Small Thing? Big Thing!
“Sometimes a small thing can become a big thing…”
– J. R. St.John
Deep in the throes of a series of finals presentations, we — on the receiving side — had a complex matrix of decision items to consider and we were tuned up pretty seriously, looking for the smallest detail upon which to award an incremental advantage — or to take one away.
The pitching teams were in their serious clothes, and they had that “lean and hungry look” that people get when they’ll take no prisoners on the way to winning the business! The suits were creased, the shoes were gleaming and they appeared ready to pounce as they exited their limousines to come upstairs and present. The tension in the waiting room was palpable!
We were pleasantly surprised at the overall high level of professionalism demonstrated by all the teams, and by their polish, which was impeccable. In the break room before the final pitch, we leaned back and relaxed, realizing that we could not make a bad choice today — just a narrow choice between equally talented winners.
Came the last group — delightfully talented and informed. The third speaker was deep in a difficult case, and noticed that my table partner’s pen had run out of ink. She was searching for another, and had clearly lost the thread of the discussion. Without breaking stride, he reached into his pocket, removed his own Mont Blanc and, leaning in, quietly placed it on her notepad. She looked up and blushed as he smiled and picked up the argument just about three sentences prior to where he had stopped. She caught up to the rest of us as he carried on without upset. But we had just witnessed the difference between the other three teams and this magnificent yet simple demonstration of the power of preparation, professionalism and winning intention when combined with situational awareness and compassion. He was more interested in his audience, than he was in his pitch…
There was no category on the matrix sheet for this, but it was his demonstration of that apparently small thing which we ultimately deemed to be a big thing that carried the final decision.
Applications
1. Personally
Even though you’re standing in front of a group, delivering a big deal presentation, you’re still a human being. The messages you broadcast with your demeanor, style, humanity, kindness and class mount up during the day, leading up to your appearance as a speaker on a platform. And they continue to accumulate the rest of the day as you dismount the dais and continue on your way. The point of practice: to allow you to internalize your material and delivery — to let you own it! That means you’ve got some brain cells left over to deal with everything else life will hand you on presentation day. Keep in mind that your audience is judging you all the time — not just when you stand up to perform!
2. At Home
Nobody in the family likes homework — whether for an elementary school test, a professional designation, or a presentation. But everyone in the family can benefit from taking a team approach to preparing for everything ‘til it hurts. If it hurts tonight, it’ll go way smoother tomorrow in the auditorium. And all that practice leads to being more relaxed about the big performance — and no temper tantrums on the way to the show.
3. At Work
There’s a reason to practice your presentations repeatedly and it isn’t so you can do them flawlessly, but so you can present while also being fully aware of how the audience is reacting, who on your team needs support, and anything else which might contribute to the decision. Situational Awareness + Compassion can often change the chemistry in the room for the better — and that’s to your advantage!
It’s a competitive world out there. The difference between winning and losing is often minute. It’s impossible to tell in advance upon which small item a decision may turn. Increased practice can give you back the presence of mind and relaxed awareness which may allow you to turn that small thing into a Big thing and win the day!
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