A Pep Talk on the Path to Going Public

by Stephanie Bickel

How does a CEO prepare to communicate during the high-pressure process of taking a company public?

CEOs carry one of the heaviest presentation loads in an organization. During a major transition, especially on the path to going public, the communication pressure becomes even greater.

Every word is examined. The stakes are high. Feedback comes from multiple directions, and the advice is not always consistent.

In these moments, presentation preparation is about more than refining slides or rehearsing talking points. A leader must also manage the thoughts and mindset they bring into the room.

Years ago, I worked with a CEO preparing for a high-stakes presentation on the path to taking his company public. After a rough dry run, he received a great deal of feedback. Some of it was contradictory.

I watched him accept all of it.

Then I sent him a pep talk.

When Leadership Communication Feedback Becomes Noise

Senior leaders receive a tremendous amount of input before an important presentation.

One person wants more detail. Another wants less.

Someone thinks the leader should be more energetic. Someone else wants more restraint.

The story needs work. The numbers need more emphasis. The opening should change. The ending should change.

Feedback is valuable. Leaders need to listen and react positively. At the same time, too many competing voices can make a communicator second-guess every word, gesture, and decision.

This is especially dangerous before a high-stakes presentation.

The leader can become so focused on getting everything "right" that they lose the clarity and conviction that made the message powerful in the first place.

At some point in the preparation process, a leader has to quiet the noise and take control of their own thinking.

Why Mindset Matters in High-Stakes Presentations

Mindset is part of presentation preparation.

The thoughts running through your mind affect how you stand, speak, listen, and react. They influence your vocal presence. They affect your ability to recover after a mistake. They can even change how well you connect with the people in the room.

If you are thinking, "Don't mess this up," your attention is on yourself.

If you are thinking, "I am clear. I am helping people. I have a great team. I have unique perspectives," you enter the room differently.

Leaders cannot always control the pressure surrounding an important presentation.

They can control the thoughts they practice.

Here is the letter I sent to that CEO.

A Pep Talk for a CEO Preparing to Go Public

Mike,

I know you are getting different views. I marveled at how well you accepted all feedback yesterday.

You have 100% control over what you think throughout this process.

Here are some thoughts that fuel great performances.

Mindset is everything, as I KNOW YOU KNOW.

I shoot the past. When I misstep or misspeak, I forget and move forward.

My words are magic bullets that create the future.

Everything is always working out for me.

I am a role model.

I am helping people.

I am making a difference.

I am clear.

I am an exceptional communicator.

I am an interesting person.

I am fun.

I am handsome/beautiful.

I am smart.

I am honest.

I am a good listener.

I only promote win-win ideas.

I have a great team.

I have great ideas.

I have unique perspectives.

I have enormous courage.

I have support.

I do great work.

I listen.

I react positively.

I am patient.

I cut through the noise.

I play straight.

I shoot the past. I shoot the past. I shoot the past!

I do not complain, blame, or make excuses.

I do not spend time with those who complain, blame, or make excuses.

I am in the arena, not them.

I do this to please myself and God.

I do it my way.

--S

What Leaders Can Learn From This Pep Talk

There are a few ideas in this letter that I continue to teach leaders today.

1. Recover Quickly From Communication Mistakes

"I shoot the past" is a mindset I use to move forward quickly.

You will misstep. You may misspeak. You may forget a point you planned to make or answer a question differently than you rehearsed.

The audience does not need to watch you mentally replay the mistake for the next ten minutes.

Shoot the past.

Return your attention to the people in front of you and the message you are there to deliver.

Strong communicators are not flawless. They know how to recover.

2. Choose the Thoughts You Bring Into the Room

Before a high-stakes presentation, leaders spend hours reviewing what they are going to say.

Spend some time reviewing what you are going to think.

What thoughts help you communicate with clarity?

What reminds you of your experience?

What helps you listen?

What allows you to respond positively when challenged?

Your internal dialogue can either add to the pressure or prepare you to lead through it.

This is why mindset is a leadership communication skill.

3. Move Your Attention Away From Yourself

Some of the most important statements in this pep talk are simple:

I am helping people.

I am making a difference.

I am a good listener.

I only promote win-win ideas.

These thoughts shift the focus away from performance and back to purpose.

When leaders become overly focused on how they are being perceived, they can lose connection with the audience.

Your audience needs your attention.

Think about the people you are there to serve, the future you are trying to create, and the ideas you believe are worth communicating.

4. Listen to Feedback Without Losing Your Voice

Great leaders listen.

They accept feedback. They consider different perspectives. They make adjustments.

They also know that leadership communication cannot become a collection of everyone else's preferences.

After you listen, you still have to lead.

You need to know the message you believe in and communicate it with clarity and conviction.

That is especially important when the stakes are high and the opinions are many.

Every Leader Needs a Pep Talk Sometimes

We often think of a pep talk as something a leader gives to a team.

Sometimes the leader needs one too.

CEOs, senior executives, and experienced communicators still face moments of doubt, pressure, and conflicting feedback. The goal is not to eliminate those moments. The goal is to develop the communication mindset that helps you move through them.

Before your next high-stakes presentation, pay attention to more than your slides.

Pay attention to your thoughts.

Choose the ones that help you lead.

And when you misstep?

Shoot the past.

---

Continue Improving Your Leadership Communication

Your voice is only one part of becoming a more impactful communicator. The strongest leaders know how to use their voice, structure their message, tell compelling stories, and communicate with confidence in high-stakes moments.

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Explore More Pep Talk Resources

If you'd like to continue developing your leadership communication skills, explore these related resources:

5 Steps to Mastering the Pep Talk Learn the complete five-step Speak by Design Pep Talk Framework for building confidence and inspiring action.

The Art of the Pep Talk: A Leader Communication That Inspires Learn how leaders use pep talks to encourage teams, strengthen confidence, and help people move forward.

Leadership Communication: A Pep Talk During Change See how leaders communicate confidence and provide direction during uncertainty and organizational change.