First Time making a Presentation – Fearful
Okay, you have to make a presentation in public. Instant fear starts from your head to your toes. You feel like the Cowardly Lion in the “Wizard of Oz “. I have no courage , I have no courage, I have no courage. You are ready to commence flight.
Your immediate thought is , it is time to go skydiving , run with the bulls, or a great time to have my funeral.
Believe it or not , a thought is neutral. It is neither positive or negative. Your self-image in your subconscious mind, is programmed to fight, flight , or freeze.
Your subconscious mind begins to be programmed before birth. The foundation of your subconscious mind is mostly formed by the age of 7. Your subconscious mind, which you are unaware of your map recording , is running 95 % of your activity. The conscious mind is running 5 % of your activity.
The best times to reprogram your self-image is right before sleep, immediately upon waking , and learning Merrill’s Ice Cream Visualization exercise , using your favorite flavor of ice cream.
My formula for success is to be 95 % confident and 5 % concerned. If you were 100 % confident , you would fall asleep. My best sleeps were the times that I had my colonoscopies. I understand if you would rather have a colonoscopy than making your first presentation.
Now it is easy for me to sit here and tell you that you will be successful. I have been a toastmaster for 40 years earning the DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster) award, a Relationship Banker for 23 years, and 3 times I have been rejected in proposals for marriage. I am still waiting to find a person that wants to say yes.
For inspiration , I watch the 2018 Toastmasters International Championship Winner, Ramona Smith , “Still Standing”.
In presentation number 2 , at an Ocean State Toastmasters meeting the purpose of the presentation was to Organize your Speech.
Let me give you an example of how it went. Make believe that you are traveling from Boston, Massachusetts through Providence , Rhode Island to Hartford , Connecticut. Each state would have a story.
My roadmap started in Boston , Massachusetts, went to Chicago , Illinois, Austin, Texas, and landed in Tallahassee, Florida. I never came close to Providence, Rhode Island or Hartford, Connecticut. I was all over the United States. Sure, at this point , I can say to you it is going to be easy, but it is NOT!
In presentation number 4, “Show What You Mean”, was not pretty to watch. I was demonstrating the sale of a plastic coffee mug that had been produced in the Junior Achievement Company NECO (we were sponsored by the Narragansett Electric Company).
The coffee cup fell apart during the presentation, I froze. Instead of acknowledging the incident , I was totally embarrassed. My thoughts were that I could be skydiving, running with the bulls, or having my funeral.
In the advanced education program, the purpose of the presentation was Training the Sales Force. To be an effective communicator, you need to be an effective listener.
In “ Listening Skills Training “ , James W. Williams lists The 27 Types of Listening. I focus on two types.
- Listening to Respond – you already have what you want to say in mind and you’re simply waiting for them to finish. I recommend that you delete that thought process.
- Listening to Understand – letting go of everything you want to say and truly listening to the other person. To be an effective communicator , this has become part off my DNA.
As a Relationship Banker at Citizens Bank I developed Merrill’s 3 Rule of Connecting.
- If you have any stress, you have to leave it outside the door.
- You have to be 100 % completely satisfied with my work.
- We have to have fun. You are responsible for providing it. What is the funniest story that you can share with me?
If you are a Beginning Communicator or you are an Effective Communicator , I would like to meet you! I am sure that you can teach me what is your best principle for Connecting,
Right now go to effectivecommunicationstoday.net or text me at (401) 688 -4741. I am looking forward to being introduced to you.
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