If you have experience of public speaking/presentations PLEASE come and help me

[NervousNeel]

I’m a very junior manager. A small fish in a large pond. Our department recently piloted a new way of working which has worked out very very well for the company.

My manager has been asked to organise a whole day where we are presenting the process and findings to the top executives and all higher level managers.

She wants me to present the segment behind how we came up with the idea and the process behind the new way of working for 40 minutes.

I appreciate her putting me forward for it, she’s very keen I get recognition for my part in it but I am TERRIFIED.

This group of people are the top of the top within our organisation. I’ve had three people pull the same face when I told them today (a very much “gosh good luck” face!). All very supportive and telling me it’s great exposure but all I can focus on is what if I get up there and start stumbling and make a fool of myself and die a death.

Im usually great at faking it but this is way out of my comfort level. PLEASE if you have experience of public speaking give me your tips. I know there’s loads of high level important women on here who probably listen to presentations all the time - I need help please

Preparation is key. What key message or info nugget do you want the VIPs to take away? That's the tentpole, the sticky message. What's a really safe stat or learning/insight you know well and can confidently return to? That's your north star if you need to buy time or get back on track, use that as your safety net. Practice power poses before going on stage. If you fuck up and lose your place NOBODY EXCEPT YOU KNOWS THAT, SO STYLE IT OUT. Think about 10 of the toughest questions that could crop up in the q&a (ie, the questions you really really really hope you're not asked, because your answer is a bit thin) and brainstorm strong responses. Use pauses it seems presidential and is a huge courtesy to your audience who need those pauses to listen, absorb etc. Good luck

Public speaking is a skill that you can learn.

www.coursera.org/learn/public-speaking

I recommend this course on public speaking. You have to sign up with your email address but you don’t have to pay. You click Enroll and then click Audit Course. That lets you view the course materials for free. You can’t submit the assignments or get the certificate but you can work through the classes and learn at your own pace.

I also recommend watching David JP Phillips who’s a great public speaker. He’s done a number of videos, for example

I agree re practice and preparation as Infinitum. Rehearse it and get the timings right, then rehearse over and over.

I would practice in front of an audience a few times but then also many times to yourself, you should even record yourself and watch it back. Before I do a big presentation I am usually running through it at every opportunity eg in the shower, when I'm driving etc

Practice and try and find your presenting style

I do best seated, so always use a stool (high one, think Ted talk )

Presenting your project will be easier than presenting something new. But just rehearse your slides and think of what questions you might be asked

As the Q&A will most likely be the hardest element of this. As it's hard to practice for that. Sometimes when building presentations I try and physiologically guide people to ask certain questions that I have prepared answers for, but it's not always possible so wouldn't try and do it for this one if I were you.

Can I add: remember that they are not there to assess your presenting skills and its not a test. They are there to learn about the new ways of working you have looked at. Unless presenting is a large part of your job, they don't care how good you are at presenting. So take some pressure off yourself.

I have two bits of advice, one of which is above (tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them the details, tell them what you told them.... preferably no more than 3 or 4 points).
The second is that you will be nervous, you can settle this to some extent by physical activity....walk up or down a couple of flights of stairs or do a few squats right before you go into the room, it helps calm you and gives you a focus right before you start.

Oh, and people want you to do well. Good luck.

I do lots of teaching and presenting. I quite like it and I have had some great feedback and invitations to do more sessions in quite senior meetings and conferences.

My top tips are:

Be enthusiastic
Use some relatable examples
I use lots of humour but don't try and force it if it's not your thing.
Make your PowerPoint visual rather than full of words. I've been using gifs in process maps slides and they always go down well even in stuffy senior academic meetings.

Speak slowly but do not take an hour to say something that could be said in 5 mins - there is nothing worse that someone who expands and expands a single simple point
Smile and try to look relaxed.

Would you be interested in your presentation? Try to make it something that you would like to listen, if you like it - others probably will too.

If it's a new project - make sure you cover the story. What was the old process, what was the problems? How you came up with ideas for change, did initial ideas/tests not work (always great learning in things that don't work)

What's the new process?
What are the benefits on this new way of working, try and cover different angles. Ie increase income, reduce waste, staff experience etc etc

You'll be great - I love hearing about how people come up with new ways of working

Also do loads of presentations and now run my organisation!

• first well done - this is a great achievement and the main thing is you have done something fab people want to hear about


• Which means the ceo and everyone are as someone else well said rooting for you and also that they want to hear what you say!


• Other tips… I still practice loads for key stuff - makes me better but also reduces my nerves


• If you can get audience to interact eg ask people to talk to their next door neighbour for 2 Minutes to discuss something eg what has struck them so far at 20 minutes (you could ask your manager to do this half way through if you want! And give yourself some breathing space


• If you know your stuff and you clearly do then the q and a is a conversation and will be fine


• On the day sneak in early and practice for 5 Minutes and check someone can hear you from the back (I still always do this)


• choose some clothes you like


• brillant to do this early in your career as gets you into this and people will be nice !

It's ok to be terrified a bit nervous.

I did my first ever presentation/public speaking at a huge conference as an 'expert by experience'. I was terrified but I wanted to do it as I had stuff I wanted to say and this was a great opportunity to say it to people who were in a position to make a difference. The responsibility was both huge and incredibly motivating.

I was so terrified nervous that I had a plan with my co-presenter for what we would do if I couldn't do it. But I started speaking, made the audience laugh and, despite my voice shaking the entire time, had incredibly positive feedback, lots of interest in what I had to say, most of the questions directed at me, and it was such a buzz.

It was a really important lesson for me, that you don't have to great, or even good, at something for it to be valuable and valued and for it to be enjoyable.

this....also something I was told many years ago which i find helps with structure
1 Tell em what you are gonna tell em
2 Tell em
3 Tell em what you told em

so in presentation speak
say what you are going to cover
cover it
recap

Congratulations. What an amazing feeling it must be to recognised for your work.

I'd advise you write down what you'd like to say, then practice practice practice! Remember to apply the strategies that can enhance the presentation - use a powerful opener, give a structure, incorporate personal stories, use figurative expressions, body language, tone, involve the audience, give a so-far summary at key stages so the audience isn't lost, give a recap and call to summary at the end etc.
Push yourself, you most likely won't regret it.

In the past year, I've spoken at parliamentary events when senior managers told me I was punching above my weight. But guess what - I've been smashing it. I've gone from doing 5 minute presentations to now doing 30 mins, with no notes! You've got this!

Loads of good advice here. I try to make sure I have thought of every possible question I could be asked, and prepare for those (including slides / pictures/ graphs/ statistics that I can draw on if required.)

If you know your stuff, you are more confident and everything else can fall into place.

This
Listening to yourself and timing it will help enormously

Used to loathe public speaking, was terrible at it and quite honestly people used to be embarrassed for me. Now I am really good at it though I say it myself!
I'm going to take it as a given that you know your stuff and here's the thing - you know more than they do about this topic. It doesn't matter that they are the managers, you are the expert on what you did and that is what you are telling them about.
My main tips would be other than the obvious ones of speaking loud enough, not bursting into tears etc...
Speak to some of them as they come in 'Hi I'm NN looking forward to speaking to you later, can i get you to sign/ in take a handout/ask which department you are from'
Introduce yourself, not just by name, but by passion e.g 'As you know I'm a doctor, but what I really do is help our patients with learning disabilities to access the community. That's been my goal for 30 years as I know it has been for lots of you, so I really hope we can share ideas/learn from each other/ think of ways of putting my new way of working into other departments as honestly it has worked out really well for us
Don't ask them to introduce themselves, but get some of them to say something 'So I was able to speak to some of you earlier and am I right in thinking there are quite a few of you from HR?/medical records/the board. And do we have any blahs or blahblahs? I'd definitely be interested to hear if you can see new way of working being useful in your places of work later on
Think of a few ways to get yourself physically moving around the room. 'Did you all get a handout? Hang on let me pass them too you' Brandish project notes/visual aid and then have them circulate the room. Move between a flip chart and a lectern/whatever
Then say your stuff which is good, otherwise you wouldn't be there! Take no prisoners.This is what the problem was/this is how we fixed it/ this is how we know it worked
Questions are the best bit. Maybe have a primed question in case no one says anything - your manager could ask you to just go over again something or other and how it relates to some such. You ask a question of them...'Medical records people can you see this working in your department?' And how about you in Facilities?'
Finish. Say you hope its been of some use and that you will stay around at the end in case anyone wants to ask you anything else

Remember you are not presenting because you like the sound of your own voice, but because you have something helpful to them and you want to share it.

I write speeches as part of my job and have done public speaking myself too. For nervous speakers I always make cue cards and then highlight a couple of key words at the start of any major points, so then if you do flounder you can take a deep breath and will be able to find your place again easily. No one ever seems to need it, but having the structure highlighted helps. Oh and ‘plant your feet’. Don’t shuffle. Good luck!

Came on to suggest the same thing. I’m shit at anything like this but I’m a teacher and when being observed or in a pressured situation I still rely on it. I never used to get so obviously anxious but the last few years it’s as if my body has learned to turn this alarm system on at the slightest little thing and before I know where I am the sirens are blaring (shaking, red face etc) so I have some in my bag ready to take 30-60 mins before and it seems to reassure me that it won’t happen

A round of applause for @MissyCooperismyShero 👏🏼 Even I could probably present something now after that!

I really wouldn't take any drugs or anything else. I'm sorry I think that's really bad advice.

I have done a lot of presentations, speeches, Radio and TV interviews (and stand up in the past) - you name it. What I tend to do is write or type out the presentation in full first and then to repeatedly rewrite and reduce to notes - as a means to make it more natural when spoken. R -writing will help you focus on what you want to say and how to say it and it will help you commit it to memory. Then I'd practice from the notes. And yes, write out all your possible Q&As as well.

The way to control nerves is to control your breathing. If you're feeling breathless and nervy then simply pause, take a breath and then speak slower.

If it suits you - one way to overcome nerves is to to make a joke at the beginning. As its work the bar is not very high about how funny it is - but it can make it feel more relaxed and casual and give a boost when people laugh. But its up to you if that would suit you and feel comfortable. Most important of all is to be authentic and honest. You don't have to acquire an alternative or more formal persona - the most effective communicators are those that are the most real and authentic - its inspires trust in what you are saying.

PP who's saying don't take drugs: of course don't rush to take propranolol before trying other methods. I just wanted OP to know this plan b exists, as I desperately wish someone had told me this years ago. I've had such bad anxiety over public speaking as a result of a bad experience and a general nervousness anyway, I've tried a clinical psychologist, a coach, various YouTube tutorials, and nothing worked. I thought I had to change careers until I happened to come across a forum that talked about propranolol. It's a useful option to explore if other avenues fail. You wouldn't understand if you've not been through this before.

(i) Forget the presentation: focus on your part in the process; write it down, or record yourself talking about it as though to a close friend. Then do the same, this time to an acquaintance. And finally to your target audience.
(ii) How you got there (the process): break this down into bullet points on cards
(iii) When did you realise it worked?: move your cards around -you'll find the natural order you need and also your own voice -the sole aim is to have a convers🤓ation with your audience
(iv) Tell yourself or your imaginary friend or acquaintance what you felt when the order became apparent
(v) Challenge your audience to think about how they would have approached the process! Tell them that in 2 minutes you will be inviting them to stand up and suggest their own process for developing your findings
(vi) Q & A: you won't need to do anything -they will fill the gap for you!!

Your main asset is that you have done this successfull thing, you've made it work and you know it inside out.
Just tell them what you have done. Don't be worried about the questions. You know the answers.
Well done you!

My lovely A Level History Teacher drummed this into me, "Say what you're going to say, say it, then say what you've said."

He also wandered around the examination hall, pausing to read what we had written, before chuckling and moving on (bad) or harrumphing, dropping a hard-boiled sweet on the desk and moving on (good).
The great unknown was whether you were meant to eat the sweet or leave it on the desk in case he came back to collect it before the end of the exam!!!!!!!
His advice was priceless and has yielded similar spectacular results in my children's lives 😁

Learn the first and last part of your presentation 'off by heart'
so you can start and finish strongly

Thank you all so much.

I posted this then realised I was winding myself up so much so I’ve stayed off my phone all night!

Im going over all your posts and making notes, I have 3 weeks until the presentation and promise to post and let you all know how it goes.

The only other issue is the COO is renowned for asking very difficult questions after presentations , almost a cross examination/grilling of the presenter. I can’t think of that at the moment though but might come back for more advice once I’ve absorbed the advice already given

Thank you again

Sounds like the perfect plan op. You could do with preparing a ready answer for any question you can’t answer on the spot.

Like - thanks for this question. I agree xxx is an important piece of the data trail and we’re actually in the process of crunching the numbers on that. I will circulate an email on that later.