There’s a lovely trick I sometimes use when teaching or presenting…
And I always delight to see it work.
I was lecturing in business communication to the brilliant Enterprise Tech programme, part of the Cambridge University Judge Business school, above.
I always build lots of interactions into my teaching.
It’s far more effective that way:
Turning the session from a boring monologue into a much more interesting dialogue with the group.
One of the exercises I set was to get the students to write an elevator pitch for a business idea they were working on.
If you don't know the concept:
The elevator pitch consists of around 25 seconds introducing yourself, showing why the business is interesting and important…
Building up your credibility, with either your research credentials, fundraising, number of customers, or some such…
And finally a call to action to secure a follow-up meeting.
I invited volunteers to the stage to deliver their pitches, which several duly did.
But! I noticed quite a few of the group subtly trying to catch my eye.
It’s a look I’ve become familiar with in teaching.
It says: I'd like to volunteer, but I’m lacking confidence so can you help me?
You bet I can.
Thus I began my trick, saying to the group:
When I run workshops like this, there are always some people keener to contribute than others.
But if you think you’d like to, and you’re being held back by a lack of confidence…
Remember, I will support you, you’re amongst friends here.
And I can tell you this:
If you do face down those inner fears, stand up and offer your pitch…
You'll walk out of here feeling a foot taller, glowing with new-found confidence, and that lovely sensation will last for a very long time.
Now, does anyone else want to volunteer to come up on stage and deliver their elevator pitch?
Well, guess what happened?
Beautifully, happily, delightfully…
I got many more volunteers, most of whom I don’t think would have come forward without encouragement.
They gave their pitches, they got a round of applause…
And they stepped down from the stage with a smile on their faces and a wonderful new spring in their step.
The moral of the story being:
If you have a chance to contribute in a workshop, lecture, talk or whatever…
Take it.
You'll love the feeling it fills you with.
