public speaking.
If you’re in the same boat, then I have something that might be of value to you. But first, let me ask you a question.
What goes through your mind before going onstage? Fear of making a mistake? Feeling conscious about your looks? Butterflies in your stomach? You wanna know what’s common about all those thoughts? They’re all about YOU.
Well let me ask you something my friend, why are you there in the first place?
It’s because you have something of value that you will convey to your them!
Tip: It’s not about YOU, it’s about your AUDIENCE.
Put yourself in their shoes. You’ve been part of the audience before haven’t you? What goes in in your mind? I’m pretty sure it’s mostly thoughts like what’s listed below.
What your audience wants:
- What’s in it for me? What can I get out of this?
- Will this be worth my time and effort?
- Will I be entertained?
- Will I learn something?
- Will I get my money’s worth?
- Otherwise, why else should I be here in the first place?
If you, as the speaker, sometimes feel like you want to walk-out or wonder what you put yourself into, think about your audience for one minute and not about yourself.
Conclusion:
If you have something of value to share to them that will make a difference in their lives, then you will be doing them a disservice by entertaining your selfish thoughts. It’s not about you, it’s about your audience.
Call to action:
So, do you think this mindset shift will change the way you think on your next speaking engagement? Comment below. Share your thoughts and let’s talk.
RobbieAgustin.com
I help transform businesses and take them to the next level with my expertise in Agile, Lean Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, and Intelligent Automation. Author of The Business Optimization Blueprint.
Nice post!
My current Job is technical trainer (teaching technical stuff) , On my situation, im confident whenever im presenting my materials to rank and file and peers. But everytime when there’s someone sitting with higher rank (management) I always feel in a rush to the point that I cant deliver well the presentation. any advise sir?
Great question! I’ve experienced the same, so I totally understand. The thing is, they hired you for a reason. You’re the technical trainer, they’re not. This is your realm. If they were better than you, then they should be the ones conducting the training, not you. So same mindset, you’ll be doing their people (because they’re from management) a disservice by thinking about yourself, being nervous, and delivering in a rush. It’s not about you. It’s about your main audience.
I also suggest that you immerse yourself as much as possible to environments where you present to people in management and senior leadership. The more exposure you get, the more you get used to it. You’ll realize, they’re just normal people too, just like you. It’s just that they had the courage to step up and become a leader. I’m suggesting you do the same. Step up, and be in environments where you can engage with leaders more often. Build that confidence. Soon enough, you’ll become a leader yourself.
As they say, you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most amount of time with. Make it count. Spend time with leaders.
Hope this helps!