Why Presenting is Scary Pt. 4 – Letting Your Team Down

Representing your firm as part of a team often brings a particular host of anxieties. You don’t want to let your team down. You don’t want to be the weak link in the chain. You don’t want to say something that someone else on your team is going to have to correct. You don’t want to be the “problem child” that the rest of the team needs to make up for.

In today’s post, Pete sheds light on this family of insecurities, and offers a simple (but not necessarily easy) solution that you can independently put into practice to reduce the impact that these insecurities can have on you.

Check this out for more info about how we can help your presentation team support each other.

Transcript

How to Avoid Feeling Like You Let Your Team Down

When you’re presenting as part of a team—especially in a high-stakes interview or shortlist interview training scenario—it’s easy to fear that if the client says no, it might be because of you. Many professionals quietly carry the worry: “What if we lose… and I’m the reason?” That fear can overshadow your confident presence and make the entire experience more stressful than it needs to be.

The Fear of Being the Weak Link

Team presentations come with built-in pressure. You’re not just representing yourself; you’re representing colleagues you respect. The idea of disappointing them can create tension, hesitation, and self-doubt—exactly the things that can undermine strong AEC presentation skills and leadership presence coaching.

A Simple Conversation That Changes Everything

One powerful way to reduce this fear is to talk about it with your team before the presentation. Let them know this concern is on your mind. Saying it out loud evens the playing field and creates connection. Chances are, you’re not the only one feeling it.

When teams acknowledge this vulnerability together, it fosters collaboration, empathy, and unity—the same qualities strengthened through group presentation coaching and business development communication training. It shifts everyone from “Don’t mess this up” to “We’ve got each other.”

How This Builds Stronger Presence

Once the fear is named, it loses power. Team members become more supportive, more grounded, and more invested in each other’s success. This is the heart of leadership confidence training and the kind of mindset that fuels warm, steady presence in interviews, pitches, and presentations.

Show Up United

Have the conversation. Acknowledge the fear. Let your team know you want to do right by them—and let them reassure you that you’re in it together. When the team walks in aligned, no single moment rests on one person. You present as a unified whole, and that’s what wins trust.

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