How to be a Presentation God: Build, Design, and Deliver Presentations that Dominate!

6.3. CRACK THE WINDOWS AND LEAVE YOUR EGO IN THE CAR

Egos are man's best friend. They pick us up when we're feeling down. They love us unconditionally. They give us a sense of purpose and destiny. Companionship like this can only happen when the mind loves itself. And size matters when it comes to egos: the bigger, the better. Right?

Yes—as long as you leave your ego at home. Much like dogs, man's other best friend, egos aren't welcome everywhere. They're relegated to our homes, personal space, and the occasional trip to the park. Elsewhere they need to be on a leash, or otherwise absent. Simply put, other people don't want to sit around stroking your ego. They may not even be ego people; they may be humility people, who probably have cats.

Whether or not you think cat people are weird, the reality is that they exist and we have to live our lives around them. The same goes for humility people: If you must bring your ego with you as you travel the speaking circuit, it is imperative that you leave it in the car. Crack the windows, leave a bowl of water and a squeaky toy, and go do your presentation. Bringing the ego up on stage is as appropriate as bringing a dog with you. Please don't be that guy.

Egos are fundamentally inward-focused. No matter how often you remind yourself to think of others, the ego acts like a colored veil, forcing you to see the world in terms of me, myself, and mine. If you want to deliver great content, you have to prevent the audience from suspecting that ...