Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of senior leaders about harnessing talent in an organization and as I was preparing for the session, it got me thinking. I have been presenting for a long time now and it’s something I love to do (though I still feel the butterflies before I go on stage!) yet standing in front of a group of people can make many utterly terrified and if they were asked to present, they would run screaming in the opposite direction!

Is this you?

And what makes it even more terrifying is if you’re scared of the audience. It’s very easy to feel intimidated if you feel the audience might try and trip you up or know more than you. So what do you do in that situation? A number of years ago, I ran a development programme for a group of people who aspired to become front line managers in an organization. As part of their project, they had to present their findings to senior managers and this one 30-minute presentation was the bane of their lives!

To help them prepare, these are the 5 strategies I shared with them:

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare – “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. There’s nothing worse than trying to ‘wing’ it especially if you are scared of the audience. Certainty is something you want to feel in front of the audience and preparing will give you that.

2. Know your stuff – if you’re worried people will try to trip you up, make sure you know your stuff but don’t try and guess all the questions they may ask. You’ll only get yourself more worked up and more nervous. Instead get comfortable saying “I don’t know but I can find out for you”.

3. Practice. There’s no shortcut to this one – practice as much as you can especially your opening and you will feel a lot more in control and confident.

4. Ground yourself. Place both feet on the ground. Imagine you’re a tree with strong roots to help you feel certainty in your body and what you’re saying. That’s not to say root yourself to one spot but imagine you are completely grounded and the earth is there to support you at all times.

5. Give yourself the gift of the pause. When you’re feeling nervous, avoid the temptation to speed up. Slow down and allow your words to sink in. Let the pause be your friend and if you need to have a quick look at your notes, the pause will give you the space to do it.

The truth is even the best speakers in the world are nervous before they present and for many, the audience can be very scary. But it’s all part of the process. For me, it’s part of my buildup and if I don’t feel nervous, I worry I’m getting complacent (which can be truly disastrous!).

So the next time you have to present, accept that you’re going to feel a little nervous – embrace it and let it help you be the best you can be. After all, the world needs to hear you and your message so go get ‘em!
Blessings

Yasmin x

Author's Bio: 

I am a business transformation expert and I help entrepreneurs and business owners like you tap into the wealth of potential within you and your business to massively propel you to success. I want to help you make more money and have more time to enjoy your life, your family and your health. My philosophy is to help you find more ways to PROFIT & THRIVE!

I focus on helping you get the most out of your business through identifying more ways to make money, expanding your mindset, blowing the lid OFF your energy levels and heightening your self awareness to make you even more effective! One of the biggest challenges women in business face is being so busy that you never look up and check to see if you’re still ‘on purpose and on track‘. This is what I help you do.

After spending 12 years working in the corporate world, I set up my own business focusing on training and developing entrepreneurs to develop the mindset and skill set needed to succeed in business. I have first-hand experience of how a big business works and the specific ways they focus on success and growth through their people. My passion is to pass on that knowledge and expertise to start up and existing entrepreneurs and business owners just like you!

I am driven by a profound desire to inspire and empower women like you and show you what YOU can achieve when you silence the critics. I want to help you lower the volume on that delightful gremlin that tells you that you can’t do it!

I am a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), a licensed NLP practitioner and an accredited trainer and executive coach.