What helped you get better at public speaking/presenting

[TerrifiedPresenter]

Im desperate to be a better and more confident at public speaking. I start a new job next week where this aspect of the role will be important.

my main problem area is around mindset and how I feel when I’m presenting. However, I do have some physical issues such as a wobbly voice and blushing.

I’m researching ways to get better and have so far:

attended a Toastmasters meeting. This was great but it’s only once a month and the timing overlaps kids bedtime. My daughter made herself sick crying (she’s 1) whilst I was out so not sure this is going to work.

been to an exploratory meeting around a Vanessa Cuddeford presenting course. This also sounds good and they promise results within 12 weeks. However it’s thousands of pounds which I would pay if I knew it would make a big difference but would rather not!

watched some TED talks on good presenting

is there anything else I’m missing that would really help? I think the practice and feedback is what would really help me but want something in between Toastmasters and Vanessa Cuddeford ideally.

thanks

Get help through your work to see if they offer courses or will pay you to do one.

But honestly it's one of those things where you have to adjust your mindset, I'm sure you know all the techniques to good public speaking, if it's blushing and wobbling you're worried about that is your mindset, not your technique. For me I fake it until I make it, the more you tell yourself you don't like public speaking, the more you're manifesting it for yourself, I know it's easier said than done but the more you can frame it positively and reinforce it, the more of a reality it will become. Also recognising no one gives a shit as much as you do, people really aren't noticing the tone of your skin, they will forget how youve said something almost as soon as you've said it, probably even have forgotten most of the content!

I know that all sounds easier said than done, but I do think you're at risk of making it a monumental thing the more you tell yourself you don't like it.

And if it's a big part of your role just doing it will build your confidence, it'll become a natural part of your role, it may be harder the first few times but it'll become second nature. Practice makes perfect, don't over think it.

I think it's about exposure and practice. The more you do it, the more you get used to it and after a while you won't worry about it at all.

I found this many year ago, when I switched jobs to a Tech company many years ago and all communications were presented and power pointed to death. Then also did a year's teacher training and had to get used to performing in front of a class. Now back to my professional job and presenting doesn't phase me, as long as I'm confident and conversant in the content. I just use bullet points projected as reminders/prompts.

Talk to people who do it all the time. Watch people who do it well.

Practice really helps. Do a dry run in front of someone in the industry.

Don't pay hundreds for a course...well not yet.

Put yourself in situations where you are having to speak at other times outside of work. That'll build your confidence.

Know your topic -that was my biggest thing. I'm great when I know what I'm talking about.

Honestly practice really helps. Do some practice runs at home for the OH ahead of your next few presentations, soon you just won’t need it at all. Congrats on the new role!

Know your subject/presentation inside out. Practice practice practice. Speak slowly - slower than you think you should. Project your voice. Have a bottle of water nearby so you can pause have a sip and give yourself breathing/thinking time. Ask questions if applicable, gets the focus off you and again time to breathe.
you can definitely do it.

good luck! From someone who previously hated public speaking who now presents daily to groups of 10-100.

practice.
Who can you present to?

Present in the kitchen to the oven.

Video yourself. Then critique. You'll learn a lot from watching your self.
Do some zooms with friends then strangers to get the content off pat.

Warm up before you speak. You could do vocal warm ups like singers. Stand tall. Presenting after being hunched at a screen does restrict you.

acting lessons are great if you ever get time. You learn so much about posture, response, body position etc

I could have written your post a few years ago. On top of blushing my voice would go all high pitched and squeaky and I'd sound like I was about to cry, it was awful.

I spent a lot of time on my voice as I figured that at least if I sounded confident it would be a help. I would loudly chant AEIOU, UOIEA in a sort of singing way to help me to project my voice - and it made a massive difference!

The blushing just went away as I did more presenting and sounded (and felt) more confident.

Practice, present as often as you can to your family, video it, cringe a bit - then do it some more.

It DOES get better, it just take perseverance 🙂

I've presented hundreds of time, to groups of over 1000 sometimes and am apparently a very good presenter. And although I've done a couple of one day courses years ago I honestly think that unless they are 1:1 and very targeted to a specific issue they aren't helpful. What is helpful is presenting over and over and over - as an PP says, present to the oven, present to your kids, present to your webcam recording you so you can see what you do with your body.
My biggest advice though is breathe, smile, and slow down. Like really slow down. It stabilises you, calms your breathing and gives you gravitas

Make sure you know what you are talking about. Have a message, be clear about what you are imparting: is it information, or influencing or a call to action. And remind yourself that your audience wants to hear it, and they want you to do well. No-one wants to have a shit time so genuinely they are willing you to be good.

I hope this doesn’t sound silly but I speak to one person at a time even if there are 100 in the audience. I move from one to another throughout the speech.

It's a very common problem and, like lots of phobias, often starts in childhood. When we're at school the need for social acceptance is at it's peak and therefore doing anything (such as standing up in class to do a presentation) is terrifying; especially if it goes wrong with all the associated embarrassment.

At that point a part of the subconscious mind is assigned the task of protecting you from this 'trauma' in future - and it's that same part which steps in to try and prevent you standing up to talk as a adult. It's trying to stop you feeling those horrible feelings again but it's a strategy that's out of date. A quick (3 session) course of hypnotherapy or remedial hypnosis can fix it permanently.

@Eyesopenwideawake I remember reading it's a natural instinct of self protection, like fight or flight, it's a survival instinct to not want to stand out from the pack and have all eyes on you. Not sure how true that is but sure I read about it somewhere 😂

100% true as a vulnerable child, not required (actually counterproductive) as an adult ;)

Practice, slowing down and focusing on 1 spot always helps. And really knowing what you are talking about.
Talk to the fridge, the cat. Speak up everywhere you go, chat to cashiers and people at bus stops. Volunteer to do a "jobs/careers" talk at schools, talk at a Brownies or Scout or WI group about work or a hobby. Attend a town hall or public meeting and get up and say something.
It all helps, but you'll always be nervous beforehand.

@Eyesopenwideawake yeah I like to think we overcome it...except when we have to do an ice breaker, then I just want the ground to swallow me up 😂

Thanks all - I really appreciate all the advice. I should have said that I have had to present periodically in my previous role. I think I’d just like to be someone that inspires people when I talk. I suspect a lot of that comes down to the content as well.
I will take onboard what people have said here too and not to make it a bigger deal than it is.

If you want to inspire people when you talk, then that is about the content of what you are presenting, not your presentation skills (though a really bad presenter can kill an incredible subject and presentation of course).
In the work I've done about that, the key thing is story telling - you want people to connect and identify with your story that is created for this need and then your slides/props/images support and enhance that story. They should be transfixed by you on stage telling that story, not staring at your slides.
In the real world of course you have figures and messages to get over, so the story may bookend that, but you weave a thread through to hold it all together.