As the Nike adverts say “Just do it”.  Simon says “no”.

You can’t just do it – you need to prepare and you need to rehearse (which isn’t the same as just practice!).

Nor can you just ‘go out there and be yourself’.  I’ve heard this advice a lot. It’s usually given by well-meaning friends to someone who’s more than a little bit nervous about making a presentation. Let’s face it, if they’re that scared of going out on stage, being themselves is the last thing they need to do!

Besides, this advice (and I’ve heard it from professionals too!) confuses being authentic with being yourself.  I’ve nothing against authenticity – in fact I absolutely demand it of my clients… but it’s nothing like the same thing as being yourself.

In real life (whatever that is) I tend to stand to the edge of rooms and don’t volunteer contributions to conversations unless I’m specifically asked or one of the people with me has his or her facts badly wrong.  Even then all I tend to do is ask a question or make a gentle comment : “That’s fascinating – I wonder what the origin of that claim is” is usually enough to fire a warning shot over someone’s bows. Anyone too stupid to see what’s written between the lines when I say that isn’t worth worrying about!

On stage, that approach won’t cut it!

Obviously.

On stage, presenting, you need to be in control (that’s not the same as controlling, don’t forget!) and you need to be authoritative (otherwise no one should bother taking what you say seriously). So just ‘being yourself’ won’t work for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should fake it.

I’m saying that a great, great technique for presenters is similar to the one actors use when they try to find a character: they look for things in the script which resonate with part of their own character and let that to the fore.  Think of yourself as a rainbow of colours – but on stage you only allow the reds and oranges to shine through. You can’t create the colour but you can allow it to surface more by cutting down on the blues and greens.

In other words, what you’re like when you’re on stage, presenting, is you, sure… but only a part of you.

Don’t get me wrong, don’t over-do it… I’m not suggesting we see a transformation in you as you’re being introduced in the style of The Transformers because that might not be authentically you.

But a bit of playacting about ‘the kind of person you are in your head’ can be a very handy thing indeed.

Simon