How can you help a coachee prepare for a high-stakes presentation?

For leaders, "public speaking" and "making presentations" are never just that. With my clients, I refer to it as "front of room leadership." This is an opportunity for important people to understand how you think, to persuade others to adopt high-risk strategies, to invite input on untested ideas. Ask yourself, "what's at stake for them?" "How might my views trigger defensiveness or angst?" "What can I do to ally concerns before they surface?" Don't make it about you. The more you get caught up in what the stakes are for you, the more you'll lose your stakeholders. Audit the key players who'll be in the room and do an honest analysis of how each might see the pros and cons of your views. Anticipate their concerns as legitimate.

It is important to help the client determine what they are solving for. Do they need to feel empowered? Do they need to feel more comfortable with the material? What aspect of the high-stakes presentation is giving them pause?

Work with the client to ensure that the objective of the presentation is concise and clear. Once the client has a very clear objective, focus on the important parameters that are needed before getting started on the content. How long should the presentation be? What format do you want to use? Do you want it to be interactive?

Assuming you are using a slide deck: I find it helpful to outline thinking in the Notes section. Each slide should have a clear, one sentence intent. From there, draft detailed talking points in bullet form. Then, go back and ensure the slide content supports the primary intent of the slide. Finally, I encourage folks to consider three versions of their presentation: 1) What are your key talking points if you have your fully allotted time? 2) What if your time gets cut in half? 3) Most importantly, what is your quick elevator pitch if you end up only having less than 5 minutes? This level of preparation ensures you know your main points and are prepared with impactful ways to share your message, no matter what happens in the room.

To elevate a coachee's presentation delivery, consider the 'Rehearsal Triangle' technique, focusing on three vertices: Self, Content, and Audience. The Self involves practicing mental preparation to get in the right mindset so you are grounded in your presence and energy. The Content requires mastery beyond memory, understanding it as a storyteller grasps their narrative's ebb and flow. The Audience aspect means learning to read the room's dynamic, turning the presentation into a conversation. Encourage filming a 'mock live' session to dissect performance nuances, such as tech tool performance, and fine-tune your gestures and intonation for compelling delivery.

Plan for the what ifs.. most likely 50% less time then you were asked to present. If presenting with visuals be sure to have a “ hold slide “ something that has meaning data/ insight, a quote or a picture. Do not wait to the end to get to the main point.

When the stakes are high, coachees almost always need to rehearse their presentation more than they think they do. Start with one-on-one run-throughs while the presentation is taking shape. Refine the slides and story, and repeat. It's an iterative process. Then start formal rehearsals that are recorded (so you both can watch them back and provide additional feedback on delivery). Better yet, make some of those recorded rehearsals "mock meetings" with an audience that can give feedback and ask good questions like the real audience would. Finally, coachees should not only anticipate what questions or challenges they might get — they should inventory them, determine the key message for each, and rehearse those responses.

If a client wants to practice with me, I ask them if there is anything in particular they want me to look out for. I also talk general notes and don't interrupt the client. I wait until they are done, before offering all of the notes. It is really important to also name the ways in which the client is a strong presenter so that they can improve on their areas of growth without feeling intimidated and insecure. I often also recommend that clients record themselves and re-watch the video.

As a coach, you can help the coachee tap into their audience by encouraging them to feel the connection throughout the presentation. To prepare for that, invite them to recall those moments in the past, when they spoke to any audience that openly received the message. This is the equivalent of priming the pump for connection. Call that feeling to mind, as they practice. Invite them to feel grounded and curious about what is possible with the upcoming presentation.

Even pros get nervous. The difference is in how they use it to their advantage to fuel performance and impact on the audience. Three ways to channel it: 1. Research - focus on learning more about your audience. Know key stakeholders, what’s on their minds, what they value. 2. Clarity - obsess over your main takeaway in no more than a sentence. What do you want them to act on? 3. Rehearsal - muscle memory is real. The more you practice, the better it gets. Crisp your language, graphics and transitions. Ensure you’ve got a strong call to action that moves people. Channeling energy into this will calm the nerves for game time. Whatever is left, choose to see it as fuel for the performance. Let it work for you and have fun!

Think to the last time you spoke in public. Perhaps it went like this: - Putting off practicing - Focusing on the slides - Rehearsing the day-of - Stressing at the introduction - Speaking, internally freaking out, and then feeling more of the flow as you keep talking. The goal of practicing your speech isn't to completely get rid of nerves. Nerves are a good sign you care about what you're talking about and want to do well! By practicing more often - think 10+ rehearsals instead of half of one - you will train yourself to expect and respect the nerves. I encourage my clients to practice the intro itself 10X. Once you've got that nailed, you will be able to handle the initial stress and then lean on the flow of your expertise.

In the build-up to a big presentation our thoughts will naturally be in over drive, including reflections on: - the best content - how to deliver the message - what the attendees may think and feel - what happens if they screw up The list goes on. Managing these perceptions is always incredibly. Many other options are ways to do this. Personally, I work with clients on recognising thoughts as merely thoughts (not reality), optimising thoughts and visualising success. Practice also sits in with too. Mindset though is a key part here

Asking for feedback is not only helpful to improve future presentations. When a leader asks for feedback, they are signaling to the audience that they are adaptable, self-aware, and flexible. Thus, this can add to the approval rating of the leader.

More often than not, clients already possess the skills that they may be lacking on a given presentation. It may be due to nerves, insecurities, etc. It is imperative to identify ways in which the client is already exemplifying the skill that they need to grow on when it comes to presentations. A good coach can identify that strength in another aspect of the client's life and help empower them to see it and gather the courage to use it in the context of a presentation.

Hmm. Tremendous question. All the normal stuff. Preparation. Know the audience. Have key points. But then, check on them. Their marriage. Their financial situation. Their stress outside of this presentation. This is the stuff that trips us up. Real life. Remind them of who they are. How valuable they are. How much they matter. They’ll do great.