Giving a presentation at work - tips please!

[hollyblueivy]

What are you like for giving presentations? They fill me with dread!

I question how I talk, how I look, if my mind will go blank, if I'll sound silly, if I'll get asked a question that I won't know the answer too, if I'll look as scared and embarrassed as I feel.

I have to give a presentation at work and I'm pleading with you for your top tips on how to forget all the worries and deliver a half decent talk?

Would love to hear from anyone that perhaps used to be like me and has somehow overcome the fear?

Thanks

Apparently I’m a natural at public speaking (stay with me). I still get nervous as hell.

Here’s what I do.

1- Practice out loud. It doesn’t really matter if it’s in front of somebody (it’s better if it is) but saying the words out loud and not letting yourself ’start over’. Practice with flubs and recovery.

2- Find a few friendly faces in the crowd and talk to them. Don’t look above them or at the wall or any of that nonsense, talk to the people sitting in front of you. They’re friendly, they want you to do well. Look for signs of interest or agreement and talk to them!

3- Big deep breath before you start. Calm yourself and let that deep breath set the pace

4-if something goes wrong roll with it. I was once giving a demo and the system seized, had to be restarted and basically went to hell right in the middle. While the person who was running the computer fixed things. I stopped and looked around guiltily and admitted that I failed to introduce the rest of the team. I then spent a couple of minutes pointing to the team who were randomly dispersed in the room. And telling everyone their role. Shocked the hell out of the team members who weren’t expecting me to do that but it gave the person fixing the application time to get it running. I didn’t point out to crowd that our cool new system just crashed and let them think that I just got out of sync with my planned demo.

5-Questions are great, embrace them and welcome them. Assuming you know your subject it let’s you eat up time and get’s your audience involved. Just table anything you’re not sure about and follow up after.

The last one is the hardest… you just have to do it to get better. There isn’t a magic wand it takes exposure and practice to hone your skills. Even with that people who are ‘good at that kind of stuff’ still get nervous, still worry about screwing up, and still dread it to a certain extent.

Good Luck!

Another important thing that I find sometimes people forget: if someone asks you a question that you can't answer and you tell them that you will look into it and get back to them, make sure that you get back to them. That means getting contact information if you don't have it.

I don't present myself but I have sat through a lot of work ones. My top tip would be make sure you project your voice, if you aren't using a mic. You could be saying the most fascinating thing in the world, but if I at the back can't hear, I am going to start looking out the window.

I always threw questions back to the audience. Simple ones like who's heard of xyz, how many of you do abc... then maybe more specific: what do you think you need to do here. And remember there are no 'wrong' answers! Keep them engaged and on their toes.

agree to practising a few times in advance. also what helped me (i hate having to do them) was just thinking that while it feels like this absolutely massive thing for you, for them it’s just another presentation they are watching. think about how you feel when you have to watch one - you’re not sitting their judging g everything about it and the person giving it are you?so neither will they.

good luck!

Wow these tips are absolutely fantastic - I keep reading and re reading them and will continue to do so in the lead up.

I am a fast conversational talker so slowing down will be something I need to practice as well as the content of the presentation.

I'm also a natural born waffler so keeping to the point will be a challenge.

I agree with a lot of these points.

1. Talk slowly. Even during a sentence...take a moments pause where there would be a comma...then continue. Listening to accomplished newsreaders is good, to get ideas of style.
2. Look around the room at different faces as you speak, so that everyone feels included.
3. If you have no microphone then speak at a volume as though talking to the ones at the back of the room. Nothing worse than not being able to hear what's being said.
4. Use the slides as prompts and don't fill them with too much text, or the audience will just read them themselves and ignore you. Never read them verbatim.
5. Record yourself doing a practice of the presentation so you can critique yourself and see where you can improve.
6. For any tricky questions, be honest and say you don't have the answer immediately but you will find out and share it with everyone later. Make sure to send responses to any unanswered questions to everyone as others may be interested in the answer.

Good luck OP. First one is always nerve wracking it you'll feel a sense of accomplishment once it's over.

I once lost my voice during a presentation and it was the most horrific thing. I wasn't prepared and the nerves got the best of me. Since then I always do the following:

1. Practise out loud (multiple times) and time myself. Better if I can present to someone.
2. Never hold the piece of paper with my notes (unfortunately I still shake when I present)
3. Try to stand behind something or failing that I walk around whilst presenting, rather than standing in one place
4. Deep breaths before I start
5. Test the technology - make sure everything works before I start
6. If I feel it would help, ask someone to move the slides for me. It means I can focus on the content and if the technology fails it feels less pressure

I have also realised everyone wants you to do well when you present and often you are the expert so no one knows the subject better than you!

Good luck, I am sure you will be great 😃

It isn’t easy. I always said after delivering my dad’s eulogy at his funeral any public speaking after that would be easy. But it’s not, it’s hard. I think prep is key. Don’t be afraid of not knowing the answer. Just say upfront you will take questions and might not have all the answers but will take them away if not

Yep practice - learn your content, the more comfortable you are with it the easier it will be on the day. If I stumble over my words or lose my train of thought at any point I just make a little joke of it, people are fine with that, it can actually warm them up. I like to watch reactions and try to bring people in so that it feels more like a conversation than a presentation. If you are nervous speak slower than you feel is normal as when the nerves and adrenaline kick in you end up speeding up. Be human, it's ok to say, oooh I'm a little nervous it will often warm people to you and get them on your side.

Prepare prepare and prepare is my best advice. Have a few out loud test, even if it's on your own.

Memorise the first few sentences, even if it's just 'hi and welcome to my presentation which will cover x y and z, please feel free to ask waurstions as we go along, no one wants to hear me drone on for an hour, so the more interactive we can make it the better haha' Often once you've got the first few lines out the way without a hitch you'll relax and get into the swing of things

Have a note pad and if you can't answer a question tell them you'll take it away and respond with an answer. Then write it down and follow up.

It's ok to pause and catch your breath

Everyone wants you to succeed.

And don't forget it's likely you're the most knowledgeable person in the room about the subject.

Slides with key points which you can talk around - the points keep you on track and talking around means you aren't sitting reading it out so you can keep it conversational, stopping and asking if anyone has any questions. If you want to create discussion have a slide.with discussion points and ask the audience questions - (you can ask a colleague.to come in with points to kick off discussion as you sometimes need.that to warm others up) and once people are talking then you are off.

Kick off.with agenda and objectives of the presentation and wrap up the end with conclusion and possibly next steps or.acrions.

Relax, nobody watching you wants you to fail - it is highly unlikely to have a hostile audiences, fhey are on your side

Lots of good advice, I would add:

If you have the opportunity get into the room the day before and test all the tech. You don't want to be faffing around at the last minute. Check the colours are okay, older screens and projectors can really wash some colours. Have a glass or bottle of water handy.

Be careful about asking questions to the audience, people often get anxious about speaking in big groups so you could find yourself standing awkwardly waiting for an answer. Instead ask rhetorical questions or questions that you know you’re going to answer in your presentation so if no one answers you can move on quickly.

Keep it simple. A few uncomplicated slides to keep you on track, as little jargon as possible, no bells and whistles given you’re not experienced - trying to be clever gives you more to think about (and more to go wrong) when you’re already nervous.

Be yourself, if you’re naturally funny it’ll come through without you needing to force it, if you’re naturally chatty or naturally measured that’ll show through too so don’t try to force it. Remember we all have our own style - what works for one person won’t fit another.

Most of all, show interest in your subject matter - know your material and be enthusiastic about it. Nothing worse than watching a presentation by someone who is clearly bored themselves.

Good luck!

Most people are so relieved it's you and not them doing the.presentation that all they want to do is support you and wish you well,

Pauses whilst you collect your thoughts seem ages to.you but aren't even noticed by the audience, so don't worry about having a moment to think about your slide before you start talking or pausing at any stage whilst presenting,

Sum up your key messages at the end on one slide to be a takeaway for the audience

Be careful with humour. Unless you really know the audience it can go wrong. Best avoided.

Try and get a connection by positively relating to the subject. For example if you are presenting some figures you might say 'when you first see these figures you can see the increase in sales across the majority of the branches, but they do reveal.....'

Go through it as real, not just in your head.
Try and chat to a couple of people in audience before that you know. This is like a warm up.for your voice and also gives you a connection.

Good Luck. It does get easier but we all have to start sometime. And like others say. The reason you are doing it is because your organisation has faith in you and they want people to hear what you have to say.

I once introduced myself as my old job title (had just changed roles) then had to say "um, no, actually I'm the Bid Manager". Pretty cringe. In front of 50 people. 😂

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve blanked on my own title during a presentation. So much so I actually have script now to address it

Saltines:”blah blah blah…I’m the Manger of the paper clip- uh make that the binder department… luckily I know (subject of presentation) better than my own title we should probably jump in before I embarrass myself any more. Blah blah blah”

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation, hard to be over prepped.
Then practice in front of the mirror a few times, video yourself, try to weed out the ums and errs.
Often people go too quickly, it's fine having pauses (short) and gives you time to breathe, count to 4 breathing in and 6 breathing out ( not out loud)
The more you do the easier it is.
You will be great, good luck

Oh, don't just read out what's on the screen (if using slides etc) let them know a detailed version will be made available after you've finished

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/work/4928085-nervous-speaking-help
This thread helped me with shaky voice nerves recently. I find I need to know how I'm going to start and have practiced that over and over. Also practicing a faster version in case I don't have enough time. I also do better with interaction than just rattling off a speech so I often like to have interaction points and question breaks built in. This time I practiced so much, not to learn it off but so that I was so familiar with the material. I also even practiced when I'd joke or laugh etc. That felt silly practicing but then just flew off the tongue when it was time to speak.

Please, please, please don't mention how "no-one wants to hear me drone on." I don't think many men would say that.

In fact, people do want to hear you speak. That's why they're there.

Great advice here - I like presentations; and absolutely understand how and why so many hate it.

Think audience. Who are they and what do they need?

How will what you're going to say benefit them?

What would you like them to do/think/feel/understand having heard it?

Think slides - take as much possible off the slides. Source and put up pics instead. Your slides aren't the presentation - you and what you're saying are.

Warm up your mind, body and voice in private first.

Know your opening and closing words by heart.

Have bullet points to speak from rather than a full script.

Control your breathing from your diaphragm not your chest - that will help you calm down and slow down

Research the six worst questions you can imagine being asked so you feel on top, rather than 'I hope they don't ask about ...'

Have a glass of plain still tap water to hand.

All the best!

Less really is more

I’ve sat through so many boring presentations where people put so much text on a slide.

as soon as you put a slide with blocks of text people naturally start reading & stop listening

it really is about bullet points & it’s up to you to talk about them

If you can use some visuals. If you use PowerPoint use at least a size 16 font. Drop in writing a bit at a time. Offer handout with points summarised on.