Your Energy is Your Superpower
Today I want to consider your “energy” and how it impacts how you are perceived as a presenter or speaker. There’s nothing weird about this although most people won’t talk about it. Think about it, when you speak with someone, you get a sense of how they feel in that moment. You pick up all kinds of micro signals from the body.
The same thing happens, of course, when you speak or present to groups, virtually or in person. The energy in the whole room or video meeting will feed off of your energy.
Here are 7 tips to make your energy work for you:
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First impressions are key so make the most of them.
Be mindful about the energy you radiate when you enter the room, turn on your webcam or step to the podium. If you are tense, flustered, or distracted people will sense it. On the other hand, if you are relaxed, prepared and present, they’ll sense that too.
It’s a proven fact that people quickly and unconsciously form judgments about others (in 7 seconds to be exact). Use this to your advantage and take steps to control those first few seconds of your ‘performance’ as much as possible.
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Fear and uncertainty affect your energy.
Fear and uncertainty are normal, but do not let them determine your energy. Dogs ‘smell’ fear but people do too.
If you let fear and uncertainty control you, you will unconsciously make yourself physically smaller and avoid eye contact.
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Your energy has twice as much impact as you might think.
I have always valued this Maya Angelou quote:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Your energy as a presenter or speaker will remembered long after people have forgotten about your slide deck, webinar or your story. Begin each presentation or talk with the end in mind by answering this question: How do I want the “audience” to feel as a result of my presentation or talk?
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Decide in advance what kind of energy you want to radiate.
When it comes to energy, it’s very important to be intentional. Setting a goal is the first step to achieving it and not falling back on your ‘standard behavior’. Take a minute before each presentation and literally write down the answer to this question:
“What energy do I want to bring to my presentation, meeting or talk?”
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Realize that many people are craving positive energy.
Most people lead a fairly serious lives with quite a few worries on their minds. (And something like COVID-19 doesn’t help).
If you see a chance to add some color and positivity to their day, go for it! They’ll be very grateful.
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Do some power posing before your presentation.
I find this is even more important when presenting virtually. Human beings feed off each-other’s energy when we are in a room together. It’s more difficult to capture that energy in virtual gatherings so you need to bring more of the positivity and power to online gatherings.
In Amy Cuddy ‘s a now famous TED Talk , she speaks about power posing: adopting powerful postures to make you feel more energized on the inside. You could say you are fooling your own brain, but it really works.
The Wonder Woman pose is a great power pose. Another option is taking a deep breath and imitating a gorilla, including chest-beating or doing something else that raises your energy. Tony Robbins jumps on a mini trampoline before every event.
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Smile
A smile is contagious. When you smile in a sincere confident way, it conveys that you are at ease. You exude positivity and confidence and that energy spreads. And just like power posing, smiling also affects your brain in a positive way. A simple tip is to look at a picture of someone or something that makes you happy right before you enter the room. This will bring a natural smile to your face and happy energy to your body.
Please note: a forced ‘apologetic smile’ radiates nervousness, so avoid this.
You are in control of the energy you bring and radiate during presentations, meetings, talks and webinars. Be intentional, do what you need to do to radiate positive energy and go forth with confidence.