In April, I helped about fifty people at a few different companies prepare for talks at their annual user and developer conferences. At the end of almost every coaching conversation, I said, “Good luck! Stay hydrated!”
This may seem like a dumb, obvious piece of communications advice, but I mean it. For real. Because nothing undoes a speaker more than thirst. If you’re nervous, your mouth gets dry. If you’re in a massive conference center with piped-in air, your mouth gets dry. If you’re speaking for a long time, your mouth gets dry.
If you’re too thirsty you can get a headache. You can get brain fog. You can get cranky. All of those things can shred your capacity to communicate well.
Getting ready for a big talk? Make sure you sleep. Make sure you have the right amount of caffeine for you before you go on stage. Wear clothes that make you feel confident without making you feel uncomfortable.
But, more than anything, stay hydrated.
Not sure how to crush your next presentation? Navigate tough questions? Need some pragmatic, actionable communications advice? Consider Office Hours with Lisa, a great way to get bite-sized, personalized coaching. And there are tons of resources in poseycorp’s newsletter – subscribe here. Get some skills! Because it’s the great communicators who create the change they want to see in the world!
