I recently experienced my first Tanya Tucker concert live. WOW! What a country music legend. She’s been playing for almost 60 years.
As she started her act, she was on fire. A couple songs into the show, I noticed she was a little off. After a few songs, she made the comment that she was out of breath. (We were watching the show at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, so the air is pretty thin there.) Her manager brought a stool out, so she could sit down. But she rarely used that stool throughout the show.
Several times she would take a break in between songs to tell stories, which was pretty entertaining. She was sharing stories about her career and life. Some of this was strategic stalling, so she wasn’t singing her heart out… or her lungs. She even made the comment about struggling the past few days, but she stated the audience made it worth being there. Of course, we all started cheering even louder. We had Tanya Tucker in tears. She was so moved by the audience.
I stood there thinking, “Here is a 64-year-old professional, legendary country artist doing her absolute best performing for a packed house. Most people wouldn’t ever step up on stage and do what she’s doing.”
It made me think this is a lot like what we deal with in the AEC industry regarding interview presentations. We think we need to be perfect and rehearsed. The truth is, we don’t. I’m not saying don’t be prepared, because you MUST be prepared! You’ve got to prepare your story, prepare what to do if something goes wrong — like those technical difficulties we’ve all experienced at the most inconvenient times. (Or in Tanya’s case, she’s out of breath and needs to figure out how the show must go on!) It’s also about having the confidence to get up and present what YOU know.
As architects, engineers, and contractors we KNOW our business. We don’t necessarily know how to be public, polished presenters. But that’s okay. Just be yourself. Be authentic. People appreciate authenticity.
The other piece of this made me think about how Tanya’s up there putting on a show for the crowd, and everyone knows she’s struggling. We all just cheer louder and louder, letting her know we are supporting what she’s doing up on that stage. I truly believe every time a presentation is given to a group of owners, those owners are cheering for you. They don’t want your team to fail in the presentation. They are cheering you on to deliver the best presentation your team can do. The crowd is always on your side.
Performing as a musician and presenting like a professional architect, engineer, or contract have many similarities if you think about it. We know our trade. We know our audience. We prepare and practice. We evaluate the “what if’s” and decide how we will handle them. Then we give it 100% and give the best presentation we can to that group of owners. Now go out there and do your thang!
nu marketing provides strategic marketing services for the design and construction industry. Lindsay Young, Chief Difference Maker of nu marketing, offers presentation training and preparation for your team. Give us a call today to book your consultation at 316.680.3097 or email us at [email protected].
