Believe it or not, even though we’re “professional
public speakers,” we sometimes get nervous before we present, too.
Preparation
and practice are key to moving through your talk because you can shift to auto-pilot
if needed. We put a lot of value in “working the room,” and find that arriving
early and speaking on-to-one with the people who will listen to the presentation
helps us see them as “regular people” and not the rock stars we imagined. Plus, we can use these conversations to connect with the audience during the presentation.
Remember these premises:
- The people who come to your talk must see value in the topic, or they would not attend.
- Someone invited you to present because you have shown expertise in your topic.
- You are the master of your topic, even if other experts attend your talk. Your peers would not attend if they did not want/need to learn something from you.
- Your audience wants you to succeed. They are on your team.
Over the years, many physicians and pharmacists in our audiences have suggested various forms of beta blockers and antihistamines to prevent the appearance of nervousness. Instead of therapeutic intervention, we recommend that you get plenty of rest the night before your talk, exercise in the days preceding your speech, and cut back on your caffeine consumption the day of your presentation.
A few other relevant tips:
- Visualize your goal: see yourself presenting your talk, answering questions, and hearing the applause. This Stephen Covey tip really works! Many pro athletes use this technique with great success.
- Don't forget to breathe. Take your time when you present.
- Practice in the room where you will present. This Billy Graham tip is fantastic. We have rehearsed in the room beforehand and even planned where to look at certain points in the talk.
- Don't try to tell everything you know. Instead, streamline your talk so that you can focus on key points. This technique will help you plan your talk and prevent you from rushing through it.
We hope these tips help you prepare for your next presentation.
Let us know how it goes!
Steph & Deborah
