Number 28 - Public Speaking

Sweaty palms, shaking leg, trembling voice, heart racing and sweating. These are all the things I experienced the moment I stepped out onto a stage and about to present to an audience of hundreds of people for the first time.

It was our annual marketing team away day. An opportunity for the teams to get together, network and for senior leadership teams to provide pivotal business and project updates that would help shape our focus for the coming year.

At the time I was working in a strategy role on one of our new projects, which provided a fundamental new opportunity to the business. It was early stages but super exciting. 

So when our director said that one of the slots on the day was reserved for this particular project update, I took the opportunity to push myself WAY out of my comfort zone and without hesitation, nor doubt volunteered to co-present to hundreds of colleagues on the day.

I was 2 months in to my 35 at 35 and I admit this one wasn’t on the origanal list, but in the spirit of ‘the year or yes’,  embracing new opportunities that would push me out of my comfort zone and would help develop me, I did it. 

Now whilst we only had a 15 minute slot, we both set aside time in the week prior, to ensure we were well prepared. From having engaging video and presentation slide content through to defining the structure of what each of us would say, to rehearsing to perfect our timings. By day 3 I’d had my script perfectly rehearsed and I’d recite it to myself on my train journey home.

The day arrived, we were briefed and given an intro to the tech requirements, and stage orientation. Waiting patiently in the audience throughout the morning sessions until it was our slot. 

We got fitted with our mikes and stood side of stage whilst our director introduced us, the crowd clapped and Katy Perry’s firework blasted out of the speakers and that was it...we were on!

I stood on the stage looking out to the audience the bright spotlights shining in my eyes. But I did all the things to prepare, I knew my script, I had my stance and hands placed in a comfortable position, I thought ‘I can do this’. At the end of the day, my audience were my colleagues, and it wasn’t long before I’d spotted some friendly faces in the audience all sat in different sides of the room smiling back at me, and that’s all I needed to be reassured that I can do this.

My heart rate calmed, my leg stopped shaking, my hands stopped sweating and I did it! Having my boss by my side we were the perfect tag team and it went even better than we’d rehearsed it. 

I was terrified, but what was there to actually fear? Others judgements? that you may get it wrong? So what? Sometimes you need to stand in the spotlight and trust your ability and know that there will always be someone in the audience applauding you simply for your efforts and for the fact that you tried.