Around six or eight weeks ago my boss came into the office that I share with a coworker and started talking to her about putting on a spring seminar. After tossing a few ideas back and forth he turned to me and asked if I'd like to give a presentation at the seminar. I've presented at client meetings before, but typically I discussed the most minor details and my superiors took over when it came to anything requiring some sort of expertise. I had also met my clients face-to-face before presenting anything, so it felt more like a discussion than a presentation.
My heart must have stopped for a moment, but I feigned excitement and did my best to give an enthusiastic response. In reality, I know that speaking in front of a group is something I need to master if I want to grow in my career, but part of me is scared to death of public speaking. I know that this is a skill I must possess and I've known it for years, but at the same time I've done as little as possible to help myself develop this skill.
So I'm in a new city, I've been given a fresh start at the office, and there is literally a world of opportunity for me to grow in my career here in Stockholm. So yeah, after my initial reaction I decided to go all in and step up to the challenge. Turns out it wasn't so bad. My boss and another coworker were presenting on two very technical topics, one covering an executive retirement issue here in Sweden and the other on changes and proposed changes to pension accounting in both the U.S. and on an international level. I got it easy..."Retirement Trends in the U.S." What do most of you know about traditional pensions? That very few exist anymore? Yep...that's the trend. There was obviously more to the presentation than that, but the answer was already there, I just had to answer the classic who, what, when, where, why and how.
I emailed my former coworkers back home and they were able to share some great presentations that they have given in the last couple of years. I researched and read up on a bunch of other topics, pulled together information that I've studied in the last year and with the help of my coworkers put together a pretty decent presentation. It was short, it wasn't technical but it fit in pretty darn well. So to those who sent me some reports or presentations, I definitely owe you!
Obviously I'm building to something...well, today was the day. We held the seminar at Stockholm's World Trade Center. Not an impressive building from the outside, but a pretty posh building on the inside. I think 14 people, mostly client contacts and one prospective client, showed up for the presentation. The first hour was pretty much unbearable. My nerves made it hard to sit still, let alone concentrate on the presentation.
Somehow my nerves started to calm down during the second presentation. The first two presentations were in Swedish, so instead of trying to get anything out of them I just started to pay attention to the presenters' speaking styles and body movements. By the time I stepped up in front of the room my heart rate had slowed to a normal speed. I dropped my notes face down on the table and launched right in to my introduction...next thing I knew I was part way through my presentation, and suddenly I was at the end...with the notes laying untouched on the table.
It wasn't a perfect presentation, but in my mind I still have a feeling that I nailed it. There were a few points I could have done a better job of highlighting, and my biggest problem is that I always speak a bit fast once I get going, but I didn't miss a word, I didn't stutter and most importantly I didn't drop any unwanted "ums."
Making it through the presentation, my first professional presentation, gave me a brief runner's high. I even felt ready to take a few questions at the end. Apparently the Swedes don't like asking questions in front of a group for fear of standing out or asking a stupid question, so I was denied that opportunity, but the solo presentation was enough for me. It was a personal challenge that I may not have seen for five or more years in Minneapolis, and it was also a challenge that I'm happy to have overcome.
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