Pro-Active rather than a Re-Active Presenter
Program Titles
- Re-Active Presenters are not in charge
Sandra Muse Kuhlmann, Ph.D., works with clients on design, development, and delivery of presentations that get results.
We all have difficult situations that we must face which require our best efforts to communicate. For you, it could be a sales presentation. It could be a need to explain a new and unpopular policy. It could be a particularly high-pressure television interview.
For others, maybe it’s presenting a year-end report to an angry group of stockholder. Maybe it’s political issues with a board. Maybe it’s presenting on a topic you are uncomfortable with.
The list could be endless considering that the topic or audience that could be difficult for you could be a snap for someone else.
Let’s consider what frequently happens when we focus on these difficult situations. Our palms or brow may sweat. Our heart may pound a little faster. We may develop a nervous tremor in our voice. We may fear criticism from our audience. We could project into the future and envision serious consequences. We could worry we will go blank and forget what to say. We may lose sleep or become irritable with those around us.
Literally, the speech or presentation has by the throat. Our body, our mind, and our spirit are in its clutches.
Now let’s reflect on what a professional would do at times like these. They would accept the challenge. Possibly, they would seek advice of professionals. They would look for ways to make it work for them, not against them. They would see this as a time to grow, a time to sharpen their speaking and presentation skills. They would realize that it’s what they make out of this presentation that counts.
You may say, but I’m not that skilled a presenter, confident in my delivery, at ease with some audiences, or knowledgeable about many topics. Plus, I don’t have the time or the interest. What can I do?
What can you do?
One decision you can make is to be a Pro-Active rather than a Re-Active Presenter. Here’s the difference in these two terms.
Pro-Active: Pro-Active means acting in advance to deal with expected difficulty or anticipating the difficulty. Being Pro-Active takes energy and effort on your part. Pro-Active Presenters are in charge.
Re-Active: Re-Active means being responsive or reacting to a stimulus or the difficulty. Being Re-Active takes no effort or energy; it’s the knee-jerk reaction. It’s stimulus and predictable response. The stimulus calls the shots. Re-Active Presenters are not in charge.
The following is one suggestion to help you be more of a Pro-Active Presenter. It’s a simple process, but vital to your success in a difficult presentation situation when your best performance is required.
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