That Moment Before You Speak: The Presenting Technique Most People Overlook
Simon Sinek's The Optimism Company
Every day is an opportunity to inspire someone.
Greetings, Optimists! Today, we're sharing an insight from Jerry ThompSon III, Master Trainer at Simon’s Optimism Company, who recently led a session teaching Simon’s principles on "The Art of Presenting" for a group of seasoned executives.?What he revealed might change how you approach your next opportunity to speak.
Picture this: You're standing in front of a room. Hearts racing. Palms sweating. Your carefully prepared slides are ready to go. But something doesn't feel right.
Sound familiar?
According to Jerry, most presenters focus on what they'll say and how they'll say it—but overlook a more fundamental question that changes everything: Why are you even presenting in the first place?
"If you can think about one person, or in some cases, an earlier version of yourself, who could have used a better presentation around your topic... that really helps anchor yourself," Jerry explained during his recent masterclass.
This simple mental shift—focusing on who you're helping rather than how you're performing—transforms both the experience of presenting and its impact.
The Anxiety Paradox
Here's where it gets interesting. Most presenting advice centers on managing your nerves: Stand like this. Breathe like that. Visualize success.
But Jerry suggests a counterintuitive approach: Instead of trying to eliminate nervousness (which rarely works anyway), channel it toward serving your audience.
"Nerves are going to happen, and I'm here to tell you that it's OK," Jerry reassured participants. The key is redirecting that energy toward your purpose.
When you shift from "How do I look?" to "How can I help these people?,” something remarkable happens. Your body language naturally becomes more open. Your voice finds its authentic tone. Your content organizes itself around what matters most.
Making It Practical
How do you implement this approach in your next presentation? Jerry suggests a simple pre-presentation ritual:
One participant shared how this approach transformed their quarterly reports: "I used to dread presenting our numbers. Now I think about the team members who need this information to make better decisions. It's not about my performance anymore—it's about their success."
Beyond the Slides
This audience-centered approach extends to every aspect of presenting:
The Deeper Why
At The Optimism Company, we believe effective presenting isn't just a professional skill—it's fundamentally human. As Jerry noted, "One of the things that makes us unique as animals is our ability to communicate in this way. This is what makes us social."
When we present with a clear purpose and genuine care for our audience, we're not just transferring information—we're creating connection. We're helping others see possibilities they couldn't see before.
And isn't that what great leadership is all about?
The next time you're preparing to present, try asking yourself: "Who am I really doing this for?" The answer might just transform both your experience and your impact.
Want to bring these insights to your team? Explore our corporate training at Optimism at Work. And if you're ready to take your own presentation skills to the next level, check out Simon's online course, The Art of Presenting. As a special bonus this month, you'll receive Find Your WHY (a $250 value) completely free with your purchase.
Photographer | Brand & Marketing Strategy Professional
21 小时前Great tips and reminders! Mark Chartier you'll find this a good read. ;)
OK Bo?tjan Dolin?ek
Founding Member of President's Circle Leaders Excellence at Harvard Square |Keynote Speaker| L&D | Certified Executive Coach | Man of Excellence by IAF | Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Inspiration Award |Chief Experience Officer
1 天前Interesting perspective
For more than three decades I've been helping people and organizations tell their important stories to advocate, educate and inspire change.
1 天前When I coach people on how to share their stories, I remind them that they are the subject matter expert and the audience won’t know if they forget to tell them something. It can help alleviate some of the anxiety and ground them in their purpose.
New Product launch expert | Business development | Licensing | Marketing manager | Lifescience | 15+ years in Pharma | ex-Takeda
1 天前It is an interesting approach to focus on the idea of helping your audience instead of potentially receiving critical remarks from them. I'll try it next time! ??