Finding my way through Presenting

Last week made me reflect on just how lucky we are when we get the opportunity to make a presentation. Last week was a busy week attending and presenting at New Comm and sneaking peeks into Inbound in San Francisco. Then hopping a plane for Louisville and speaking to their AMA, and Social Media Club chapters.

That reflection just addresses one part of presentations, the public part. My background is Art Direction-Creative Direction, and for my entire professional career I’ve had the good fortune to be responsible for selling the idea.

Both forms of presenting are stressful roles. Every client and every audience is different, some get it while others get that deer in the headlight look and I find myself often going back to the drawing board, simplifying, simplifying, simplifying.

I’ve also been lucky to watch and learn from some of the best; John Moore, and Jackie Huba come to mind as my preso-idols.

What I’ve learned and tried to emulate is not about the presentation itself but about how I prepare and make the presentation come to life.

I made the decision last week to put myself out there… in my presentation and not just stand beside the images and words in my keynote. This meant telling stories more than just spitting messages, and it meant opening my soul and exposing my own personal pain with the very medium I work in.

My leap of faith rewarded me with some of the most honest post-presentation conversations I’ve ever had. The forum of our public presentations is a powerful opportunity to engage, and share with the community in that room and now over tools like twitter. I don’t think I will ever not be excited again about presenting no matter what the size of the audience or how limited the topic.

It’s up to you, and me to make the opportunity rewarding not just for the folks in attendance but for ourselves too.