A former Prime Minister of Barbados is alleged to have said that “persons want to get to Heaven but no one wants to die”.
However, beyond the profound fear of death that is experienced by many, surveys have actually revealed that some people fear public speaking more than death.
Particularly for those individuals who might face death with more comfort than they would an audience, I must disclose that it can reasonably be expected that the more you advance professionally the more you will be called upon to influence others. While I cannot tell you how to avoid a fear of death, I will attempt to share some tips on how to manage any fear of public speaking.
Firstly let me dispel the myth that you must be a perpetual extrovert to be a good presenter. If you told me before I first entered university that I would not only have become a presenter but would have gained a passion for it, I would have thought that you were crazy. Yet, despite previously having a shy disposition, I have been enjoying the delivery of presentations over the last 13 years.
Despite a passion for presenting and 13 years of experience, I still get nervous. However, rather than being an unwelcome impediment, I accept that nervousness is natural and use it as inspiration to ensure that I am fully prepared for my presentation. Nervousness should be used to ensure that you accentuate your strengths and minimise your weaknesses before delivering a presentation. It is better to be driven to perform well by nervousness than to be complacent and ill prepared.
It is said that “if you don’t know where you are going that any road will get you there”. To effectively deliver a presentation you must be clear on details such as what subject matter you are to deliver, who comprises the audience to whom you will be delivering; at which venue will the presentation be taking place; the duration of the presentation, the date and time when you will be presenting; and the audio-visual resources that will be required.
There are sayings such as “if you fail to plan that you plan to fail”, “prevention is better than cure” and “a stitch in time saves nine”, which all reflect the fundamental importance of being prepared for a task. If we want to increase the probability that our presentation will be successfully delivered and well received we should do the following:
• Develop a presentation template and handout materials with relevant, appropriately researched and well laid out information; anticipate possible questions and feedback from your audience; conduct a site visit of the venue and advise the host of your particular equipment requirements, etc.; test equipment to be used during the presentation; have a contingency plan which encompasses having a hard copy of your presentation, back-up equipment, etc., for challenges such as equipment malfunction, loss of electrical power, etc.
• Get assistance where necessary; mentally run through your final presentation; think positively about the upcoming event; and get a good night’s rest before the presentation.
It is proverbially stated that the “journey of a lifetime begins with a single step”. Once you are well prepared, you can step into the delivery of the presentation on a solid and reassuring foundation.
It may be somewhat of a cliché that “you only get one chance to make a good first impression”, however, the first impression that the audience receives will make a difference as to how receptive they will be to your message. As much as it might be said that “one should focus on the message and not the messenger”, presenters should always remember that their effectiveness will be affected by a combination of what they present, how they deliver, and how they are perceived by the audience.
To be an effective presenter one should seek to present professional appearance via our grooming, clothes, body language, etc., keep calm, speak clearly and articulate with hands (forget those pockets!), seek to be understood rather than to impress, manage the time: share real life experiences, make eye contact with the audience, recognise and adapt to the audience’s emotions, and encourage members of the audience to provide questions and/or comments.
Let us conquer any fears or apprehension about delivering a presentation, rather than figuratively dying at the podium.
