Fumbling National Anthem-How To Handle Presentation Pressure
No I can't hold a note much less belt out the national anthem but Christine Aguilera's fumble of the Star Spangled Banner does remind me of some sorry moments in my past.
Public speaking can be a huge hurdle for some people. In my previous sales career giving presentations in front of a large audience became second nature to me.
Nevertheless there were some speaking engagements that didn't come off as planned and I can remember them as though it occurred yesterday.
Way back when I was promoted to National Sales Manager of 3M Window Film. I scheduled sales training and wet seal installer training sessions throughout the country. One of my first meetings was in West Caldwell, NJ for the North East 3M Dealers.
Now I really looked forward to coming back home to New Jersey where I had once been the Credit Manager in that very same office a decade earlier. It was also an opportunity to present to dealers who spoke like me. . a New York accent, fast speakers with that NY sense of humor (think Seinfeld!)
I stood up front and started my spiel.
Of course I am referring to 3M's Tech People!
Then there was the time I gave a presentation in San Diego at a dealer meeting just two weeks or so after 9/11.
I'd been running around the country for the previous weeks and my excuse at the time, was the jet lag but when I got up to speak about window film it just seemed so trivial by comparison to the horror of the previous few weeks I simply couldn't get into my presentation.
I felt like a dummy (only this dummy has better hair!)
I recall standing there like a dummy for what seemed like forever. Words escaping me for the first time in my life.
Slowly but surely I started focusing on the task at hand and somehow stumbled through the speech. I couldn't wait until I was able to hand off the baton to someone else.
Here's my sage advice given the fact that I was incredible doing the other 300 plus presentations over three decades.
Life goes on. .
Mike Feldman
Nevertheless there were some speaking engagements that didn't come off as planned and I can remember them as though it occurred yesterday.
Way back when I was promoted to National Sales Manager of 3M Window Film. I scheduled sales training and wet seal installer training sessions throughout the country. One of my first meetings was in West Caldwell, NJ for the North East 3M Dealers.
Now I really looked forward to coming back home to New Jersey where I had once been the Credit Manager in that very same office a decade earlier. It was also an opportunity to present to dealers who spoke like me. . a New York accent, fast speakers with that NY sense of humor (think Seinfeld!)
I stood up front and started my spiel.
The audience was silent. No reaction. In fact I'd say they were nearly hostile.
Oops.
(As an aside I'd love to be able to give 3M Dealers a presentation in 2011. Now that would be a joy and if you think the crowd was difficult back then, imagine what it would be like today?)
(As an aside I'd love to be able to give 3M Dealers a presentation in 2011. Now that would be a joy and if you think the crowd was difficult back then, imagine what it would be like today?)
Of course I am referring to 3M's Tech People!
I'd been running around the country for the previous weeks and my excuse at the time, was the jet lag but when I got up to speak about window film it just seemed so trivial by comparison to the horror of the previous few weeks I simply couldn't get into my presentation.
I felt like a dummy (only this dummy has better hair!)
There had to be a 150 people staring at me wondering if I was having a stroke or something.
Slowly but surely I started focusing on the task at hand and somehow stumbled through the speech. I couldn't wait until I was able to hand off the baton to someone else.
The point is that no matter how experienced you are or how confident you might be, pressure can be an obstacle.
Here's my sage advice given the fact that I was incredible doing the other 300 plus presentations over three decades.
- Know your topic completely.
- Focus on some key individuals in the room and convince yourself you are just having a conversation.
- Make sure your visual aids are top notch.
- Humor helps but it's critical to know your audience. What's funny in the Big Apple may not fly in Iowa!
- Practice-Practice- Practice. Just standing in an empty room giving a practice presentation can help.
- Know the room. Get there early and check out the acoustics and the seating arrangement. This will help you adjust to your environment.
- Your opening comments might be focused on thanking the audience for being there or thanking your host. There's no pressure in that but it can often help calm your nerves.
- Always have a back-up plan if your laptop or presentation program crashes. Go old school if you have to but always prepare for Murphy's Law!
- Pause at the appropriate moment. Pace yourself- It's not a race to the finish!
- Try not to apologize for being nervous since most people don't notice (perhaps they don't care?)
Life goes on. .
Mike Feldman
Posted by Mike Feldman at 2/7/2011 8:42 AM 
Categories: Humor Unusual Weird, Consulting Coaching, EnerLogic Low E All Season Film
Tags: Tips to giving a presentation Christine Auilera fumbles National Anthem 3M dealers
Categories: Humor Unusual Weird, Consulting Coaching, EnerLogic Low E All Season Film
Tags: Tips to giving a presentation Christine Auilera fumbles National Anthem 3M dealers
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