Presentation anxiety

 

Absolutely. I think the key is to make this about improving the process rather than criticising anyone, while still explaining why the situation had a disproportionate impact on you.

I’d keep the detail about brushing your teeth out of the email—it illustrates how much preparation you made, but it’s probably more personal than your manager needs. The important point is that you had deliberately prepared yourself to manage anxiety around a known difficult situation.

Hi [Name],

I just wanted to mention something from today’s team meeting, as I think there may have been a misunderstanding about the presentation agenda.

I had understood from the agenda that I was due to present at the end of the meeting, and had prepared and sent the presentation through in advance. As I live with anxiety, I also have to put quite a lot of preparation into presentations like this, including specific techniques and medication to help me manage it.

When my presentation wasn’t called on, I was therefore quite upset and confused, particularly as I had been anticipating it throughout the meeting. It also meant that I found it harder to concentrate on the rest of the meeting, as I was focused on preparing myself to get through the presentation.

I wondered whether, in future, it might be helpful to clarify the agenda and order of presentations at the beginning of the meeting, and flag any changes, so that I know what to expect. I think that would make a real difference to me in managing my anxiety and being able to participate fully in the meeting.

I’m sure there was simply a misunderstanding today, but I wanted to raise it positively as I think there’s an opportunity to make the process work better for everyone.

Thanks,
[Your name]

I think this strikes the right balance: it makes clear that this genuinely affected you without sounding accusatory, and gives your manager a very practical thing they can do differently next time.

Hi, I just need to think through something. I live with anxiety. I was scheduled to give a presentation at work today. We worked hard at making sure the presentation was ready. I dressed carefully. I was well groomed. And it was well prepared with the information in the presentation. These presentations are given at the end of a team meeting. I had sent the presentation to the team coordinator ahead of the meeting. The meeting has just ended. My presentation wasn’t given or asked for. I’m really upset and confused. Because of my anxiety, I’d made special preparation. Including doing my breathing exercises and taking my medication. I neglected cleaning my teeth because my anxiety ahead of giving a presentation was the most important factor today. And I felt sad about leaving my breakfast on my teeth while I sat through the team meeting and another person’s presentation. I’ve double checked the schedule I had been sent that I had responded to with my presentation to check if I have misunderstood. There must be a misunderstanding somewhere. I want to write an email to the team manager. I want it to be positive and suggest positive improve improvement. In other words I want to suggest improvements not complain. I want to say that I think it might be helpful to clarify the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. So that I know what to expect. I want to let them know in a positive way that I live with anxiety and that I have to do these things to do that and that feeling upset and confused exacerbates my anxiety. I pay less attention to the rest of the team meeting because all I’m waiting to do is get through my difficulty of having to do a presentation. So leave me all way to the end and then not doing it means I’ve both missed out on paying proper attention to the other parts of the meeting and I’ve not done it so it’s still hanging over me. 

Please can you make a short succinct email to send.