How to Develop Natural Presentation Skills

I was chatting to a fella (a guy/chap/man) last night about presentation skills and speaking to groups. He works in the construction industry, an industry I hadn't before considered with respect to public speaking. Something he said really made me think about why so many people fear public speaking.

"It just isn't natural, isn't it not? Standing up to speak in front of a group. It's just not natural, but every time you do it, it gets easier."

What is Public Speaking, Really?

When I was doing my speech and drama teaching diploma, there were two exams to pass, theoretical and practical. Whilst studying the public speaking module, I came upon a quote attributed to George Bernard Shaw:

"Public speaking is conversation standing up."

Have you ever thought about it like that?

We have conversations with people almost every day. Do you go into those conversations fearing the judgement of others when you give your opinion or share knowledge within your field of expertise?

Probably not. It's just a conversation after all, right?

How to Make Your Presentation Skills More Natural:

The difference between general conversation and standing up in front of a group is perception. Step 1 to make your presentation skills more natural: see it as a conversation. Rather than focus on filling your audience's heads with information, put yourself in their seats and make it a conversation.

NOTE: for neurodivergent speakers, this can be done too. If you'd tell someone in a conversation that you converse a little differently to others, there's no reason not to tell an audience.

Step 2:

Ask yourself, why me? Remember, they want you for a quality only you possess. Audiences are human. Treating them as anything different alienates them. If you have said yes to speaking, think of it as giving pleasure or benefit for the information you are imparting.

Step 3:

Get the 'lay of the land.' I remember my aunt telling me about the process they used to pinpoint oil and decide where to dig. Getting it wrong could cost billions. They couldn't just rock up somewhere and stick a drill in the ground.

Presentations are no different. Yet, because presenting is so commonplace in business, preparation is overlooked, introductions fall flat, and audiences are lost. The attitude is often one of indifference.

But what's the one thing that stands out after a day of back-to-back meetings?

A good presenter. They are not in the majority.

Recently, a client was preparing to present. I asked for the specifics of the event. "Oh, I don't know. I didn't think to ask. I'll call them tomorrow and find out."

Nerves always hit, even the most seasoned speakers. Knowing the scope of an event in advance reduces surprises on the day, and helps you mould your talk to your audience. Find out:

• Size of the room.
• Place, time and date.
• Duration of the speech.
• Position of screens and audience.
• Number of people and age range.
• If you will be introduced by someone.
• If there are any experts in the audience.
• Cultural background and knowledge of the subject.
• If there are other speakers, their themes and subjects.
• How questions are to be handled (by the organisers or by speakers).

Step 4: Structure

Read up on and around the topic, even if you are an expert on it. Note any new findings or considerations in the field. Even if you will not address them, this knowledge will be useful when answering questions.

Keep the structure simple:

1. Introduction
2. Development (within development, there are different formats. See my previous article on structuring an informative talk.)
3. Conclusion

The Jigsaw Technique:

Either using cue cards, PowerPoint or your chosen software, place all slides out in a grid-like format and move them around until the story slots together in a clear flow. Become the most difficult member of your audience and heckle yourself. Then, prepare responses for every challenge or weave in the responses to your talk content.

Step 5: Preparation - Recording vs A Dry Run

Last week, I asked a client:

"When you envision yourself presenting in two week's time, what differences do you see between the you of now and the you of then?"

"The biggest change... - I'll have my presentation ready and feel prepared to speak a week before it instead of rushing it a few hours before."

Preparation is paramount to success.

Record yourself once, leave it for a day or two. Listen back, note where you need to add emphasis, adjust modulation facets (pause, pace, pitch etc.). Do a few more practices and record again. It will never be the same on the day, but you'll become so comfortable with it, it'll roll off your tongue more freely.

I've seen coaches tell people not to record themselves. I think it's the worst advice I've ever read. If you're uncomfortable watching yourself present, how do you think an audience is going to feel? I work fast on presentations with clients. In 6 - 8 sessions, as long as you're willing to put in the work in between, I can help you transform into the speaker you think you can't be. But you will have to record and accept recorded feedback.

Natural Fear

Butterflies can prompt inspiration and bring magic to a talk. Uncontrolled nerves can be harmful. Use the nature of fear and transform it into force. When practising, visualise giving the talk. Feel the fear, then lean into it.

1. Tighten up from your toes to your throat, then release. (Don't hurt yourself).
2. Take some light, slow and deep breaths through the nose. (not big, long deep breaths like you've probably traditionally been trained to do.)
3. Apply reason to your fear: your audience is on your side. Once you're prepared, you'll have no problem.

Final Thoughts

There are many aspects to consider when developing natural speaking skills.

A public speaker generally needs to be:

1. Natural
2. Sincere
3. Well Informed
4. Confident
5. Fluent
6. Able to Speak with Conviction

When we change how we perceive things, the things we perceive change. If there is one consideration to take away today, it is to start seeing presentations and talks as conversations. Get comfortable conversing first.

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If you'd like to make your speaking skills more natural and are committed to your development, why not consider taking my 10-week group programme launching in June? There are only 5 places, so each participant gets as much care and attention as possible. You will be challenged. You will laugh. There will be improvisation and technical development. At the end, we'll have a showcase of your new skills - whether we make that private or public will be up to the group to decide. To learn more, please connect with me and send a message. A conversation does not require commitment.

You'd ask if we were face-to-face, wouldn't you?