How To Get Into A Strong, Energetic State Before A Presentation

How to Get into a Strong, Energetic State Before a Presentation

How do you come across to others when you present? And how do other people judge our energy levels? You might think this is an obvious question, but I bet there will be things you’re missing – we can’t always tell what’s really going on, and even less so how we come across to other people, because we have so many mind filters in place and miss or delete information as we process it. So today’s exercise is a way for you to find out personally how other people see you, and learn the triggers you need to get into a strong, energetic state before a presentation. You’re going to practise moving from the ‘off’ to ‘on’ button!

Why is ‘energy’ important? For quite a few reasons which I’ve discussed here (why it matters) and here (3 ways to rev yourself up if you’re a low-energy speaker). It’s useful fuel to access if you’re a nervous speaker, as you can use it to move through your presentation with more conviction. Anxious speakers tend to shrink and lose it, so being able to know and access your energy triggers is very helpful. It’s also usually much more engaging for your audience, which can help to build your confidence as you get more positive energy reinforcement from them. 

Here’s what you do: get a colleague or friend whom you trust to meet up with you, and then ask them to observe you and note down their ideas about differences in your physical state during a couple of processes:

Choose a topic you’re usually enthusiastic about, and deliberately talk about it in a dispassionate, low-key, disinterested way. Sit down if you usually sit during presentations, stand up if you normally stand. You want to replicate your typical speaking scenario as closely as possible

Now move around, shake yourself out, bounce on the balls of your feet. Stand or sit down again – whatever you did in Part 1 – and then start to speak on the same topic. This time, bring every bit of yourself to the content: talk with as much energy, interest and conviction as you can

Ask your observer to tell you what they noticed. What changed between the two? Ask about movement, breath, vocal patterns such as speed or pitch, pausing, facial expressions. Which do they prefer? Why?

If they’re not sure of some aspects, redo the exercise  

You can try it with someone else too of course, for more varied feedback

After doing this exercise, especially if you do it with a few different people, you’ll be much clearer on what changes in your physical system when you’re speaking with energy and conviction.

You can now use this knowledge deliberately to come across more effectively to your audiences. Practise over a period of time focusing on these markers to change your state from the least to the most effective – perhaps practise initially when you’re alone and won’t be self-conscious!