7 science-backed tips to keep you calm while making an impact
Any presentation is a performance. We’re not just talking about the big audience in GE Appliances Monogram Hall, it’s getting up in front of any group.
Yes, your team of five counts.
Being mentally prepared is a big part of delivering an exceptional performance instead of a mediocre one for any number of people. Harvard Business Review senior editor Dan McGinn has done a deep dive into the science of mental preparation. In his book, Psyched Up: How the Science of Mental Preparation Can Help You Succeed, he shares seven research-proven ways to get prepared:
1. Reappraisal. You’ve no doubt felt that adrenaline rush before a big event: your heart beats faster and your breathing gets heavier. This physical state may be an indicator of anxiety or fear, but research has shown that how we interpret and respond to these sensations that makes the difference.
The strategy, according to McGinn, is called reappraisal. Instead of trying to make that leap between extremely nervous and very calm, reappraisal suggests you shift into an excitement mode.
2. Centering. Involves simple breathing and thought exercises that resemble meditation. Centering can also include more engaging activities like yoga.
3. Pre-performance routines. Engage in the same activities, whether mental or physical, every time, turning the process into a routine. Professional athletes often follow the same ritual before every game; in some cases, the ritual may be a group routine.
4. Performance contagion. To invoke the contagion effect, use (or perhaps carry or touch) something that is associated with a successful role model in your space. As magical as this sounds, the science says you may perform better.
5. Power poses. A study from Harvard Business School examined the benefit of “power posing,” the practice of adopting a powerful stance, particularly before a presentation or event. These include postures like hands on hips with a wide stance. Watch a video to get ideas.
6. Pep-talks. Inspirational words from someone in authority can create positive outcomes. According to McGinn, research shows the best pep talks integrate direction or strategies with empathy and tie the task to some larger meaning, such as an organization’s long-term goals. Find someone to give you that talk before a performance or help colleagues by giving them a pep talk.
7. Music. Science has long recognized that music can affect moods and emotions. Playing motivational music can help change your approach to a stressful activity.
We all experience anxiety, nervousness, or even fear when we try something big or give an important performance. By using the tips and techniques from McGinn’s, you can turn a stressful situation into a great performance.