What do you have to lose? You probably either asked that question from a go-for-it perspective or a cautious one. And that points to whether you tend to be gain-oriented or prevention-oriented. But did you know your perspective going into a presentation could affect your performance by as much as 30%? Let me explain.
In the world of sports, you might hear these two phrases: “playing to win” and “playing not to lose.” While they might seem to mean the same thing at first glance, researchers tell us there is a huge psychological difference in these two mindsets that has large implications on whether or not an athlete, or CEO, or public speaker succeeds. Let’s take a look at some of the research and then explore what this means for presenters.
The Research
In their book, Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing, New York Times bestselling authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman address the difference between winning and not losing. They cite the research of Geir Jordet and Esther Hartman who proved that mindset has an extreme impact on performance. They found that in cases where missing a kick will cause their team to lose, kickers make the goal 62% of the time. However, when making the goal would cause their team to win, they are successful 92% of the time.
Need another example? Bronson and Merryman also cite the work of researchers Adam Alter and Joshua Aronson who studied mindset differences in Princeton students. Two groups of students were given the same tests. But one group was told the test would be used to measure their ability and to find out whether they belonged at Princeton. That group got 72% of the questions correct. The other group was told it was a casual brainteaser challenge. That group got 90% of the questions correct.
So what makes the difference? Researchers like Bronson and Merryman believe it has to do with mindset. And they broke the different mindsets down into gain-orientation (playing to win) versus prevention-orientation (playing not to lose). If you are gain-oriented, you are eager to pursue what you don’t have and to chase down success. The opposite of that is prevention-orientation. In this case, you want to protect what you already have and not lose anything, which leads to more conservative actions.
What Does this Mean for Presenters?
You probably approach your presentations from one of these two distinct mindsets, both of which can be explained by answering the question, “what do I have to lose?” If you go for it, intent on winning and proving yourself, you probably have a gain-orientation. You are willing to take risks, even uncomfortable ones, if it means you might come out on top.
However, if you are worried about being judged or falling out of favor in the audience’s eyes, you are probably entering your presentation with a prevention-orientation. In this case, Bronson and Merryman say, “expectations are very high. You know you’re being judged, and you feel like you can’t make a single mistake . . . you’re trying to prevent catastrophe rather than initiate a success.” You perceive the situation as a threat instead of an opportunity.
But study after study shows that playing not to lose won’t make your performance better. In fact, it often makes it worse. So when it comes time to present, play to win. Don’t worry about what you might lose. Instead, focus on what you could gain. Aim for the fence, and swing.
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