After a sterling career as an NFL superstar player, Deion “Prime Time” Sanders retired 18 years ago, but now he is suddenly back in the sports—and national—news headlines. Jason Gay, The Wall Street Journal’s sports columnist, calls him “The Hottest Coach in Sports.” The reason for the renewed fame: in his first game as the new coach of Colorado University’s Buffaloes, a team that lost 11 of its 12 games last season, he led his athletes—21-point underdogs—to a decisive victory over TCU, a team ranked 17th in the nation.
In a Washington Post article by sports columnist Jerry Brewer analyzing the rags-to-riches story, he identified three factors Sanders employed that are readily transferable to presentations.
Preparation
Sanders’ previous role was as the coach of Jackson State, one of the largest historically black research universities. But their football team is positioned in the secondary tier of the NCAA, known as the Football Championship Subdivision, while Colorado is in the first tier. Nevertheless, Sanders brought nine of his Jackson State players (including his sons)—whom he had trained to perfection—to Colorado, knowing that they would be ready to play at peak level from day one. As Brewer quotes Sanders, “I’m bringing my luggage with me, and it’s Louis [Vuitton].”
Bring your best game. Prepare your story and slides (and video and/or demo, if you use them) as if you were preparing for the Super Bowl. And consider every presentation you give a Super Bowl. Review your materials thoroughly. And rehearse the entire pitch thoroughly. And do it again—and then again. As the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, put it, “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”
Appearance
Brewer noted that Sanders “is inflexible about manners and the appropriate clothing to wear during meetings.”
Dress up for your presentation. This is not to suggest that you go out and buy an expensive wardrobe. Think of it as “Plus One.” Determine what your audience will be wearing and escalate your attire one notch. For instance, if you present at a software hackathon where the usual attire is jeans and T-shirts, step up to business casual with a jacket and a shirt or blouse. If you present at a social media trade show where the usual attire is business casual, dress more formally: neckties for men and suits for women. If you present to a financial conference where the usual attire is neckties for men and suits for women, get out your best version of neckties for men and suits for women.
Confidence
Brewer observed that Sanders “epitomizes self-assurance.” When Sanders played, his brash actions and his outspoken personality earned him the nickname “Prime Time.” After his playing career, he reinforced that image as an outspoken sports analyst on television.
But how can you epitomize self-assurance when the fear of public speaking is universally pervasive? The reason for the apprehension is fear of failure. To avoid failure—and ensure success, Lighten your mental load.
When you start your presentation, you should know where it ends—as well as every step along the way. This requires that you focus your content by limiting it to no more than half a dozen (fewer is better—less is more) main themes and then organizing those themes into a clear and logical sequence. Then go back to lesson one above: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. With the roadmap clear in your mind, your apprehension will diminish.
Three simple lessons to make your time Prime Time.
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