If this sounds like you, then the good news is that there are a variety of ideas and strategies that can be learned that will help you to gain some control over such anxiety. In the short video clip that follows, some ideas include ……

1. Keep things in perspective
2. Imagine  positive scenes and affirm positive thoughts about your presentation
3. Speak up and stand up straight – project the appearance of confidence
4. Self-expectations – have realistic expectations of yourself, you don’t have to be perfect

You’ll probably never be entirely free of nerves – but you can learn to control them.

Also keep in mind that without some anxiety, you would likely become complacent …… your nerves prompt you to invest time in being well prepared.

If you are based in Melbourne, and looking for a Presentation Skills course, visit Presentation Course Melbourne

So a simple framework that I find useful in structuring a close to my presentations, is “OFF” – which reminds me to ensure that three principles are built into my closing comments.

1. O is for an Overview and summary of the main points from my presentation. In fact, I do not refer to every one of my points, but emphasise just the three most critical points – because usually the audience will not recall more than three points anyhow
2. F is for the Future ….. where can the audience gain further information, resources or guidance on the topic if they want to pursue it further. Or, the future may refer to the next steps I am encouraging them to take.
3. Finish by thanking the audience for their time and attention …… an appreciative comment is an act of courtesy, similar to thanking someone who had invited you over to their place for dinner. Some presenters like to also finish with an uplifting quote that relates to their main theme. Particularly if they have opened their presentation with a quote …… it helps provide a nice sense of closure on a positive note

If you looking for presentation skills training in Melbourne, then visit Presentation Training

In this short video clip, Robin Sharma talks about the nature of fear and and the need to discover within the courage to face our fear. In doing so, in his words ….”an exciting new world of possibility can open up for us”. Certainly if we can develop our confidence with our presentation skills andovercome any fear of public speaking, then we have the potential to exercise more influence in the workplace

However, for those of us who are not naturally outgoing by nature, delivering a presentation in the workplace and even the very thought of public speaking can prove to be a very harrowing experience.

Keith Ferrazzi is an energetic and passionate speaker who shares some great advice on learning how to be more outgoing. His ideas are relevant to many people who may be struggling to overcome a fear of public speaking.

He reminds us that if we avoid taking a risk and refuse to put ourselves “out there”, whether it be through engaging in networking or accepting a public speaking opportunity in the workplace, that we can miss out on otherwise exciting opportunities to possibly exercise some influence, advance our career and / or build new, rewarding relationships.

Many people, despite outward appearances, do not find it easy to be outgoing – and yet they have learned how to succesfully manage some of that internal anxiety and progress forward to eventually become effective public speakers . See what you think of his insights ….

For more Presentation Training advice on how to deal with the anxiety of public speaking, visit another one of our pages Overcoming Presentation Nerves

Nick Vujicic is a very inspiring young man. Born without arms or legs, and yet not allowing this to limit his ability to lead a life rich in  both achievement and fulfillment.

In this short clip, observe the public speaking skills which Nick so effectively employs ……. his artful use of humour, the way he involves and engages his audience and his great vocal projection. Nick projects a natural vitality and enthusiasm that makes it hard not to give him anything but your complete attention……

Have a look at our page,  Inspiring Speakers  to see some more examples of the best speakers in action

Truly inspiring speakers have the capacity to not only speak with passion and sincerity from their heart, but they also express their message in a way that appeals to the ideals and aspirations of their audience.  They will often use stories or parables to communicate their ideas. Presentation training might not teach you to be a Martin Luther King, but it might offer you a safe environment to experiment with ways of expressing more enthusiasm in your message.

When you are collating your content, it is easy to get lost in the details, and possibly end up delivering far too much material that does not actually help to advance your primary goal ……. so the first and fundamental question to ask yourself during the planning stage, is what am I trying to achieve through this presentation?

Let’s put politics aside , and have a look at the presentation technique of one of the world’s great public speakers. .

Have a look at this …… a lovely illustration of the power of imagery, emotion and optimism in speech. President Obama is a master at the use of presentation techniques such as:

• Pause and poise,
• Gesture  for emphasis and
• Variaton in volume of voice to maintain audience interest.

Content and delivery both combine to make a memorable speech, full of hope and inspiration ….

Whilst most of our business presentations do not lend themselves to the same type of Apple-Mac extravaganza, there are  still some very useful tips on things like transitions, defining key themes, and the use of analogies to give meaning to statistics.  

Also of course whilst having enthusiasm for our message is universally important when we are trying to win support for a proposal, some of the Steve Jobs language (“cool”, “amazing”, “extraordinary”) would also be over-the-top for many business presentations within our Australian corporate culture.  Despite these qualifications, I think you will find it of interest ……

More than twenty-seven years ago …..I was given the opportunity to deliver a presentation to a group of medical professionals. I was somewhat new to the position and my manager at the time saw it as an opportunity for me to start building a profile. I had enormous respect for him and did not want to let him down.

 A lot of time was invested in planning and preparation – I thought I’d mastered my subject pretty well and was feeling that delicate balance between some nervousness about the forthcoming occasion, and yet due confidence in my subject-matter.

Come presentation day, I arrived early and everything was set-up as it should have been. The overhead projector was working (remember them anyone?) and I felt ready, as people  hurriedly entered the conference room. It was not an environment for small talk and so I moved into the opening stage of my presentation.

I was about one minute into my opening comments, which I had very thoroughly rehearsed, when all of a sudden something hit me that I had not quite prepared for ……….being the centre of attention of thirty pairs of eyes. At that moment, the BLANK MIND hit me with a loud THUD!

Unfortunately, instead of pausing and taking a deep breath, instead of pausing and glancing at my notes for direction, instead of pausing and taking a sip of water …….I was intimidated by the prospect of any silence and so I said anything that came into my head – a few comments from my Closing, some more comments from my intended Opening, another few points that I recalled from the Body ……..and so I went on, all over the place.

A totally disjointed presentation, that lacked any apparent logic or structure!

Twenty minutes later, the audience hurriedly left the room, asking no questions and making no form of eye contact with me whatsoever. They were deeply embarassed on my behalf.

Yes, well do I recall that day – I caught a tram back to my head office, and was fighting back tears of shame, praying that I would never see any of those people again – and convinced that my future career was irrepairably ruined!

And yet here is the irony….. more than twenty-seven years later, a core part of the work that I now do is claiming to offer guidance to people in how to improve their presentation skills. For many years, I have been delivering over one hundred presentations a year, to all levels of the corporate world – from operational level up to senior executive and CEO levels. Through delivering presentation training courses and one-on-one coaching, I would be assisting over two hundred people every year to develop or polish their presentation skills.

 What is the point of the story you may well ask?

The point is that my personal experience confirms for me that presentation skills can be learned …….and that there is always another day, no matter how dark it may seem after a presentation goes very wrong …….. So, always remain hopeful that things can get better. Oh, and also – if you get hit with the dreaded blank mind – pause and take a breath! 

If you are located in Melbourne, Australia and are searching for a training course to improve your presentation skills, then visit Presentation Training Melbourne.  Cheers for now…