Beyond Perfect.
Why the best presentations are not flawless.
You take a deep breath before walking on stage.
You’ve rehearsed your presentation ten times. You know exactly what you’re going to say.
You tell yourself:
“Don’t forget point three.”
“Don’t speak too fast.”
“Don’t mess this up.”
Then you start speaking. Your presentation is technically correct. The content is there. The expertise is there. But somehow, you are not really there and what you say, doesn’t quite land.
Brilliant professionals with a wealth of knowledge often believe that when the stakes are high, they need more control. They believe that if the content is perfect, the presentation will be too.
I know this because I’ve been there myself.
About 10 years ago I had been invited to give a presentation on presentation skills for a large women’s organisation. More than a hundred women would be in the audience, and I was genuinely excited about it.
But as the day approached, a different voice appeared in my head.
“They’re coming to listen to a presentation expert.”
“This has to be good.”
“This really has to be good!!”
Within minutes I had set the bar impossibly high for myself. And suddenly, my presentation had to be perfect. The stakes had skyrocketed!
So, I started preparing for the perfect presentation. Every sentence had to be right. I couldn’t forget a single point. I rehearsed until I knew it by heart.
Then I recorded myself.
When I watched the video back, I was horrified. The content was correct, but I had disappeared from my own presentation. I looked too controlled, sounded flat, and it felt like a shell delivering perfect content.
Luckily, I still had time to change course. I stopped trying to perfect every sentence and started preparing for presence. I created a simple script sheet with the key ideas and began speaking in my own words. That gave me the freedom to express the message naturally and to attune to what I was saying.
Now I recorded myself again. This time, I was back. Alive. Connected. No longer a shell with perfect content. The presentation felt “bezield”. It was way more convincing, way more engaging, and far more memorable.
That experience taught me something I have never forgotten. The recipe for impactful presenting is not striving for perfection.
It is going beyond perfect.
A beyond perfect presentation is not flawless. It is alive. The presenter is present, connected, and fully themselves. That is where the real gold lies.
This is not about preparing less. It is about preparing for presence instead of perfection. And everyone can learn that.
All the best.
Mabel
If this resonated with you and you’d like to practise presenting with more presence, confidence, and impact, my next Presenting with Impact training is on 25 September in Amsterdam.
We’ll work with your own real presentations in a small, supportive group, with plenty of individual feedback and practice time.
For professionals who present in English – both international and Dutch professionals.
25 September | Haarlem | Max. 4 participants
You’re very welcome.