Building Confidence in Team Presentations

When I started sharing my speaking journey publicly, everything changed. The traditional business advice says "fake it till you make it." But after working with hundreds of entrepreneurs, I've learned something counterintuitive: your biggest breakthrough comes from being transparently vulnerable about your struggles. I was on a call with a successful founder last week. When I asked if he'd spoken at conferences, he froze. "I can't even handle team meetings without sweating." When I shared my own speaking disaster story, forgetting my entire opening at a 500-person conference, something beautiful happened. He realized everyone wanted him to succeed, not fail. Here's what I learned about building in public through transparent speaking: 1. Vulnerability Broadcasting  Share your panic attacks, forgotten openings, and sweaty moments openly. Building your confidence journey in public permits others to be human. Your struggles become someone else's breakthrough story. Speaking fears are universal, your transparency breaks the shame cycle. Others see that success isn't about perfection, it's about persistence. 2. Story Stack Development  Document your 5 go-to stories for any situation and share them. Building your narrative library in public creates accountability for authenticity. Your stories become templates for other entrepreneurs to adapt. Transparency about your frameworks helps others structure their own experiences. 3. Confidence Protocol Sharing  Show your exact pre-speech routine and why it works. Building your confidence systems in public creates replicable frameworks. Your meditation, breathing, and preparation become roadmaps for others. 4. Authority Multiplier Transparency Document how one speech creates 50+ opportunities. Building your authority systems in public shows the compound effect. Your podcast invitations and connection requests become proof of concept. Transparency about speaking ROI motivates others to overcome their fears. 5. Failure Reframe Strategy Share how disasters become your best teaching moments. Building your resilience story in public transforms setbacks into comebacks. Your 15 seconds of silence become someone else's courage catalyst. Transparency about recovery shows that perfection isn't the goal. Others learn that audiences want value, not flawless delivery. This isn't just about becoming a better speaker, it's about creating beautiful, systemized, and impactful ways to share your expertise with the world. When you build your speaking journey in public, you're not just overcoming fears. You're showing other entrepreneurs that their voice matters and their message deserves to be heard. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Curious how this could look inside your business? DM me ‘System’ and I’ll walk you through how we help clients make it happen. This is for high-commitment founders only.

Want to raise psychological safety by 85% in your team? Make one simple shift: move from large-group presentations to small-group conversations. In Never Lead Alone, I talk about a practice we’ve seen transform how teams surface truth and accelerate alignment: the Stress Test. Here’s how most report-outs go: Someone clicks through a 22-slide deck. It’s polished, safe, and rarely highlights what’s not working. We nod, maybe ask a question, then move on. Now contrast that with a Stress Test, which is a practice grounded in candor, agility, and shared problem-solving. It starts with a short, focused document (no more than 1 to 3 pages) and three questions: What have we achieved? Where are we struggling? What’s coming next? Then instead of broadcasting in front of 30 people, we split into small groups to review, challenge, coach, and most importantly, be honest.

I’m not sure why this has become everyone’s favorite business stance, but it’s time to change it up! For some reason, crossed arms became the ultimate power pose, especially for headshot photos. But when you do it, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Crossed arms: → Can actually create a barrier between you and the audience. → Can be interpreted as defensiveness, dominance, or disapproval. → Subconsciously tell others you’re closed off, unapproachable, or even defensive. On the other hand, open arms: → Are a universal symbol of welcome and warmth. → Project confidence, interest, and a willingness to connect. → Subconsciously signals that you're receptive to others and their ideas. Clearly, open arms project the confidence and approachability that will elevate your professional presence. This, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t ever cross your arms. It's all about context. But for maximum positive impact, keep those arms open and welcoming! Ultimately, you want to be mindful of your body language, especially when it comes to presentations, networking events, or even client meetings. Here are my go-to tips to leverage body language in building a good professional presence: ✅ Open up. Stand tall, shoulders relaxed, and keep your arms at your sides or use open gestures to emphasize your points. ✅ Mirror the energy. If someone leans in during a conversation, subtly mirror their posture to build rapport. ✅ Mind your micro-expressions. A furrowed brow or tight jawline can contradict an open posture. Be mindful of your facial expressions as well. Remember, your body language is an extension of how people perceive you and your personal brand. Make it work for you! 💬 What are some other body language tips you've found helpful? Share them in the comments! #LITrendingTopics #Communication #PublicSpeaking #BodyLanguage #ProfessionalPresence

19 years ago, I used to get incredibly nervous before speaking on stage. Racing heart. Tunnel vision. Dry mouth. Today, half of my job is being on stage. Here’s my 7-step pre-stage checklist for how I conquered stage fright: (Before you step on the stage) Step 1: Set One Clear Intention Nerves often come from scattered thoughts.  So anchor your mind with a single, positive goal: • For a pitch: “Get the buyer to sign and stay firm on numbers.” • For a presentation: “Connect with the audience and deliver value.” Avoid negatives like “don’t mess up.” Your brain clings to “mess up.” — Step 2: Pick a Focal Point Choose a random spot in the back of the room (or bring a grounding object, like a pen). Right before you begin, mentally send all your nervous energy there. It gives your brain somewhere to “put” the anxiety - and frees you up to focus. — Step 3: Breathe Mindfully Most people shallow-breathe when they’re nervous. This just worsens anxiety. Do this instead: • Close your eyes • Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth • Push your belly out with each inhale (deep belly breathing) — Step 4: Release Muscle Tension Anxiety makes us clench everything - jaw, shoulders, stomach. This kills blood flow and increases anxiety. Instead, start at your head or toes and relax each muscle group with one breath: • Relax your face and eyes • Relax your jaw and neck • Loosen shoulders and chest • Relax arms and hands • Relax your stomach and abs • Continue down to your toes You’ll feel calmer and more grounded instantly. — Step 5: Find Your Center Before going on stage, shift your focus to a spot 2 inches below your belly button. This is your physical center - used by athletes and performers to stay grounded. As you breathe, imagine calm radiating from that point. During your talk, return to it anytime nerves creep in. It’s your internal anchor. — (While you’re on stage) Step 6: Repeat Your Process Cue This is your personal “how” mantra. • Interviewer: “Smile and ask great questions.” • Speaker: “Keep it warm and engaging.” • Performer: “Smooth and steady.” Keep repeating it silently throughout to stay focused and intentional. — Step 7: Direct Your Energy Feel the nerves rising? Don’t fight them - redirect them. Use your focal point from Step 2. Mentally “throw” your anxious energy toward it. It’s like dropping a heavy backpack: instant relief. __ Save this post and come back to it before your next big moment. Whether it's a presentation, interview, or performance, these steps will help you show up as your most confident, centered self.

Is public speaking your worst nightmare? For many, the fear of public speaking ranks above the fear of death. Sounds dramatic, right? A couple of weeks ago, an employee asked for my advice on being less anxious and more confident on stage. There is no perfect formula that works for everyone, but I shared what helps me get more present and confident on stage. 1. Remember that the audience is rooting for you. People don’t go to talks hoping to be bored, they go hoping to learn something or to be entertained. If you see people who look like they are not paying attention, often that has more to do with them than with you. 2. Find happy faces and focus on them. There are usually some people in the crowd who are vibing with the talk. When you find them, focus on and deliver the talk to them. As an audience member, it’s hard to know who the speaker is talking to, and it can look weird if the speaker’s gaze is constantly darting around the room. 3. Stand confidently. The audience can sense your energy during the talk. If you are constantly pacing or shuffling, you can look uneasy, which can make you uneasy. Find a position that you feel confident in and own it. How you show up is who they will read your energy. 4. Make clarity your number one goal. It’s easy to set the expectations for yourself out of whack if you compare yourself to an entertainer. An audience can learn a lot from someone who might be nervous but who focuses on making their message as clear as possible. But if you go too far in the direction of entertaining and you don’t have a clear message, nerves can kill the whole talk. The more you build confidence in the clarity of your message, you will be more confident and able to add more jokes and personality. 5. Anxiety is a signal you care. It is normal to feel some nerves before a talk. It signals that you care about the audience and how the message will be received. When you harness that anxiety, it can ultimately drive you to do better and be more prepared, so try it use it that way instead of letting it shut you down. 6. Pick topics you care about. When picking the topic for your talk, find something you genuinely care about. It is very hard to give a great talk about something you don’t genuinely care about. When structuring a talk, focus on putting yourself in a position to speak genuinely about the topic. Bonus: If you are feeling confident and want to take your talk to the next level, you should think about the emotional arcs throughout your presentation. It’s more interesting to watch someone talk through the highs and the lows, than it is to hear only about the highs. Bring us on the journey of your story, or how you found your insights. This is just a start of how to up your presentation game. To my pros out there, what other advice have I missed? What would you say to someone who is starting to hit the talk circuit?

Two things I do to get over nerves of a big presentation or a talk (like my first TEDx coming up) is to rehearse with photos of a crowd in front of me and to power through the entire presentation no matter what distractions happen. Before I had this little multi-monitor set up, I’d actually print photos of crowds and pin them up. There’s a strange but pretty realistic thing that happens when you do this. Like exposure therapy, this brings up very real emotions of what it actually feels like on stage. I’ve learned that I need a mix of photos: ✅ Central image of a crowd being a normal crowd right before you get started. It makes me take stock of the moment right before I start and my energy in the first 30 seconds. This makes or breaks whether people will engage with you. ✅ A side image of an engaged crowd. When I feel like I’m in rhythm, my eyes tend to go to this one more to simulate flow. ✅ A side image of a bored crowd. This one I glance at for two occasions. If I’m feeling lost or nervous, I’ll look at this image to practice getting back on track and back to the engaged audience. Or, if I’m still in a state of flow, I’ll practice NOT getting thrown off by people who appear disengaged. The second thing I do to improve my practice is that I complete my run through no matter what. 🟢 Kids knocking on my office door 🟢 Text message or phone going off 🟢 Dog barking at the Amazon delivery In every real presentation I’ve done, there is ALWAYS some unplanned distraction that comes up. You have to practice getting back on rhythm when sounds and movement distract you. A bonus tip: record yourself and then watch it back as if you were an audience member. Adopt the mindset of someone sitting in the audience and cue up their “What’s In It For Me?” moment. ➡️ I hope this is good ➡️ I need inspiration for ______ ➡️ The last speaker was great/not so great ➡️ A “dementia advocate” is speaking about the future and innovation? Why? The audience isn’t there for you. They are there for them (even when they’re there for you). Serve them. Speakers, what advice would you add for the week prior to your big engagement? Assuming you’ve got the rehearsal of content down, what’s your next focus and why? 👇🏼

Leaders: create an environment where your team doesn't second guess themselves. Failure is okay. Difficult conversations need to happen. Worthwhile work is hard. But here's the thing: your team will fail to execute according to your standards when you've built a system around fear (whether intentional or not). And even worse, the standards they can achieve. Here's how I try (and fail at times) to build a culture of trust on the marketing team: Encourage Transparency: Make it safe for your team to share challenges, ask for help, and voice concerns. Have monthly or quarterly meetings with every team member, make it a safe space to share their concerns. Show Your Vulnerability: Lead by example, show your own vulnerability. Admit your mistakes, and model how to learn and move forward. Get Agreements: Fear often arises from uncertainty. Be clear about goals, priorities, and what success looks like. Share Before Ready: Encourage your team (and yourself) to share work-in-progress ideas, drafts, and projects. Waiting for "perfect" never works. Give Feedback With Empathy: Feedback should be constructive, not destructive. Focus on the behavior, not the person. Fear can stifle even the most hardworking and intelligent. It also blunts creativity, slows your team, and severely limits trust. It's your job to remove the barrier.

People often ask me for quick ways to build trust on a team. I have a dozen solid go-to moves, but one stands out because it’s dead simple and nearly always works. You’ve probably heard of the “connection before content” idea—starting meetings with a personal check-in to warm up the room. But let’s be honest: questions like “What’s your favorite color?” or “What five things would you bring on a deserted island?” don’t build trust. They just waste time. If you want a real trust-builder, here’s the question I use: “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄?” That’s it. One question. And here’s why it works: 𝟭. It creates vulnerability without forcing it. You can’t answer this question without being a little real. And when someone’s real with you, it’s hard not to trust them more. You see the human behind the role. 𝟮. It unlocks practical support. Once I hear your challenge, I can picture how to help. I feel drawn to back you up. That’s the foundation of real partnership at work. 𝟯. It increases mutual understanding. Sometimes we feel disconnected from teammates because we don’t know what they actually do all day. When someone shares a challenge, it opens a window into their work and the complexity they’re navigating. If you’re short on time, allergic to fluff, and want something that actually bonds your team—this is your move. Ten minutes, and you’ll feel the shift."

Presenting with Confidence: My 3-Step Prep for Collaborative Sessions As someone who has delivered countless keynotes, webinars, and workshops, I’ve learned that great presentations don’t happen by accident—they’re built on purposeful preparation. Over the years, I’ve developed a three-step method that makes collaborative presentations feel seamless, well-paced, and engaging:   1. Align on the Outline: In a first meeting, we define our key messages, agree on what the title and abstract have promised, allocate time equitably, and choose a slide template to ensure a cohesive visual experience.   2. Share Drafts and Storylines: Next, we meet to present and review one another’s slides and talking points. This allows us to refine flow, avoid duplication, and align our messages to amplify each other’s contributions.   3. Rehearse Together: A dress rehearsal brings everything together. We practice as if it’s live, offering feedback, making final adjustments, and ensuring the overall presentation feels polished and connected. A tech check or second rehearsal may follow if needed. This week at NACCHO #PrepSummit25, I had the pleasure of co-presenting with Dr. Danielle Eiseman from Cornell University. She graciously accepted my presentation prep approach and I found her to be smart, proactive, communicative, and a total professional—making this collaboration a true joy. What are your favorite tips for delivering a great presentation? Let’s share ideas in the comments and keep learning from each other! #PresentationTips #Collaboration #PublicSpeaking #HealthGIS #Teamwork #PublicHealthPreparedness #LocationIntelligence #ClimateResilience #HealthEquity #PresentationSkills #ConferencePrep

Ensure all voices are heard by leaning into CURIOSITY! Designing inclusive working sessions can start by inviting questions from EVERYONE- for example, the technique below honors introverted voices and fosters diverse perspectives. Try out some of these practical techniques below in your next meeting or collaboration session… Quiet Reflection Time:  ↳ Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts. Structured Brainstorming Sessions:  ↳ Ensure each participant has designated speaking time to reduce pressure. Rotating Facilitators:  ↳ Vary leadership styles and ensure diverse voices are heard throughout discussions. One-on-One Discussions or Smaller Group Settings:  ↳ Provide intimate settings where introverts can freely express their ideas. Techniques like this create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts. This approach isn't just about diversity. It's about harnessing the power of all perspectives. Together, we can foster environments where every voice contributes to success. Let's ensure that every team member feels empowered to bring their best to the table.