The Butterfly Effect

I was asked to say a few words at a closing ceremony of a training course recently and in my speech I provided some tips for giving successful presentations. I talked about the “Butterfly Effect”, (not to be confused with that film with Ashton Kutcher), where people get nervous in front of the group. In delivering the speech, I was reminded about a quote I once heard about not letting the butterflies in your stomach worry you. Rather, you just have to “get them flying in formation”! Being nervous is a good thing. It means that you care enough about what you are doing to be nervous. Elite athletes often know it is time to leave the sport when they don’t get the butterflies in the stomach when competing. I think the same can be said for trainers. The challenge is harnessing this adrenalin for success. Following are some tips to consider: • Preparation is critical – if you know what you are doing and how you are doing it, your stress levels will be reduced. • Surround yourself with great resources. Your audience will be impressed and this will start to build their confidence in you. • Mingle with the audience before you start. This will make them feel more comfortable and allow you to warm-up your voice in preparation for your official commencement. • Use the group as a resource. You don’t have to have all the answers yourself. Forums, discussions and student presentations will make for a more interactive session and give you some respite from being in front of the audience the whole time. Marc Ratcliffe CEO, MRWED Group Follow Me on twitter: @MRWED_CEO