This Post Has Nothing To Do
with the fact that the New England Patriots are heading back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Although, hey, that’s awesome.

“You Don’t Look Like…
…a Patriots fan” was the comment as I took a seat at an airport bar where everyone was watching the game. It was back in the years when I traveled extensively for business. And I definitely always looked the part of “best dressed for success” corporate consultant. Little did they know I was also a Football Mama. My two sons played from middle school into college years, and I was an active (the Gridiron Club!) and vocal supporter and fan.

What Does Coaching Look Like?
It looks like this photo. Mike Vrabel, head coach (and former player) sprinting along the sidelines supporting running back Antonio Gibson as he returns a kickoff for an amazing 90 yards and takes it to the house (touchdown!). Look at the body language: arms, legs, knees, feet all in sync. This could be a choreographed dance. But it’s not. It’s a photographer’s incredible “eye” catching a nano-second which communicates an entire story. A story of alignment, support, encouragement and leadership.

What Are You Communicating?
Body language IS a language. And it’s real. Your audiences read it, sometimes obviously, sometimes not. But how you show up is always part of your story: part of what you bring into the room, onto the stage or through the screens.

My athlete sons get a kick out of me using sports analogies. To be clear, I never played a team sport or competed in a sporting event. But I find it immensely useful when I’m coaching, to help presenters tap into their own muscle memory. Their own playing or competing days. It gets people out of their heads and into their bodies. And that’s where your power lives.

Energy Is The Name Of The Game
A client once said, “We’re not sure what we want you to do. All we know is we want your energy around here.” That was an Ah-hah! moment that helped me understand what they were really buying. Whatever your own style or personality may be, bringing your best energy to your communications will lead to your success. Energy equals presence, and it makes a difference.

Athletes Train; Presenters Rehearse
I get that rehearsing your business presentation is not always a welcome suggestion. But athletes understand the need for reps; they don’t “wing it” on game day. And maybe you shouldn’t either. Rehearsal time, saying the words out loud, serves a real purpose. It builds muscle memory, confidence and your ability to adapt. It also helps normalize and manage showtime nerves.

Adjusting In The Moment
Athletes adapt their moves to the specific opponent they’re facing and the changes they’re seeing in real time. I like to say that every presentation begins anew. Even if it’s the same basic pitch you’re giving for the nth time, the audience, circumstances, energy level, current events, and day of the week are different. Just as no game goes exactly as planned, no presentation does either. The phrase “thinking on your feet” couldn’t be more apt. Your job is to keep reading the room, tweaking as needed, tuning into who and what’s in front of you as you vary your moves and words.

Dropped The Ball?
It happens. We make mistakes, misspeak, confuse the data, click the wrong slide, screw up. The key is to recover quickly, do an internal reset, move right on and not let yourself spiral down into a negative place. Athletes already have the next play in mind, and you might want to, as well. Onwards!

You’ve got this! See you at the Super Bowl…

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Photo Credit: David Silverman