How to Project Confidence When Delivering a Presentation

As both a presentation coach and as a person who delivers presentations on a weekly basis myself, I've collected a list of powerful things to do - and not to do - to project confidence when delivering a in-person presentation. The secret? Small choices can make a big difference.

First things first: DON'T hide behind the podium.
I know... you're nervous, it feels safe, and gosh darnit... it's right THERE. The problem with standing behind a podium is it creates a barrier between you and your audience - and the whole point of delivering an in-person presentation is to connect with your audience. My advice? Arrive early and push the podium off to the side. If that's not possible, pick an open spot to stand where the podium isn't. I promise: nothing looks more confident than showing an audience you don't need to hide behind a podium.

DO choose a stable, open stance.
Too often presenters show their nerves by crossing their legs, crossing their arms, hands in pocket, leaning on podiums, etc. The strongest, most confident stance for a presenter is to face the audience (not your slides), equal weight on both feet, arms calmly at your side. This is your home position. You can deviate from it from time to time, but always come back to it.

DO eliminate anything that might tempt you to fidget.
We all have our go-to's for fidgeting. If you fiddle with things like jewelry or clicky-pens, don't have those things with you when you present. If you touch your hair often, style it in a way that's less tempting to touch. And lastly, pick an outfit you feel comfortable in and that doesn't require you to have to adjust it frequently.

DO let yourself talk with your hands.
This one surprises people! Whenever I have people watch videos of themselves presenting (- a painful, but effective way to improve your presentation skills), their first reaction is usually: "I talk way too much with my hands!" Guess what? Talking with your hands isn't a bad thing - AS LONG as it's not distracting or repetitive in a fidgety way. If your hands are emphasizing your point, then let them do it. It's a natural thing and may even encourage your audience to stay more engaged. Just remember to go back to your home position periodically, and you'll be set.

DON'T read off your slides.
This is one that everyone knows, yet so many end up doing on accident in the moment. Best way to STOP this from happening? Don't put lots of text on your slides. Text-heavy slides are bad for audience engagement anyway - so rely on clean images and short phrases, and let the content come from YOU. If you're afraid you'll forget your message without text-heavy slides, instead have a post-it note of key points that you can glance at, as need be. Or even better: use the visuals in your slide as a memory jog for what you wanted to talk about next.

DON'T apologize for small mishaps.
If you insult someone in the room, sure - go ahead and apologize. But for small human things, apologizing is unnecessary and only calls more attention to whatever happened. If in your introduction, you apologize for having a cold - now everyone will notice you're under the weather. They might not have, if you didn't mention it! If you mis-click a slide or stumble over a word, simply smile and move on. You're allowed, you're human - don't make a thing of it and don't beat yourself up for it. Newscasters on TV mess up all the time - they just handle it so professionally that you don't even notice. You can be like that, too.

DO use pausing to your advantage.
The benefits of pausing are plentiful. Pausing helps decrease the amount of filler words you use and can make you seem more thoughtful. If your audience asks you a question - allow yourself a brief pause to collect your thoughts before answering. Pauses feel longer in our head than they do to our audience. AND, if you're delivering high quality information, pauses also allow your audience a moment to digest the important information you're sharing. Practice pausing to help yourself feel more comfortable doing it. Taking a drink of water is a helpful way to fill that time, too. I often have a water with me simply as a visual reminder for myself that it is okay to pause.

DO plan questions to ask your audience.
The worst presentations are one-way, lecture-style presentations. No matter WHAT you are presenting on, and no matter how unfamiliar your audience is with your topic, there is ALWAYS a way to engage your audience. There is always something you can ask them. Humans need interaction in order to engage and retain - and isn't your goal for your audience to retain what you share? Plan your questions out ahead of time, so you don't forget to ask them in the moment.

And finally: DO practice.
Practice is NOT: clicking through your slides and thinking through what you'll say. PRACTICE is treating it like the real thing: standing up, talking out loud as if the audience is right there. It includes practicing what you'll say, practicing the questions you'll ask, practicing your stance, and practicing any movements you might want to incorporate. This is all to build muscle memory, so that when you go to do that real presentation, your body has done it before and can help you out if you get nervous.

...So there you have it! There are many other ways to amp-up confidence beyond the tried and true methods above. I've heard of people making music playlists to listen to, power-posing, and even just getting a haircut or style from a professional before a presentation for an extra boost of confidence. Keep exploring and seeing what works well for you!