Decision Making

AGM’s – Overcoming that Negative Self-talk

Are you a strata manager struggling with public speaking anxiety? This article offers practical advice on overcoming negative self-talk and building confidence for successful AGMs in the post-COVID era. Learn how to reframe your thoughts and deliver impactful presentations.

By
Michael Teys
on
October 25, 2024
Category:
Governance

Holding an AGM is different in the post-COVID world, with online or hybrid meetings now being the rule rather than the exception. However they are held, an AGM still represents the best opportunity a strata manager has to showcase their work and demonstrate their leadership. Despite this opportunity, many strata managers do not think of themselves as public speakers and are not trained in the art. One of the techniques of a good public speaker is to overcome negative self-talk (that conversation you’re constantly having in your head), which can undermine the speaker’s confidence. 

Everyone has dark thoughts from time-to-time, but even those people prone to mental illness can learn to change their thinking and unlock greater confidence and power. The process is called ‘reframing’, and it involves catching yourself every time you experience negative self-talk and changing your thinking about that negative self-talk.

Some examples related to public speaking and managing meetings are:

You think… Another way of thinking…
“These people are smarter than me.” These are smart people, but I’m the only one here that’s a full-time strata manager.
“I can’t afford to make a mistake.” Everyone makes mistakes. It’s how you recover that impresses people.
“Everyone will think I’m incompetent and we’ll lose our management contract.” Yes, sometimes committees change managers but that can happen for a whole lot of political reasons relating to the committee. Mostly people here want me to succeed so that their life is easier.
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Michael Teys

Michael Teys is the Founder and Chairman of The Strata Professionals Australia. He brings together more than 30 years of specialist strata law practice, a decade of strata business ownership, and an active programme of academic research into multi-owned property governance.