My first-ever presentation in Mandarin Chinese
The world of business presentations can be nerve-wracking enough for someone, even in their native tongue. Yet, I love speaking in public, entertaining the audience, and interacting with them, in presentations, lessons, lectures, or seminars.
Now, imagine facing a room full of attentive faces, bright lights, and the pressure to deliver a clear, concise message — all in a language you’re still learning.
That reality hit me just minutes before a recent business meeting, when a colleague had to step away and I was thrown into the deep end — tasked with delivering the entire presentation in Mandarin Chinese!
So, he left me his laptop and the presentation, bidding me good luck for the 15 minutes allotted plus Q&A time.
千里之行始于足下
A thousand mile journey begins with a single step.
Taking some deep breaths (I used my 4–6–8 Breathing Exercise), I accepted the challenge. Armed with the presentation materials and a silent prayer for at least a decent outcome, I stepped into the meeting room. The next 15 minutes were a whirlwind of focused delivery, carefully chosen vocabulary and a healthy dose of adrenaline, that quickly transformed into a sense of elation.
This was an unexpected opportunity, a chance to not only test the limits of my Mandarin…
