January marks a big milestone for me in my professional journey – 25 years since I first started teaching presentation skills! I know I'm dating myself here...
In January of 2000, I was hired to teach a course called Business Presentation Skills at the University of Ottawa. Up until then, I’d done a lot of public speaking since I was a child, but this was the first time I was tasked with helping others excel in this art.
I remember loving that experience, but I had no idea that it would be so pivotal for me – that I would ultimately start my own business and do this for a living. My journey hasn’t been a straight road – it had its twists, turns, jumps, pauses – but looking back, I can see just how much that experience shaped what I do today.
There’s so much I could say, but I’ll share my biggest takeaway.
At the time, my role was to teach people how to give a good presentation. But I quickly realised that beyond technique, there was a deeper challenge—fear and anxiety. If you’ve ever felt nervous for a presentation, you know exactly what I mean!
So I took it on as part of my responsibility not just to teach how to present, but to help people feel comfortable and confident doing it. That’s when mindset became a core part of my approach.
I was intentional about creating a relaxed and supportive environment. We did a lot of learning, but we also laughed a lot, shared openly, After each presentation, I used to give students stickers on their evaluation forms. Check out the video to see original stickers from 25 years ago!
Fast forward to today, I have carried that learning with me. Now I’m working with professionals, but most people have never had the opportunity to learn how to give a good presentation. And most people still struggle with nerves and confidence. It doesn’t matter how junior or senior they are.
So if that's something you struggle with, I want you to know that’s completely normal. Of course, I also want you to know that there is something you can do about it, it doesn't have to be that way. With Soapbox, mindset remains a core part of my approach. There's still a lot of learning, and laughing. And in case you're curious, yes I still give stickers, though I stick mostly with stars now – I keep it strictly professional. 🙃 🌟
P.S. Still working on my video editing skills – thanks for bearing with me! 😉
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