Reclaim home court Advantage for Virtual Presentations

Athletes who play on their home turf have an advantage. Whether court, field or ice, teams win more at home.Why?

Some believe the advantage comes from athletes being able to follow their routines and play in familiar surroundings. Some give credit to the support of home-team fans. What it boils down to is this: The athletes are most comfortable at home.

If athletes are at their best at home, what about you?

As speakers, business leaders have a similar advantage presenting to their “home crowd.” Again, it’s all about comfort. When you’re comfortable giving a high-stakes presentation — like a product launch, plenary conference session or shareholders meeting — you get the feeling you’re “in the zone,” just like an athlete in peak performance mode playing on home turf.

The recent shift to virtual presenting is a whole new ballgame for speakers. Pivoting from in-person events to virtual venues has many leaders feeling like they’ve lost the familiarity of the home advantage, even though they’re now literally at home. Ironic, isn’t it?

Sure, working from home and participating in remote meetings is a regular part of our work life today. But the ever-changing world of technology is rapidly innovating, and business leaders are finding there are nuances to delivering high-stakes presentations in digital environments. As a result, they’re feeling off their game. They’re uncomfortable. Sound familiar?