I’ve seen it a thousand times.
The person who was just sitting with me, talking excitedly and passionately about their work, stands up to present, and suddenly they turn into a different person. They go into “presentation mode.” It’s like the change in altitude from sitting to standing flips a switch in their brain, and their personality drops away.
Does this happen to you? Have you seen it happen to other people?
I think this goes way back to when we had to stand up in front of the class and give book reports or talk about what we did on our summer vacation. We feel stiff and formal, all eyes are on us, and the passion and enthusiasm we felt for the topic moments ago vanishes.
Maybe we feel that it’s a little unseemly to be earnest and eager. It can be a real challenge to knowingly occupy the spotlight, and to behave as though we deserve to be there.
What are we saying about ourselves and our message when we give it 100%? What are we saying when we give it a half-hearted 60%?
I know it’s scary to put yourself out there. It can feel unnatural and vulnerable. But here’s the thing: whether you fully commit or not, you’re still up there. We’re still looking at you and listening. Would you rather we get a fully engaged version of you that’s kinda scared, or a detached and robotic version that is…still kinda scared?
Walking up to the stage to present can feel like walking down the hugest diving board in the world and not knowing if there’s water in the pool. But bringing your entire, engaged self to the presentation is always going to lead to a better result than leaving that person behind in your seat.
