SP Jain Essay #4

Explain a situation where you have brought about any improvement in either your self, work or society (200 words max.)

Presentations used to be my Achilles heel. Going in front of people - even known people - would give me the jitters. This was particularly evident when I started working for 3M and was expected to make a presentation to the office on an important R&D project that I had been working on. Although I had made significant progress and had much to share, the moment I stepped up to face the audience I became extremely nervous and started to stammer and bumble. Questions made me even more nervous, and in the end the audience walked away with the impression that my contribution and achievement had been negligible.

I then made a conscious effort to improve my presentation skills. I took to meditation keep myself calm, and the habit of sipping cold water to soothe myself before an important interaction. I also learnt that it is important to decouple effort from result, and to remind myself that it was more important to convey my thoughts clearly than to worry about the listener's perception of it. This process has greatly helped me improve my presentation and public speaking skills, and today I feel comfortable in facing up to such situations.