What a recent networking presentation taught me about confidence, stepping outside my comfort zone and why we should sometimes say yes to things that make us nervous.

Standing Up in Front of a Room Full of Business Owners

Recently, I had the opportunity to give a presentation at a business networking event. The room was full of business owners who had come together to make connections, learn about each other’s businesses and hopefully take something useful away from the meeting.

Anyone who knows me will probably tell you that I’m quite comfortable having a conversation. I enjoy meeting people, networking and talking about business. Put me around a table with a few business owners and I’ll happily chat away.

But ask me to stand at the front of a room and deliver a presentation, and that’s a different story!

I’m not a natural public speaker.

It’s not something that comes particularly easily to me, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous beforehand.

As the event approached, I found myself worrying about everything that could possibly go wrong. What if I forgot what I wanted to say? What if I stumbled over my words? What if I lost my place halfway through?

Perhaps my biggest concern was how I was going to make a presentation about accountancy and business mentoring interesting enough to keep a room full of business people engaged.

Let’s face it, accounting isn’t always the subject that gets everyone sitting on the edge of their seats!

I’d prepared my presentation, knew what I wanted to talk about and understood my subject. But knowing your subject and standing in front of an audience to talk about it are two very different things.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

The funny thing about nerves is how good we are at imagining things going wrong before we’ve even started.

I hadn’t stood up to speak yet, but in my head I’d already forgotten half my presentation, stumbled over my words and probably bored everyone in the room!

Of course, none of those things had actually happened. They were simply worries I’d created for myself.

I wonder how often we do this in business.

We talk ourselves out of opportunities because we’re worried about what might happen. We convince ourselves we’re not ready, not experienced enough or that somebody else could probably do it better.

Perhaps it’s attending a networking event where we don’t know anybody, approaching a potential customer, putting our prices up or having a difficult conversation with an employee.

We can spend so much time worrying about what might go wrong that we forget to consider what might go right.

I’ve come to realise that confidence doesn’t always arrive before we do something. Sometimes it comes afterwards.

So, How Did the Presentation Go?

Well, I’m pleased to say that I needn’t have worried quite so much.

Once I got started, things began to settle down. I found my rhythm, talked about the work I do and shared some of my experiences of working with business owners.

The presentation went well, the audience was engaged and, most importantly, I managed to get across what I wanted to say.

Did I deliver every sentence exactly as I’d rehearsed it? Probably not.

Was it the most polished presentation anyone has ever given? I very much doubt it!

But it didn’t need to be.

I wasn’t there to compete with professional speakers. I was there to share something about my business, explain how I work with clients and give people a better understanding of what I do.

And that’s exactly what I achieved.

Walking away afterwards, I felt a mixture of relief and satisfaction. Relief that it was over, certainly, but also satisfaction that I’d pushed myself to do something I wasn’t entirely comfortable with.

And do you know what? I’d happily do it again.

I might still be nervous next time, but I’ll have this experience to remind me that those nerves don’t necessarily mean something is going to go wrong.

Why We Need to Step Outside Our Comfort Zones

Running a business involves taking risks, making decisions and occasionally doing things that don’t come naturally to us.

We all have areas where we feel confident. For some, it’s selling. For others, it’s managing people, negotiating or dealing with finances.

But there will always be things we’d rather avoid.

The problem is that if we only ever do what feels comfortable, we can end up limiting ourselves and our businesses.

Public speaking is a good example.

For me, giving presentations isn’t just about standing up and talking. It’s an opportunity to introduce my business to people who might never have heard of it, explain the value of the services I provide and build relationships with other business owners.

It’s another form of marketing, and I think that’s important.

We often think of marketing as social media, websites, advertising or sending out newsletters. But sometimes the best way to promote your business is simply to get out there and let people see the person behind it.

People buy from people they know, like and trust. Giving a presentation allows an audience to get a feel for who you are, how you communicate and what you’re passionate about.

They might not need your services today, but they may remember you when they do. Or perhaps they’ll meet somebody who could benefit from what you offer.

That’s why I believe these opportunities are worth taking, even when they make us uncomfortable.

Of course, that doesn’t mean saying yes to absolutely everything. There are times when an opportunity simply isn’t right for you or your business.

But there’s a big difference between turning something down because it isn’t right and turning it down because you’re frightened of trying.

Nobody Expects You to Be Perfect

One thing this experience reminded me is that we can be far too critical of ourselves.

When we’re preparing to do something unfamiliar, we often set expectations that are almost impossible to meet.

We want to get every word right, remember everything, sound confident and make sure nobody notices we’re nervous.

But I don’t think most people expect perfection.

They want somebody who’s genuine, who understands what they’re talking about and who has something interesting to share.

If you stumble over a word, pause to collect your thoughts or forget a sentence, does it really matter?

Probably not nearly as much as you think.

In fact, I suspect most people in that room would have understood exactly how I was feeling. Some would have experienced those nerves themselves, while others might have been quietly relieved that it wasn’t their turn to stand at the front!

We’re all human, after all.

Perhaps being yourself is far more engaging than trying to deliver the perfect performance.

What Will I Take Away From the Experience?

I’m certainly not going to claim that one successful presentation has suddenly turned me into a confident public speaker.

I suspect the butterflies will still be there the next time somebody hands me a microphone or asks me to stand in front of a room.

But that’s fine.

I’ve learned that feeling nervous doesn’t mean I’m incapable of doing something. It simply means I’m doing something that matters to me, and perhaps something I haven’t done often enough to feel completely comfortable with.

The more we challenge ourselves, the more experience we gain. And with experience comes confidence.

It’s easy to look at people who seem naturally confident and assume they’ve always been that way. But we don’t always see the preparation, the mistakes or the uncomfortable experiences that helped them get there.

Perhaps the real achievement isn’t becoming fearless. Perhaps it’s learning that you can feel nervous and still do a good job.

A Thought to Leave You With

Here’s something I’d encourage other business owners to think about.

What’s one thing you’ve been putting off because it makes you uncomfortable?

Perhaps it’s giving a presentation, attending your first networking event, making a sales call, approaching a potential customer or finally having a conversation you’ve been avoiding.

Whatever it is, ask yourself whether the thing holding you back is a genuine reason not to do it, or simply the fear of what might happen.

You don’t have to get everything right. You don’t have to be the most confident person in the room, and you certainly don’t have to become an expert overnight.

Sometimes you just have to give yourself the opportunity to try.

My presentation was only a small moment in the bigger picture of running a business, but it reminded me of something important.

If I’d allowed my nerves to make the decision for me, I’d have missed an opportunity to promote my business, meet people and prove to myself that I could do it.

And that would have been a shame.

So, the next time an opportunity comes along that makes you feel a little uncomfortable, don’t automatically say no.

Prepare yourself, give it your best shot and see what happens. You might just surprise yourself.

After all, your comfort zone might feel like a nice place to be, but it isn’t always where the best opportunities are waiting

Glenn’s Notebook – Business, life and everything in between.