When you’re preparing for a important presentation, it can often feel like a lot of pressure. It’s tempting to prepare for every possible scenario. You might write out every word, rehearse it repeatedly and fill your slides with everything you want to say.
But more preparation isn’t always better preparation. And if you’re already nervous about speaking, scripting it out and trying to remember every word can actually add to the pressure.
A presentation isn’t a memory test. Good preparation is about knowing what you want to say, understanding your audience and giving yourself enough structure to speak naturally.
When preparation becomes over-preparation
One thing I hear regularly from women I work with is how much time and effort can go into an important presentation or interview. They often write out everything they want to say and practise it over and over. Questions are usually the part they fear most, particularly when they feel they need to have an answer for everything.
Wanting to be well prepared isn’t a problem. Preparation can make a real difference to how ready you feel. But there is a point where preparation can become an attempt to make everything perfect and that can add to the pressure rather than reduce it.
Why do women sometimes over-prepare?
There are a number of reasons why women may feel pressure to get things right. Research into women and perfectionism at work offers some insight into why over-preparation can become a pattern.
Ellen Taaffe, a clinical associate professor at Kellogg School of Management, describes what she calls “preparing to perfection” and argues that women can be particularly susceptible to this tendency. She suggests that being exceptionally well prepared can feel like a way to demonstrate competence, avoid mistakes and create a sense of control and certainty. Read more in Ellen Taaffe’s article on preparing to perfection.
That resonates with what I hear from women I work with. Presenting can feel exposing. You’re standing in front of other people and your knowledge, judgement and communication are visible.When getting something wrong feels particularly uncomfortable, being exceptionally well prepared can feel like a way to reduce the chances of it happening.
But perhaps the more useful question is: what if you do get something wrong?
Well, you’re human. You’re allowed to pause, lose your train of thought, stumble over a word or not have the perfect answer. Standing at the front of a room doesn’t mean you suddenly have to get everything right.
And your audience isn’t analysing every word you say. They are much more likely to remember the overall message, how you made them feel and whether they found what you had to say useful or interesting.
Your presentation doesn’t need to be perfect to be effective. And that’s why trusting yourself to handle what happens on the day is just as important as preparing for it.
What does useful preparation look like?
Useful preparation gives you a clear structure without trying to control every part of the presentation. Start by getting clear on who you’re speaking to, what you want to achieve and what you want them to take away. Think about the main points you want to make and the order you want to make them in.
When you’re thinking about your audience consider who will be in the (virtual) room? What do they already know about the subject? What are they likely to be interested in or concerned about?
Then think about the main point you want to get across. What do you want your audience to know, think, feel or do as a result of your presentation? You don’t need to include everything you know in your presentation.
I also recommend knowing how you want to start and how you want to finish. The middle doesn’t need to be scripted. Having an outline of your key points gives you something to come back to while still allowing you to speak naturally.
Then practise out loud. You don’t need to rehearse until you can recite every word. Practise enough that you know your material, are comfortable with your opening and can talk through your key points without relying on a script.
What about questions?
For many people, questions are one of the parts of presenting they worry about most. And I often hear women tell me they feel the need to have an answer ready for anything they might be asked. But you don’t need to know everything.
If you know the answer, great. If you don’t, that’s OK too. You can say that you don’t know, offer to find out or come back to the person afterwards.
You also don’t need to answer immediately. Taking a moment to think about your response is perfectly reasonable. A short pause can give you time to gather your thoughts and decide what you actually want to say. The pressure to respond instantly can come from the same desire for perfection that leads us to over-prepare. But taking a moment, saying “I don’t know” or coming back to someone doesn’t make you any less capable.
The aim is to feel ready, not perfect
Good preparation can make a big difference to how ready you feel, particularly if you’re nervous about speaking. But preparing well doesn’t mean trying to account for every possible question or making sure every word is exactly right. Focus on what you want your audience to take away, practise enough to feel comfortable with your material, and give yourself some room to respond to what happens on the day.
Want some support with your public speaking?
If you’re preparing for an important presentation and would like some support, my 1:1 coaching can help you prepare and feel more confident when you speak.
Find out more about public speaking coaching.
