You’ve done your presentation and it was a success. The audience were receptive and engaged; you were confident and engaging. Gold stars and high-fives all round. Wait a moment…
…that is not the end.
In the final part of Energise and Engage, this five-part series on the art of presenting with confidence and credibility, we look at tapping into the energy of development.
This energy source complementing the other four, which are the…
- Energy of understanding
- Energy of you
- Energy of choice
- Energy of delivery
- Energy of development
Mixed together they create the energy needed to move audiences from awareness to belief to trust; ideas from out of the darkness and into the light; move you to share and articulate in different ways.
So last, and by no means least, it is time to utilise that masterful movement maker…
…the energy of development.
Presenting with Confidence and Credibility
Like any skill, your ability to communicate through the spoken word is enhanced by doing it more.
One presentation; one speaking engagement is not the pinnacle. It is part of a richer presentation tapestry.
One which grows in substance, style and mastery with each speaking opportunity.
That is why the energy of development forms part of your excellent energy equation.
Energy of development
The energy of development helps you because…
- seeing your speaking experiences as being an inter-connected body of work which evolves over time takes some of the pressure off you to be perfect. Perfection is a confidence killer which can stop you in your tracks when opportunities come your way.
- being great at one presentation format can be limiting. Tapping into the buzz and challenge of newness boosts creativity and enables you to bring different perpsectives to different audiences.
- if you keep an open mind and see each presentation as a learning experience, the more regularly you use your skills, the more your skills will improve. A sure route to increasing your confidence and credibility.
The energy of development encourages and enables movement because…
Multiplier – every time you present; clarify your thinking; connect with audiences, the positive impact is greater than the sum of the number of speaking gigs. The growth and learning which takes place for you and others has a magical multiplier effect on your confidence and credibility.
Often – getting better at anything involves doing it with a degree of regularity. The calm confidence which comes with mastering the art of presenting is empowering for you and your audiences alike. You may still get anxious before you step into the spotlight; you’ll always be developing your craft. What you will have is the experience and capabilities to know that… whatever happens in the spotlight you’ll be doing your best with authenticity and value at the heart.
Variety – experiencing different formats of presenting with differing rules and guidelines challenges you to express yourself and your ideas authentically in new ways. Each one on its own adds a new dimension to your skills; the novelty bringing freshness to your thinking and style, enabling you to keep sharing interesting, accessible content with your audiences.
Energy – the energy of development comes from mastery, regularity and novelty.
Putting it into practice
To help nurture and expand your presentation skills; to increase mastery over time, doing it more often is obviously important. What is just as important is the variety dimension.
Doing the same things in the same ways over and over again can lead to staleness and mis-placed bravado. Trying different formats of presenting and challenging yourself in new ways brings a more rounded approach and attitude towards your speaking capabilities.
With that in mind, here are three presentation formats which I have experienced and found challenge you in ways; stretching and strengthening your presentation skills…
Video
Grab your mobile phone and you have readily available access to this form of presentation. Meaning you can practice using it and gain benefit from it at any time.
You may already be a supremo of the screen when it comes to video. If you’re not, this is a great way to enhance your presentation skills.
Benefits: Encourages you to be clear and concise. Plus you can use it in different ways for different reasons without the need for a formal event organised by others.
Top tip: Remember the camera takes away some energy from your performance which can make you seem a little less enthusiastic to your audience. You have to over-compensate a little… without going to comic extremes. Unless that’s whay you’re aming for, of course. Standing up when you speak can help you achieve this.
Ignite
Five minutes to present; 20 images set to change automatically every 15s… Ignite-style presenting is a great way to challege and hone your presentation skills.
Even the most experience presenters are put to the test with this format. I know because I used it as the basis of a series of science, engineering and technology-related networking events. Everybody loved it, was inspired and the conversations flowed.
Benefits: Time constraint and auto-change combined with the very visual nature of this format encourage you to be even more creative about how you convey your message and what you include.
Top tip: Don’t wait for a specific event which uses this format, tap into it’s power by using it, for example, to convey complex results or concepts…. or where, traditionally, non-visual have been the norm so far or… Mix it up to generate some energy and movement.
TED
18 minutes and a legacy of innovators and educators, the TED format grew and grew. Local TEDx events became the accessible format for more people to tap into and share their ideas. And that is how I experienced this format. I was privileged to be a speaker at TEDxDorking several years ago.
If you get the chance to take in a TEDx event, it’s great way to challenge and develop your presentation skills.
Benefits: The foundation of this format is that you have enough time to explain challenging ideas and concepts. At the same time the strict time constraints force you to be concise and creative about what you share with your audience.
Top takeaway: Having been through the TEDx experience, my main learning may or may not surprise you. It was… yes, you are good enough to be here and do have something of value to share. (We all have our demons 👺!)
I hope you have enjoyed the Energise and Engage series and gained value from the tips, insights and ideas that we’ve explored together.
Being able to present with confidence and credibility is a key part of a Career Adventurer’s toolkit.
Moving yourself, ideas and other people forward in order to adapt and evolve in our dynamic world is, and will continue to be, a valuable, in-demand capability.
Good luck with all your presenting adventures. I know you’ll be brilliant!
Career Energiser Blog 
Please leave a Reply