What if you could get a standing ovation, whether in a conference hall, a boardroom, a sales meeting, or during a pitch to a roomful of VCs?
Is it about standing out, being different, and making an impact that leaves a lasting impression on your audience? Of course.
But it demands a few more tools to level the playing field.
It’s about being bold, taking risks, and pushing boundaries: connecting with your audience by displaying uncanny attention to detail that escapes the ordinary eye.
Can Being Yourself Get a Standing Ovation?
I recently spoke with Rob Napolitano, a client and a friend, about entrepreneurship, the current state of business, embracing failure, and coming out on top.
Then Rob shared a story I’d never heard before.
I was on the floor rolling.
Here’s that story in Rob’s own words.
The 5 Takeaways That Can Help Get a Standing Ovation Whether in a Conference Hall or The Boardroom
- Naming a goal is a key step in achieving a standing ovation.
It gives your audience something concrete to focus on and helps them understand the purpose of your presentation.
When setting a goal, make sure it is specific, measurable, and attainable. Also, make sure it aligns with the interests of your audience. - Making it a win for everyone involved is crucial.
Your audience wants to feel like they are getting something out of the presentation, whether it be new information, something inspirational, or a solution to a problem they face.
With the proper framing, you create a sense of shared success and build buy-in for your idea. - Being willing to disrupt and challenge “the usual” is another factor. Use the element of surprise to become “a human scroll stopper” (like in social media, when we see or hear something unexpected, we “stop scrolling” to check it out).
Your audience wants to hear something new and exciting, not the same old thing they have heard it before.
By being bold and taking risks, you make a lasting impression and stand out from the crowd, just like Rob did. - Connecting the dots that others don’t separate you from the ordinary.
Your audience lives to hear new insights and perspectives they haven’t heard before.
By connecting seemingly unrelated ideas and showing how they come together, you not only create a sense of excitement, you also open eyes and minds to new possibilities.
Too much in life and work is “same old crap” day after day. The willingness to disrupt and connect dots is a welcome change of scenery. - Never walking away from something that scares you is the final takeaway for getting a standing ovation.
Facing our fears and pushing through them, we inspire others to do the same. A feeling that’s contagious (for which there is no cure).
The Biggest Takeaway? It Wasn’t What Rob Said. It’s the Spark He Ignited in That Room
I hope this video and these takeaways have given you some ammunition to take your next shot that inspires others to take a stand (and clap while doing it).