To Present Like a Pro, Talk Like a Teenager

Sometimes when communicating, we can be our own biggest obstacle to being effective. We try to look smart by making things seem more complicated than they really are. It’s hard to sound passionate and intense about something complicated. Instead, remember how you felt about an issue when you were younger, and how you articulated a simple statement of your belief. Even if you missed the mark because of inadequate information or an evolving set of principles, you probably spoke with a simple eloquence and unabashed fearlessness that you haven’t heard yourself use in a while. There’s a lot to learn from your former self.

As a coach for senior professionals about to deliver major talks or participate in significant pitches, I hear lots of complicated speeches, often supported by complex slides and support material. Most of my job is to help people clear away the clutter and get to the point. I recently had a great opportunity to listen to two dozen teenagers who nailed their presentations. They did so by keeping their language simple, conveying a genuine sense of commitment to their idea, and tackling tough and random questions with a great balance of confidence and humility. Here are some recommendations for how we can all bring those elements to our next big presentation.

The students who were presenting their ideas knew the setting was safe, that the judges were there to support their learning rather than trap them or point out flaws in their argument. That psychological safety allowed them to remain calm when responding to our questions.

To adopt that approach yourself the next time you are delivering a presentation, assume that your audience wants you to succeed and that their questions come from a place of curiosity and shared purpose rather than a place of negativity. That approach of “assuming positive intent” will allow you to remain your confident dynamic self right through to the very last question.

In short, if you want to regain that sense of youthful confidence when delivering a talk or presentation, pick the right verbs, focus less on what you want and more on why the audience should want it, and assume your listeners’ want you to succeed. There’s rarely anything in it for them if you don’t.

1. Pick the right verbs. The setting was the second annual Summer Institute of Politics sponsored by the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. Over the course of a week, twenty-five students were introduced to local leaders and global issues. The students learned to think critically, identify opposing sides of arguments, and begin to understand the complex world of politics.

The program encouraged the students to think about and research a topic of particular significance to each of them. Each then drafted a research paper on that topic and crafted a public policy recommendation to tackle a tough issue. I had the privilege of serving as a judge in a Shark Tank-type competition. As they pitched their ideas, each started with a clearly defined statement of what program the particular local, state, or national body they were addressing should enact, fund, develop, or expand. Whether it was Mae from Charlotte, North Carolina advocating limiting the use of AI in high school classrooms, or Beckett from Castine, Maine talking about increased funding for Ukraine, they articulated their position with a clear statement of what action they wanted the relevant governing body to take. They spoke in the active voice, using dynamic verbs.

For your next presentation, use “Fund project X,” rather than, “Project X needs more support.” Say, “Trade Vendor Y for Vendor Z,” rather than, “It’s time we consider shifting our sourcing requirements to leverage enhanced capabilities of new market players.” The power of your statement lies in the verbs.

2. Focus on the “why” of your argument. When we talk about a business objective, we get caught up in the “what” and the “how.” We forget that we’re not advocating an action for the sake of the action itself, but rather for the benefit the audience will derive from it. Rarely is the action itself a motivator. And the process of getting there, the “how,” is mechanical, not inspiring. But the good that will be derived inspires and engages. When Maia from Boston, Massachusetts advocated for funding for education around sex trafficking prevention, she spoke of the young woman she had met who had been trafficked. Her memory of that exchange and recognition of the impact her proposal could have on others allowed her to speak with conviction. When Leo from Long Island argued for restrictions on gun purchases as a means of decreasing school shootings, he was thinking of decreasing his and his peers’ sense of vulnerability and strengthening their resilience. For your next proposal, focus on how your idea will help its intended audience.

3. Greet questions from the audience as surprise gifts. As adults, we can become both controlling and guarded. We can practice our talk and therefore control our delivery, so we feel more confident about that part of our presentation. But we’re wary of the questions that might come from the audience since they are outside of our control. Many people look confident when delivering their content and downright spooked when thrown a question from the audience.

Instead, think of those questions as clues to your audience’s concerns and interest. The person asking the question is actually the one who is allowing themselves to be vulnerable in that moment. They are exposing either a lack of knowledge on a topic or their underlying concern. Treat their question as an opportunity to help a colleague or potential client to buy in to your idea. When Kam from Roswell, New Mexico proposed increased spending on mental health education in high schools, or Josephine from Ashland, Oregon advocated for urban planning that promoted more “walkable” communities, they didn’t flinch when the panel of judges pummeled them with questions, and they had no idea what those questions might be. In fact, not a single student hesitated when responding to the many questions asked. They took each one as an opportunity to share more information about their idea. They recognized that the questions were coming from a place of inquisitiveness, not attack.

The students who were presenting their ideas knew the setting was safe, that the judges were there to support their learning rather than trap them or point out flaws in their argument. That psychological safety allowed them to remain calm when responding to our questions.

To adopt that approach yourself the next time you are delivering a presentation, assume that your audience wants you to succeed and that their questions come from a place of curiosity and shared purpose rather than a place of negativity. That approach of “assuming positive intent” will allow you to remain your confident dynamic self right through to the very last question.

In short, if you want to regain that sense of youthful confidence when delivering a talk or presentation, pick the right verbs, focus less on what you want and more on why the audience should want it, and assume your listeners’ want you to succeed. There’s rarely anything in it for them if you don’t.

Originally published on Forbes.