“I’m better when I wing it.” I’ve heard that many times before and then watched executives half-read, half-speak nervously, and blow a great opportunity. It’s painful.
In my early career, I used to do mental run-throughs of my notes over and over. Having memorized the presentation, I thought I had prepared.
But adrenaline plays games with the mind, and you need to establish the muscle memory of a full, physical rehearsal to give your body something to remember to do when the adrenaline kicks in. I rarely walked away feeling good about my performance.
A mental run-through is not enough. To be perceived as being impressive, you must practice on your feet, preferably on camera, so that you can watch it back with a coach. When an executive comes to our studio and insists that they don’t need to rehearse, I think, “Uh-oh.” Champions have coaches. Amateurs wing it and overestimate their ability.
After all, what’s the value of a great presentation to the Board? One in which you prove your credibility?
What’s the damage of appearing unprepared and not having a grasp on your project?
Many years ago, we worked with an executive on a presentation that offered a great opportunity for visibility with the Executive Committee. We helped craft the message and clean up the slides. But the executive didn’t have time to practice on their feet and pushed us off, saying, “I’ve got this.”
Someone on the Committee later told me, “They bombed.” The Board members asked questions that further rattled the executive as they slipped into what is known as a meltdown. This executive has had a difficult time overcoming the failed presentation.
There’s no better feeling than to leave the boardroom knowing you did everything you needed to do. All of us can tell the difference between the obligatory “Nice job” and “You crushed it.” One leaves you doubtful, and the other basking in the accomplishment.
Ten Steps to An Effective Boardroom Presentation
1. Practice on Your Feet. Don’t practice your presentation in silence at your desk. Get up, move around, and practice aloud until your delivery feels natural and confident. While practicing, think about every question you might be asked and how you would answer.
2. Delight the Boardroom Audience. Go short. If you’re given ten minutes, target 5-7 minutes and leave room for Q&A. If you drag over your allotted time, it is easy to lose your audience to boredom and distractions. People always like to get a little time back, even if it is only a minute or two.
3. Authenticity Over Perfection. Don’t show up in your “presentation self.” Embrace your unique style and be true to yourself. Your audience wants to hear from the real you, not a robot tied to an overly rehearsed script recited line-for-line.
4. Breathe and Embrace the Nerves. Pre-presentation nerves are natural, but don’t let them hold you back. Reframe your nerves and use that burst of adrenaline as a positive force to propel your presentation forward. Remember, what matters most is the passion and authenticity you bring to your presentation, so don’t be nervous about being perfect.
5. Keep it Simple. Never assume your audience wants the details unless they asked for them to be in the presentation beforehand. Overloading an audience with too many small details when they asked for the big picture can be overwhelming. Don’t flood your audience with an excessive amount of data during your presentation, but be sure to have that information on hand for your Q&A.
6. Showcase the Quality of Your Ideas. What makes your ideas stand out? What do you want the audience to take away from this presentation? Why should they care about this new idea you are presenting? Your presentation has good ideas; make sure you showcase them!
7. Leverage the Power of 3. Easy-to-follow presentations are usually broken into a three-part structure with clearly defined sections. You can follow simple formulas such as:
- The advantages
- The disadvantages
- My recommendation
- Where we are on the project
- Our plans to adjust
- When we will share updates
- What happened
- Why it happened
- What we are doing about it
8. Create a Memorable Opening. Your opening is when attention will be at its highest. This is where you need to set the tone and leave a lasting impression. Share a jarring statistic, ask a thought-provoking question, or tell a personal story related to the topic. There are many creative ways to open a presentation.
9. Clean Up Your Slides. Visuals should be attractive and informative while not overloaded with text and data. Your slides should aid what you are saying, not be word-for-word copies. Follow Interact’s favorite PowerPoint principles, and your slide deck will enhance your next presentation rather than hinder it.
10. Play to Your Strengths. Focus on your strengths, whether it’s your storytelling ability, humor, or emotional connection. By leaning into your strengths, you will feel more confident, and your authentic self will shine. Your strengths are your strengths for a reason – use them!
Don’t Wing Your Next Presentation… Let Interact Help!
At Interact Studio, we understand the importance of a powerful presentation. Each presentation is an opportunity to showcase your strengths, elevate your presence, and boost your credibility. Presntations are simply to important to “just wing it”.
Our team of coaches can work with you to not only craft your message and visuals but also practice your presentation in a safe, constructive, and collaborative environment. We will help you lean into your strengths and your unique voice to help you present with confidence.
Do you have a big presentation coming up? Or do you simply want to brush up on your communication skills? Reach out to Interact Studio today!
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