A common dread haunts most of us around the world — speaking in public. But if you experience butterflies flitting frenetically in your stomach before a presentation to an audience, don’t be worried — in this scenario, being nervous is good news! It means you care deeply about the outcome of your talk. This commitment, when channelized correctly, is what makes you a ‘passionate’ speaker — and a successful one through the following steps:
Practice makes perfect: The thumb rule before a good presentation is several spoken rehearsals. But beautifying and editing slides till the last minute don’t count as practice. Rather, talk through your notes, speak out loud on the key message of every slide, keep asserting points of benefit to listeners. Also, clock your talk’s exact time and for added confidence, try ‘teaching’ someone else the subject of your presentation — after all, you learn best what you teach.
Please don’t please: Do not aim to be a crowd pleaser — bear in mind, being needy for the audience’s acceptance can make you weak. Rather, align the audience to a mutually beneficial result. Highlight your common purpose and reiterate a shared positive outcome.
It’s not a battle: Remember, presentations are not war zones. Consider listeners to be your allies, not opponents. Be inclusive in your presentation — pause to ask questions like: “So, how do you feel about this?” or “Let me get your thoughts.” Always acknowledge listeners’ responses with statements like: “Yes, that doubt’s valid” or “I agree, that viewpoint is definitely worth considering.”
Lastly, don’t take yourself too seriously. Relax and learn to laugh at yourself if you goof up — treating public speaking with a lighter hand always has your audience smiling back!