I know that many of us are working on improving our “delivery,” and I think the tips provided in a recent Business Insider article are interesting. I’ve heard most of the suggestions before (i.e. being comfortable with the material you’re presenting and exerting confidence), but some of them were new to me. I really like the three audience truths:
- One: They believe you’re the expert, so don’t tell them otherwise.
- Two: They want you to succeed, so they’re on your side.
- Three: They won’t know when you make a mistake, so don’t announce it.
We have some really good presenters in our class, so I’m curious if anyone has any personal tips to share?
A bit strange and interesting tip I read about once was to chew cinnamon gum prior to giving a presentation (don’t forget to take it out prior to starting). The reasons were two fold: 1.) Instinctively, living creatures don’t eat when they are nervous, scared, or feel threatened. By chewing gum you tell your mind ‘I’m eating, therefore everything is safe and under control’, helping to ease your nerves. 2.) Cinnamon helps to awaken and focus the mind. Never a bad thing just prior to a presentation.
I once had to pleasure of chatting with a professional speaker who was particularly popular during the ‘social boom’ in the tech industry circa 2008ish. He told me that he always felt totally mentally comfortable with speaking, but that when he’d get on stage he would have physical signs of being nervous – sweaty palms, shaky hands, shaky voice etc. He mentioned it to his doctor and his doctor suggested a low dose of beta blockers taken about 30 minutes before a big speaking gig (so not taken continuously, only when needed).
I ended up asking my doctor about them and I now also use them for large speaking events where I’m worried that my heart will race. I’m not suggesting that everyone start downing beta blockers, but I have found it to be very helpful for me specifically because I experienced those physical symptoms of nervousness even though mentally I felt totally confident.
I think those tips are spot on, especially as young professionals who may be facing the additional challenge of appearing… well, young. One of the most important pieces of feedback my 22 year old associates get is tips on how to not act like the most junior person in the room. The tips above address several of those potential mistakes – you are the expert at the moment, so own it! The audience only knows you’ve made a mistake if you tell them.
I have found deep breathing calms me down and makes my heart not seem as though I am about to have a coronary. Additionally I practice good posture while doing the deep breathing. Try it out if you ever get nervous, it might help!
The major thing that I notice with a lot of people is that they are too focused on presenting the draft script they developed prior to the presentation as well as forgetting to convey all of that information to the audience. To that, I have a couple of tips:
1) Don’t remember the script, remember a few key points.
2) If you forget to mention anything, the audience doesn’t know that. And if they truly were crucial points that needed to be mentioned, you will more-than-likely get a question on that and have an opportunity to clarify your points.
Most of all… PRACTICE. There is no such thing as a “perfect” presentation; you can always make it better.
All of these are great tips, so thank you for sharing. I would like to add that sincerity and authenticity will go a long way when giving a presentation, as those allow us to connect with our audience. After all, having an impact on your audience requires a connection. Unfortunately, sincerity and authenticity are not the easiest things to teach, hence why there are so many articles written about more tangible speaking skills that people can apply to presentations. However, I believe that sincerity often comes naturally when people do not try to be something that they are not, and most importantly, when people actually care about what they are presenting.