When you are seated at a conference table among your peers, you are equal to them and part of them. It’s easy enough to throw out a question, offer an opinion, or make a suggestion. But when you are required to stand and deliver, the equation changes.
They are seated. You are standing. More is expected of you now. All eyes are on you. And, yes, people are judging, evaluating, and assessing. They must. They must decide if you are trustworthy and credible.
If you’ve ever watched nature shows about herds of zebras and predatory lions, you know that the lion is seeking to identify the zebra farthest away from herd. This is the zebra that will be attacked.
The solution? Don’t wander too far from the herd. Get out from behind the lectern. Stand on the floor instead of on the stage. Get a conversation going. Ask questions. Be the leader, but be part of the herd.
