Building Trust as a Presenter

22 Dec Building Trust as a Presenter

Audiences don’t trust presenters who are too polished or perfect. They prefer speakers who are a bit rough around the edges, speak in a genuine voice, and are doing their best to engage an audience.

There may be another principle at play. Women can be overly concerned about appearances—being judged by, competing against, or wanting to be accepted by other women. Women more than men notice what’s in style. Unfortunately, once we sharpen our powers of observation, women can be overly self-conscious about weight, hair, wardrobe, and fitness level.

By focusing on image over intelligence, style over substance, and being nice instead of effective, women set themselves up for failure. Too many women believe they can never be knowledgeable enough, polished enough, or perfect. It’s time to overcome centuries of programming that says our value is diminished if we don’t fit some impossible standard.

“Building Trust as a Presenter” is an excerpt from my new book, Out Front: How Women Can Become Engaging, Memorable and Fearless Speakers. You can pre-order your copy of Out Front here.