What I Learned: DS World Main Stage ‘23

SAY YES!

Rule # 1: When you are presented with an incredible opportunity, like speaking on the main stage at DS World, say YES! Immediately! 

Rule # 2: When in doubt, go back to Rule # 1 🤪

And say yes before you a second-guess yourself or talk yourself out of it. Trust that, with the energizing support and guidance of others, you will be successful. Don’t let the thought/anxiety of speaking in front of 5,000 people prevent you from embracing this amazing opportunity! I’m forever grateful to Sarah Molloy at Dentsply for starting the wheels in motion 🙏🏻

Embrace the anxiety that comes with challenging yourself. Anxiety means you have expanded beyond your comfort zone. This is where the growth begins. 

“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” - Soren Kierkegaard 

STORY TIME

Craft a STORY (people remember and relate to stories!) and a message that you believe will be compelling and inspirational to the audience. Put yourself in the audience - I mean really imagine yourself out there hearing your message. Would you want to hear your own message? Would you be inspired? Would you care?

Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.” – Robert McKee, professor

WHY ARE YOU ON STAGE??

You have three objectives when you give your presentation:

To ENTERTAIN the audience. If you don’t keep them awake (or off their phone) it’s game over.

To EDUCATE the audience. If they don’t learn something new you are wasting their precious time.

To INSPIRE the audience to take action. If your message doesn’t inspire change then it’s all for naught. 

“The Success of your Presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters 

COLLABORATION

Be open to sharing the stage with an amazing colleague (aka Carly Carlson 😉). Carly’s perspectives, insights, and energy took the presentation to a new level. Being onstage with Carly was an amazing experience that will always connect us going forward. I’m forever grateful for her collaboration. Sharing the stage with her abundant mindset “grew the pie” and greatly expanded the impact of the presentation. 

“It takes two flints to make a fire.” – Louisa May Alcott

EMBRACE FEEDBACK 

Search for, welcome, and incorporate feedback from all corners (e.g., your partner (they can be the most honest!), industry experts, mentors, presentation coaches). Our presentation became more powerful and effective thanks to the constructive feedback we received throughout the process. We owe a debt of gratitude for Sameer Puri for his insightful suggestions, which significantly improved our message. 

“Feedback is a free education to excellence. Seek it with sincerity and receive it with grace.” Ann Marie Houghtailing 

TRUST THE PROCESS

Trust that the Dentsply Sirona team is committed to your success. Preeti Kartik and the rest of the DS team made the entire process feel like one in which success was inevitable. Commit to the timelines/deadlines and embrace their expertise and support. 

Did I mention the support provided to succeed? Embrace the suggestions from the presentation experts – the amazing team at Tilt! They are true pros who will help you bring your presentation to life - in living, brilliant color! 

“Accepting help is it’s own kind of strength.” Kiera Cass

PRACTICE!

Practice your talk. Then practice some more. Did I mention “practice”? Practice until your talk feels like you are putting on a pair of comfortable, worn in jeans. Practice until the talk feels like a part of who you are. 

“There is no glory in practice, but without practice there is no glory.” ~ Unknown

REVEL IN THE MOMENT!

When the day of your talk finally arrives…EMBRACE THE MOMENT! Take joy in the honor and privilege of speaking to thousands of your industry colleagues. 

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”

– Michelangelo

SUCESSSSSSS!

And afterwards? Enjoy that afterglow! And express your gratitude to the multitude of people who helped you throughout the process. 

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”
― John F. Kennedy

NEXT UP!

Oh - and when you come down from the emotional high - begin looking for your next growth challenge. An abundant mind is always open to the next opportunity!!! 

“The only way to grow is to challenge yourself.” Ashley Tisdale

Onward to our futures🔥🔥🔥