Get the jitters when asked to deliver a presentation at work? You’re not alone. Many of us feel nervous when public speaking, but there are ways to overcome your fears and build strong presentation skills. Use these top tips to become more confident in front of a crowd.
Although some individuals might appear to have natural presentation skills, it’s estimated that around 77% of us fear public speaking. Stats like this are a reminder that those ‘nerves of steel’ we witness when our favourite thought leader gets up on stage, or our boss delivers a seamless seminar, might well be rehearsed. This is good news for the majority of us. It means that we can overcome our fear of public speaking, also known as glossophobia, and develop the tools needed to deliver better presentations.
Why does having strong presentation skills matter? If standing up in front of others and sharing information isn’t part of your job description, your instincts might be telling you that it doesn’t. But, in reality, being able to convey information clearly and confidently can benefit all of us. It helps us to build confidence, become better communicators, inspire others, and open the door to new career opportunities.
Even if your only exposure to presenting is making a short announcement once a week during a video call, never disregard it as a waste of time. That small segment of time spent addressing your colleagues is the perfect opportunity to grab people’s attention and make them take notice.
There are a handful of common pitfalls that can cause your audience to switch off or start questioning your skills. Here are some things to avoid if you want your presentation to stand out and be remembered:
Not preparing enough beforehand: Only reading from the screen and/or not being able to answer questions sends a clear message to your audience that you haven’t prepared properly or don’t know your subject area. You reading what’s already in front of them is not only unhelpful and unstimulating (you could just hand them a printout), but it also adds no value. The more rehearsed you are, the easier it is to discuss your topic freely, pull out key points, and confidently expand on ideas when questioned. This is a surefire way to win your audience over.
Overwhelming people with too much information: Harvard psychologist George A. Miller once argued that our minds can only hold about seven items at a time (plus or minus two) – a conclusion he came to by observing patterns across cognitive tasks like remembering digits and distinguishing sounds. If we try to deliver too much information at once, whether in writing or out loud, it makes it much more difficult for our audience to remember what’s been said. Instead, try to break things up. Even if you only come up with three key takeaways for your audience, by delivering them in a simple, snappy way, i.e. using an acronym or incorporating alliteration, it will have a far greater impact than if you bombard people with long-winded facts.
Not getting to the point: Taking ages to get to the point may tire your audience or even leave them feeling confused. Chris Anderson, Head of TED Conferences, cites taking too long to explain a topic as a common mistake while presenting. He suggests that having a strong story arc, with a clear beginning and end, is one of the most important elements of a strong presentation, even if your delivery isn’t flawless.
Nervous body language and poor eye contact: Finally, body language is key. It’s natural to feel anxious, but try to present calmly and look the audience in the eye when you’re speaking. This will help you to build trust. According to TED’s Chris Anderson, many presenters have a tendency to move around a lot when nervous, but this can be distracting and make someone seem less authoritative if they don’t feel truly comfortable. He suggests keeping the lower half of the body still and using hand gestures to give off an air of confidence and enhance stage presence.
If you’re eager to boost your presentation skills and become a better speaker, there are many ways you can train yourself. Try:
‘A successful talk is a little miracle—people see the world differently afterwards.’
Chris Anderson, TED
If you’ve been tasked with delivering a presentation in the workplace and are keen to do it justice, keep the following tips in mind:
Have a strong story arc: There’s a reason TED uses the slogan ‘ideas worth spreading’. The topic you want to talk about and why it’s worth presenting are two of the most important things you can focus on. Even if you’ve been assigned a subject that you ordinarily have little interest in, make it your mission to make it interesting. Add a personal anecdote, include inspiring visuals, throw in unexpected stats. Great storytelling means taking even the most mundane subjects and transforming them into ideas people want to listen to.
Rehearse and prepare properly: Preparing well means practising, timing your presentation, and refining your delivery. Recording your presentation can help with this. What do you notice as you watch it back? If there’s too much waffle or anything’s unclear, allow yourself to be ruthless and cut bits out. As we mentioned earlier, it’s very easy to overwhelm people with info. Keeping it short and sweet will make it easier for you and more memorable for the audience.
Breathe deeply beforehand: While it can be tricky to completely eradicate nerves before a big presentation, slow, deep breaths can help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and kick your body out of fight-or-flight mode. Try breathing slowly and consciously for up to ten minutes to really reap the benefits. If you give up too quickly or try to rush the breaths, it can have the opposite effect and make anxiety worse, so take your time and breathe with purpose.
Avoid too much caffeine: Another thing that can amplify the jitters is caffeine. A cup of coffee first thing is unlikely to do you any harm, but after your first cup, switch to decaf. Caffeine is a stimulant, so always consume with caution.
Always aim to inspire: Finally, try to approach your presentation with the aim to inspire at least one person in the room. You could throw in a helpful piece of advice, share useful resources, or demonstrate something that the audience can partake in live or try when they get home. Making the effort to inspire shows your audience that you acknowledge they’re there and want to involve them as much as possible.
‘A successful talk is a little miracle—people see the world differently afterwards.’ – Chris Anderson, TED
Whether you’re a manager, HR director, CEO, or are fresh out of uni, your potential to inspire others through a well-delivered speech or presentation should never be underestimated.
Science tells us that when people are exposed to persuasive communication, it can have a noticeable impact on others’ beliefs and behaviours. In fact, one particular study involving college students from 2022, found that students exposed to a persuasive and supportive speaker were much more motivated to become nurses than those who witnessed a more neutral message. This shows the deep impact that you can have if you put thought and care into the delivery of a message.
The beauty of great presentations is that they’re mutually beneficial to both the speaker and the audience. The speaker is encouraged to take on a responsibility that, when executed well, can spark curiosity and bring about change. This is coupled with a creative, analytical preparation process that requires deep learning, research, and knowledge acquisition. Both of these elements can be incredibly fulfilling and confidence boosting.
From the audience’s perspective – whether they’re colleagues, clients, or future collaborators – they, too, get to reap rewards. After a great presentation, they’re able to walk away with a fresh perspective, a fascinating new insight, and a welcome feeling that what seemed unachievable before is, in fact, well within reach.
When this sense of ‘anything’s possible’ is shared by many, productivity skyrockets, and people are much more likely to experience success. So, the next time someone asks you to prepare a presentation, decide to make a difference. You never know who you might inspire next.
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