Gannett News Service
Nervous about giving a presentation?
Experts say the main thing is gaining the self-confidence to do what comes naturally and being able to feel natural when speaking to a wide audience. To gain the confidence needed to overcome the fear of speaking to any group, consider these three things:
1. You have earned the right to speak on this subject.
Chances are you wouldn’t have been asked to talk about the subject if somebody didn’t think you were an expert. If you really aren’t the best person to talk about the subject, give someone else the opportunity. You’ll be helping the audience as well as yourself.
2. Get excited about the subject.
If you’ve earned the right to talk about something, chances are you have something pretty exciting to say to people. Is it a new work process that you helped develop? Is it your devotion to a political cause? It doesn’t matter how mundane the subject, you can get excited about it.
3. Be eager to project the value to your listener.
Decide what the one thing is you’d like to say about this subject and how it could change someone’s life or their view of a situation. Then speak passionately. Emphasize key ideas by stressing certain words or sentences. This will show the audience that you believe in what you are saying.
It is very important that you get comfortable giving your presentation in front of others. Enroll in a public speaking course. Recite your presentations to some of your colleagues or practice with a coach.
You will feel more comfortable speaking in front of others when you do it more often. Your excitement and eagerness will overcome any lapses in speaking style.
And your audience will know that you were the right person for that job.
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