Managing Presentation Jitters

There is nothing more impressive than an eloquent public speaker. Confident, well-versed, and in control, he makes it look easy, doesn't he? But we all know it's not as easy as it seems.

 It is a very natural reaction to become nervous before a presentation. This is basically because it is unnatural to put yourself in the vulnerable position of standing before a large group of people who will judge you and what you say (which is an extension of you, isn't it?).

 Part of the reason we fear public speaking so much is that awful feeling of vulnerability. A lot of this has to do with the sense most of us have of not being in control. We know we'll get up there and just "lose it" out of nervousness, or our mind will go blank. We just know we'll start shuffling our feet or grab the podium for dear life without even realizing it. But, unfortunately, imagining these things beforehand can become a self-fulfilled prophecy, causing you to end up doing exactly what you’ve envisioned. Anticipation like this, especially in the few minutes before stepping up to the microphone, is enough to make some people panic.

 It's okay to be nervous--as long as your audience never finds out! Follow these tips to overcome nervousness and build confidence:

 Before your audience arrives:

 Be prepared - This should not be the first time you deliver your presentation. A comprehensive understanding of the topic and how you want to present it is necessary for success.

 Have a general outline of what you want to say, and know exactly how you want to deliver it before standing up in front of your audience. The more prepared you are, the fewer reasons you have for being nervous.

 Breathe deeply - Breathlessness on the podium is one of the most common mistakes because many novice speakers do not think to breathe. If you wait until you are totally out of breath, you will be required to inhale massive air to fill your lungs. In doing so, you will experience breathlessness and a tightness in your chest. Our advice is to learn to breathe with the support of your diaphragm—indeed the best means of controlling nervousness—and then practice supplementing your air supply before you are depleted.

 Get comfortable with your surroundings - Always be the first to arrive at the place where you are presenting. Even if it is the company boardroom you've been in a thousand times, spend some time standing at the front of the room. Envision people in the chairs looking at you. If you know the people attending your presentation, envision their faces. Get comfortable with this image.

 Make sure the room is set up the way you want it to be. Move furniture appropriately and make sure there aren't any traps—cables you might trip over, tables you could bump into, etc. The more comfortable you are with your surroundings, the more relaxed you will be able to be.

 Set up your presentation - Make sure your computer is working, set up your PowerPoint presentation, place participant materials, name cards, bottles of water, etc., at each person's place. Make sure that everything is ready to go so you can focus on your audience when they arrive.

 Take a deep breath and stop fidgeting - Take a deep breath, meditate, go to your happy place—do whatever you need to do and whatever works for you to relax. Do this before your audience arrives or in an area removed from your audience—don't roll out your yoga mat on stage.

 Also, be aware of your nervous habits. Stop playing with your hair, tapping your foot, biting your lip, wringing your hands, straightening your suit, etc. Your audience should only see the relaxed, confident, professional you.

 If you think you don't have any nervous habits, video record one of your presentations. You may be surprised by what you see. Make a conscious effort to identify your patterns and put an end to them.

 When your audience arrives:

 Always talk to someone in the audience before the speech - Get to your location early and make sure that you speak to at least one person that will be in your audience. It doesn't matter what you talk about, but be sure to get their name and why they came to your talk. This will help put you at ease because you can speak directly to that person once you start your speech, and you can mention them during the talk to connect with your audience. For example, "As Jim was saying before we started today, your organization has made great strides in..."

 Create a friendly environment - When the audience begins arriving, the nerves go into overdrive. Combat this natural force by creating a safe and friendly environment. Depending on the size of the audience, greet each participant individually and casually chat with the group. With larger groups, circulate and socialize with smaller groups of audience members.

 Small talk will get your mind off your nerves and make you feel more comfortable with the people there. It will also make your audience feel more at ease and leave them with an excellent first impression of you!

 Give yourself a pep talk - Take a moment to prepare yourself mentally before you begin. This mental preparation could start as early as when you get out of bed the morning of the presentation, or it could be a quick pep talk just before you begin.

 Remind yourself that there is a reason why you have been asked to speak—you have something significant to say! The sooner you believe this, the better. Everyone there wants to listen to what you have to say. They're on your side and want you to succeed. It is a safe environment filled with friendly professionals who can't wait to hear what you have to say.

 These things may or may not be accurate (generally, they are, but there are, of course, exceptions to the rule), but it doesn't matter. It's about building confidence and making yourself feel more comfortable. The more you believe you have something important to say, the easier it is to convince your audience. It will be natural and obvious to them.

 Find your biggest fan - In every audience, there is at least one person that stands out as a "supporter." It may be a person you identified during the pre-presentation small talk. On the other hand, it could be a colleague who is a good friend, or it could just be a "head-nodder" (one of those people who reacts to presenters by nodding his head, taking notes, and generally being very engaged).

 These people are your biggest fans. If you're feeling nervous as you begin to speak, or if you run into problems during the presentation, focus on these individuals. No matter what happens, they will continue to smile and nod their heads, giving you that extra push you need to get through.

 Right Beforehand:

 Warm-up - Right before you go on stage, stretch your mouth and tongue—warm up your voice by humming from your lowest to your highest a few times. Drink lots of water, but no dairy or sugar. Then breathe deep, hold your chin high, and walk to the microphone with confidence.

 Finally, when the moment comes, never apologize and say things like, "I'm nervous; please bear with me." Instead, just smile and jump right into it. Remember, your audience will notice and remember what you bring to their attention. So, don't tell them your knees and hands are shaking, don't mention that you wished you'd had more preparation time, and don't tell them if you forgot something. Instead, just keep going and stay positive and professional.

 Move around while you talk - A straightforward way to start to relax once you're on stage is to move around while you talk. Simply walking around and gesturing a little will let your brain and body know you are safe and that there's no reason to be scared.

 If you stumble, carry on - Most of your audience will be relieved that it's not them giving the speech. If you stumble, recover as fast as you can. Do your best not to get flustered, and make sure you keep your place in your speech so you can recover from any glitches quickly.

 Ignore distractions - Unless the fire alarm has just sounded and you all need to leave the building, keep going! Keep your speech going as planned. Don't panic if one or two of your audience walk out - they may just have had an urgent message or need to answer the call of nature. And make sure your cell phone is turned off as well!

 It's normal and natural to have pre-performance jitters. Even the most prominent celebrities confess to still having butterflies before they perform. However, keep your mental focus on your audience, not yourself. It is all about them in the end anyway. 

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