Nervousness and anxiety while holding presentations are a problem for many managers, even experienced ones. Here are 5 tips to help you overcome presentation anxiety.
- Prepare your presentation thoroughly
Practise important passages from your presentation in front of colleagues or others who can give you feedback. This way you say it out loud, and it’s better than saying it in your mind. The more you practise the presentation, the more confident you become – thus the presentation will make you less nervous.
- Be fully aware of the start and end of your presentation
It is always the beginning that is the most difficult, so try to consider the presentation’s first sentences, write them down and practise them so you know them by heart. After you have started the presentation, it is much easier to continue and stay on track. Also, be aware of what you say at the end, so you leave the audience with a good impression.
- Breathe properly from the beginning of the presentation
Nervousness and breathing are related, so before starting your presentation, take some deep breaths to get your breathing steady. Don’t forget to exhale! When you are nervous, you forget to exhale while inhalation comes by itself. Remember to take breaks – when we are nervous, we talk faster than usual, so it is a good idea to take small breaks. They can often be uncomfortable for the speaker, but not for the public. Good and well-chosen breaks can strengthen your presentation; so don’t be nervous about taking breaks in your speech.
- Come in time for the presentation
Make sure you have time to welcome the people, see the room and the conditions if you haven’t been there before. Remember that you also need some rest before starting the presentation. So take all these into consideration when you decide when to arrive.
- Know your audience before the presentation
The more you have analysed your situation and the audience, the less nervous you will get. If the audience is a small group, you can look at some pictures of small audiences so you know what they look like. The more you know about the situation, the calmer you will be.
