How can you overcome nervousness and present with confidence?

This one took me 3 institutions and 8 years to realize. Embrace that you are the subject matter expert in that moment and don’t waste time with multiple justifications of your opinion or perspective. Provide solutions or professional opinion on the concern in a confident manner and answer follow up questions directly.

Few simple steps I follow 1. Believe in the subject 2. Do a thorough research 3. Dont panic, everyone is nervous 4. Stage fright or anxiety while presenting is positive energy 5. Make your presentation in bullet points 6. Lastly - do not present if you are not thorough with the topic

Nervousness comes when we have to introduce ourselves or share about ourselves or anything to the audience or an examiner whom we actually don't know. We don't feel nervous or hesitant to talk to our colleagues or our known audience. First of all, when we are about to present or talk about something to any audience or an examiner, we need to do our homework thoroughly. We should keep practicing how we are going to present it before the audience or examiner, while practicing one should record his/her video and listen as an audience or an examiner and check how we sound while presenting. Try to improve yourself by reading as many books as you can; one can gain bundles of experiences only by reading, and you will see improvement on your own.

Depending on the context, sometimes we have opportunities to introduce ourselves before presentations. This may be helpful for some for various reasons - tailoring content and style, but also can help to calm nerves. What are some ways you're able to know more about your audience? is there a tea break before your session? a particular event-organiser you can check-in with for a list of attendees and their backgrounds?

Preparation and Practice: Thoroughly prepare and rehearse your presentation to build confidence and familiarity with the content.

Practice out loud and ideally in front of an audience - your audience can be family or friends or even pets! Speaking out loud makes a huge difference, and helps you count the time so you don’t exceed the expected duration.

Practice, practice, and practice. Delivering the subject will then become the presenter’s second nature. Knowing the subject well boosts presenter’s confidence. Brevity and real examples will make the presentation interesting. And practicing their narration gives me opportunity to progressively improve until the day I deliver them. Practice = Higher Confidence = Low to No Nervousness

As uncomfortable as it can be, record yourself giving at least part of your presentation and review it with an open mind. It's hard to watch and/or listen to yourself sometimes, but it really helps to get outside of your own head to see how others are viewing you. Chances are, that moment you flubbed a line wasn't really noticeable to anyone but you. If it was, then good thing you caught it in rehearsal instead of live.

Prepare your presentation and speech. Get it reviewed - if you are not able to get time for review from a senior, it doesn't hurt to get reviewed even by a junior consultant - but a review is mandatory. Then practice the delivery. Anticipate teh questions and objections and prepare your best responses as well.

One cannot say enough about practice, I wholeheartedly agree. Yet technology can make or break a presentation. Many years ago, it was the early 2000’s I was presenting on fluoroscopy at an ACERT meeting. Frankly, I tanked, because my diagrams did not show. Ok back then,give me a black board and I could have drawn and labeled the diagram. Or have students do the drawing labeling and explaining. I used that as an example of how NOT to do a presentation for the students/radiologic technologists in my RPA courses, at Weber State University. Many of them became excellent presenters. They got so great at presentations,their Radiologists would have them prepare and present to solicit donors for expensive Rad Therapy equipment.

Nerves are anxiety - fear. To stop them, we have to calm the anxiety. There are many, MANY ways to do this, so finding what works for you is key. Some techniques I find most effective: 1. Recognize the anxiety source, likely a negative thought, and challenge it. 2. Talk yourself up, not down. Remind yourself of your strengths, experiences, the fact you can probably recite the presentation blind if you had to. 3. Use breathing, muscle relaxation, and grounding techniques to pull yourself out of your head. These also give physical "all clear" signals to the brain. Anxiety is a "danger" response, but we aren't in "danger." 4. Count to two in your head. It's virtually imperceptible, but gives you time to breathe and think.

If you have prepared well (with the help of above points) then you have managed the stress already. Additionally, in long presentations - plan breaks - tea/ coffee/ bio/ lunch - and avail these youreself also. 'Have a break-have a kitkat' - it helps! You may like to have some allies in the meeting, to seek support if/ when required.

A lot of us have been told to picture the audience naked. It might take your mind off being nervous, but it's a little creepy. Instead, try to just have a conversation with one person in the audience at a time. As you change topics, pick another person to focus on. It helps you to engage with the audience and most people aren't nervous talking to just one person. Try to work your way around the room, but don't seem robotic. You don't have to focus on everyone in the room during your presentation. If you have 10 topics, then change your focus 10 times. If it's a small group, you may focus on the same person more than once. Just remember you are having a conversation.

What helps you lower your stress? Pay attention to the moments before presenting. For some, looking over slides can be stressful and they would rather not - for others, this helps. Check in with your energy levels - do you need some fruit or a bite to eat? Are you well hydrated? Does speaking to a friend or colleague before the presentation help for a confidence boost?

Most of the time, the most knowledgeable people are not able to hold the attention of the audience. Reason, the whole purpose of the presentation is to put forth whatever they know. But storytelling is what the audience can understand and relate to. Startling numbers grasps immediate attention. Making the audience included in the presentation drives interest. Overall, it is both an art and a science of making content comprehendible and presentable.

When presenting to a large group, particularly at conferences, I like to start off with a business card swap (or similar tactic to get the audience talking). This has always been a helpful way to create energy in the room, and takes the pressure off me of having to come up with some incredibly intelligent opening line. In smaller meetings, even one-on-one sessions, I like to start with some quick logistics reviews. What's the plan for today, what are we looking to achieve, and what are you (my client) looking for? This gets us moving and engaging on pretty safe ground, and we can build from there. It's starting that is usually the hardest.

When you immerse your audience in an interactive experience, it's like stepping into a lively dance instead of delivering a monologue. It's no longer just about you - it becomes a shared journey. This shift not only eases the jitters but also fuels your confidence. As you see their reactions, nods, and sparks of understanding, you're reassured that your message is landing. That connection, when your words ignite a response, that's when you know you've made an impact. And there's no greater confidence booster than that.

A technique I often use to engage my audience is to make direct references to actions, comments, or questions they have made. For example, if during a presentation, I notice someone nodding in agreement or making a thoughtful expression, I might say, "I see some nods over there, which tells me this point resonates with you. Let's explore this further." Or, if I recall a question asked earlier, I might reference it, "As John pointed out earlier, this ties directly into your question." This approach of acknowledging and interacting with your audience creates a more dynamic and connected presentation environment, which can help in easing nervousness.

My Top Tips, with examples as I always do. The case is consultant presenting a new software solution to the client. But will go in two parts – so in the next three questions. Humor: Before we dive into the nitty-gritty details of our cutting-edge software, let me share a quick story. Last week, I tried explaining our old software to my uncle. He thought 'cloud computing' meant it was a new way to predict the weather! Now, I promise our software won't tell you if it's going to rain tomorrow, but it will definitely make your business operations as smooth as a sunny day. .. read next as well..

I make an audio recording of every presentation I do. After the event, I listen to it and make notes about what I want to change. If there is time between speaking engagements, I implement the changes and practice them while recording the practice session. This is like a baseball player taking batting practice. Even though they hit in a game each day, they still practice in the batting cage to help them hone their craft.

The greatest presenters practice relentlessly, and put themselves out there. The arena of practice is the best place to learn. Nothing builds confidence like practice. Persevere long enough to get good, and leave the masses behind. Take action and grow - through practice. But choose your audience smartly. Starting small, and non-critical and building up. Look for any opportunity to practice and hone your skill, and ask for feedback. When you're not happy with something, iterate and try and try again, until it feels natural and effective.

I always remind myself that the more I practice, the more confident I become in my presentations. Regular practice, whether it's rehearsing in front of a mirror, recording myself, or presenting to a small group, helps me refine my content and delivery. Each practice session is an opportunity to learn from mistakes, adjust my approach, and become more familiar with my material. This familiarity breeds confidence, which naturally reduces nervousness. I've found that consistent practice not only improves my presentation skills over time but also makes me feel more at ease and in control during actual presentations.

Embracing learning and improvement is the key to mastering presentations. Each feedback, reflection, or stumble is an opportunity for growth. Celebrate your milestones, no matter how small, as they fuel your confidence. Your journey is not about eliminating nervousness but using it as a stepping stone to reach your full potential. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face."

..in continuation... Anecdotes: We developed this software, with focus on the challenges many of our clients have faced in the past. One of our early users, Daman, had a constant struggle managing his data. It was like walking into the meeting room with two overfilled glasses and attempting not to spill – entertaining for others in the room, but a nightmare for Daman. Our software helped him not only keep all his data in check but also gave him the luxury of retrieving it as and when required and in the way needed.

Focusing on the mindset is crucial. What has helped me is shifting my mindset from "I'm presenting" to "I'm sharing stories to help others learn" This approach helps alleviate self-induced pressure and allows for a more authentic and confident presentation.

What has worked for me over the years is to Know my audience. The presentation can be tweaked to a lighter mode or heavy on technology if I know who are my audience and what they would like to be served. The idea is to have presence of mind to shift the channel based on the audience engagement. Know by using polls, putting up a surprise Quiz, ask a random member to share their experience to know if your audience is engaged. If not, you should better know to switch the gear.

You are not going to be perfect, your presentation will not go off absolutely flawlessly, and that's honestly a good thing. You are human, just like your audience. If you expect perfection, you are setting yourself up for disappointment because you can't live up to that. Hold yourself to high standards, push yourself to overcome your weaknesses, but realize that there will always be areas to grow. And since you're not a robot, give yourself permission to not have EVERY answer to EVERY question available on instant recall. If a question comes up you can't answer in the moment, acknowledge that and recognize that you can find the answers you need to later. Maybe it's justification for a follow-up that could be very profitable.

If you are using slides, try not to put too much information on each slide. White space is important. Talk about what's on the slide but don't read the slides to the audience if you can. Ideally you want to be able to talk to a slide for about a minute. Really good presenters can often get 3-5 minutes out of a single slide.

While the article comprehensively addresses key strategies for confident presentations, I believe emphasizing the significance of a solid understanding of the subject matter is crucial. For instance, in roles like technical consulting, mere confidence isn't sufficient without a thorough grasp of technical terms and processes. True confidence stems from deep subject expertise, ensuring not only self-assurance but also accuracy and credibility in the presentation.