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Does the thought of presenting to others give you the heebie-jeebies?
Science says Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, impacts almost 75% of people. So you’re clearly not alone if the thought of talking to an audience requires a change of underwear. But what can you do about it? How can you feel more confident? Here are four practical tips to help you.
Here’s something that’s always intrigued me.
I’m comfortable chatting to people I’ve never met before but found it mortifying delivering a speech at my own wedding to my family and closest friends. Seems strange, right?
Maybe you’ve experienced the same, experiencing a number of mental and physical symptoms. Eminem summed it up brilliantly by rapping: “palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy” - I’m sure you know the rest about Mum’s spaghetti!
So if almost 75% of people hate it, why do we accept presentations as normal practice in the workplace? Answer – because they’re a brilliant way of passing on information, delivering expertise, and advising on next steps.
Ok, so we can’t get rid of presentations. But I still hate delivering them. What can I do?
Getting confident with presenting to others
Firstly, confidence is perceived, not given. We’ve all probably spoken to someone who’s just finished presenting and they’re hyper-critical of themselves for messing up or being too nervous. Yet, you didn’t notice any faults and might have even been thinking, “I wish I was as confident as them.”
To combat my nerves, I tell myself I’m an expert in this field. I know more about this subject than everyone else in the room and that’s why I’m delivering the presentation. It might sound cocky, but it’s probably true.
As a newbie at Laughology, I attended one of our Presentation Skills sessions to learn firsthand about Laughology, but also to learn tips and tricks to combat nerves, build confidence and improve the audience experience.
I don’t think I’d be alone in saying I was amazed at how 3 or 4 little tools and techniques helped transform our presentations from awkward mumblings to engaging performances. The 4 tips which stuck with me were:
Scrap the script
Don’t read off the slides or off a script. Have a set list of topics you want to cover. Know your content and talk freely – you’ll come across as confident, engaging, and not at all like the monotone robot you fear being.
Start with a question
By starting with a question, you engage the audience straight away. They’re now part of the presentation as well.
A question also allows you to judge the audience's responses. By reading the room, you’ll be able to recognise more engaging (often louder) audience members – now you know who to look at and bounce questions off throughout the presentation.
Pause
Imagine a comedian rattling off jokes, with no breaks – it would be exhausting and probably not very funny.
Comic timing is often about pausing after the punchline and looking out into the audience, allowing them to process what’s just been said and prompting them to laugh.
This is also true for delivering work-related content. Pause after significant or interesting points. Let those fascinating stats sink in!
Celebrate mistakes!
In a job interview, I once described myself as a lovable idiot after a Freudian slip. Probably not the best card to play, but I still got the job!
You’re human too. Don’t ignore mistakes, make them part of the show by laughing at yourself.
As we know, almost 75% of people would hate to be in your shoes when you’re presenting, so own your mistakes. You’ll come across as relatable.
So there you have it. No need to pack the extra underwear or nip to the local M&S. By trying out these tips, you’ll soon feel as confident as you aspire to be. Remember, just be yourself. Back yourself. And try to avoid eating Mum’s spaghetti the morning of a presentation!
If you’re interested in attending one of our Presentation Skills workshops, we’ve got one running on 24th November. Just click the link and you can find out all about it.
