Be honest—when was the last time you, or someone on your team, totally bombed a presentation?
I can tell you exactly when mine was: International Women’s Day, 2015, in San Francisco.
I had been invited to speak in front of 50 women on a topic of my choice. I love giving presentations, so I was excited. I spent weeks preparing. I wrote a script. I rehearsed my lines over and over again. I even bought a new black Helmut Lang jacket with cool oversized shoulder pads. I was ready.
Then the big day came. I stepped onto the stage, looked out at 50 pairs of eyes staring back at me, and began.
I got to the third line—then totally froze.
Despite all my preparation, my mind went blank. So I started over.
Again, I got to the third line—frozen. Beads of sweat formed on my face. The panic set in.
I tried one more time. Somehow, I made it through that treacherous third line and stumbled my way to the end. Then I scrambled off stage as fast as I could, hoping no one would see me leave the building.
So… What Went Wrong?
That day was a disaster—but it also changed forever how I teach others to prepare for presentations. Here’s what I learned the hard way:
Mistake #1: I focused too much on myself.
I was treating my talk like a “performance” instead of an opportunity to connect. The pressure I put on myself made me anxious—and that anxiety made me blank out.
Mistake #2: I didn’t connect with my audience first.
I launched straight into my content without taking a moment to engage the audience. That created a disconnect, which made me feel like I had to “fill the void” fast.
Mistake #3: I memorized instead of familiarized.
I tried to remember my speech word for word. But when the pressure hit, my brain froze. Had I truly internalized my message instead, I could have spoken naturally.
THE BIG PRINT: i.e. If you take one thing away from this post it’s that…
The secret to great public speaking? It’s not about you. It’s about your audience.
Shift your focus from “How do I sound?” to “How can I serve?”
What does this look like in practice?
✔ Connect first. Build rapport before diving into your content.
✔ Know your message inside and out. Get so familiar with it that you can stay present—even when nerves come up.
✔ Forget perfect. There’s no such thing. Focus on connection, not perfection.
TAKE IT FROM… Ghandi…
One of my favorite reminders of this comes from Mahatma Gandhi:
“You find yourself when you lose yourself in the service of others.”—Mahatma Gandhi
A service mindset in public speaking doesn’t just bring you alive—it creates a ripple effect.
Because service is connection.
Service is electric.
Service is magnetic.
If this resonates, think beyond yourself. What would it look like if your entire team showed up this way? What if your people had the tools to engage, inspire, and move their audiences?
Your team’s ability to communicate is a competitive advantage, not just a nice-to-have.
Go out there and serve. And if your organization needs help creating a culture of confident, compelling communication—let’s talk. You can book a free consultation with me here.
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