Reprinted from: LeanIn.org
By: Stephanie Taylor Christensen
(This is the seventh segment in a ten part series from LeanIn.org)
Lesson #7: YOU BLEW A BIG PRESENTATION
Public-speaking groups like Toastmasters exist for a reason: Presenting is a skill—and not one that comes naturally for most.
Bombing in front of a live audience can happen to the best of us—politicians, Oscar winners, CEOs, and athletes included. We have YouTube to prove it.
But while giving a lackluster presentation isn’t a professional habit you want to repeat, it’s not a career-ending gaffe either.
The Silver Lining Lesson: “Consider why your presentation went wrong, and what you could/should have done differently that would have led to a better outcome,” Palmer says.
Did you need more time, more information, more practice, or do you simply need to brush up on your public-speaking confidence? All of this can be solved for, so you don’t repeat your presentation faux pas.
“I also recommend meeting with your boss to apologize,” Randall says. “Leave out the list of excuses and ask for an honest critique. Even if it hurts, listen, consider, and apply what you’ve learned.”
