Who's in the

Hot Seat?

Coaching Client:

Michelle, Marketing Director with an Entertainment studio

Coaching Challenge:

Michelle feels nervous and unclear when presenting to senior leadership. She believes she is making a poor impression and not conveying her strong leadership capabilities.

4 Keys Ways She Boosted Her Confidence

Michelle expressed during her first coaching session that, "I feel insecure when speaking to senior leaders." "I overthink what I plan to say and then trip over my words or I don't say anything."

During coaching, Michelle focused on improving her mindset. She realized that her own thoughts were sabotaging her ability to speak confidently and to connect with senior leaders.

The 4 important mindset changes that helped Michelle overcome her fears are:

1. Focusing on her message, not herself: Instead of worrying about how she looks or sounds: Michelle focuses on the message she wants to convey. This can make her audience more interested in the value she provides rather than her presentation skills. She concentrates on delivering her message in a clear and concise manner, and observes how her feelings of confidence follows.

2. Embracing her vulnerability: Michelle often feels the need to project an image of perfection and infallibility. During coaching, she recognized that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. This mindset shift allows Michelle to connect with her audience on a more personal level and to build trust. Now, when she makes a mistake during a presentation, she acknowledges it, and moves on. She believes that her audience appreciates her honesty and authenticity.

3. Practicing positive self-talk: Michelle made the connection that the way she talks to herself impacts her confidence and performance. She actively avoids negative self-talk, such as "I'm not good enough" or "I'll never be able to do this." Instead, she replaces them with positive affirmations, such as "I am well-prepared." and "I am more than capable."

4. Visualizing success: Before presenting to senior leaders, Michelle visualizes herself delivering her message with confidence and poise. She imagines that her audience is engaged and receptive to her ideas. This visualization helps her feel more confident and prepared.

By adopting these mindset strategies, Michelle transformed her fear and self-doubt into confidence and empowerment.

Did You Know?

Mindset refers to the collection of attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives that shape an individual's perception and behavior. It encompasses how we approach challenges, view our abilities, and understand our potential for growth and learning.

Mindset can be either fixed or growth-oriented, with a fixed mindset believing that traits and abilities are predetermined, while a growth mindset sees these qualities as malleable and capable of improvement through effort and experience.

Mindset plays a significant role in determining how we approach and navigate different situations in life, and can greatly impact our success and well-being.