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les Stress
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TEN TOP SPEAKING CONCERNS AND 50 TIPS TO ADDRESS THEM
1. I speak too fast and want to be understood by the audience.
- Write and post “SLOW” on notes, flipchart, slides and walls
- Silently repeat, “slow and clear” for a minute prior to your presentation
- Cut back on your content to cut down on rushing
- Relax before presenting
- Ask audience if they understand what you’re talking about
2. I don’t like making eye contact or when everyone’s looking at me.
- Look around them and their eyes (it will appear to them that you are making eye contact)
- Give them other things to look at like props, slides and one another
- Give yourself other foci such as props, video and slides
3. I don’t want to read from note cards, but I’m afraid I won’t remember what I want to say.
- Use your slides as your presentation guide
- Outline your notes on a flipchart
- Simplify presentation so less memorization is required
- Draw an illustrated map or storyboard of your talk for private or public display
- Practice, practice, practice
4. I say “um,” “uh” and “like” too much.
- Be silent when you feel yourself about to say “um”
- Use “um” time to consider your next move
- Breathe instead of saying, “uh’s”
- Occasional “uh’s”/“um’s” are okay
- Never say “like” again—ever (I’ll try to follow that advice, too)
5. The more people there are, the more scared I get.
- Arrange space to cut stress, i.e. break up chairs into smaller pods
- Position yourself for your maximum comfort (behind a podium, free-standing, walking around, seated, or an appropriate mix of all, for example)
- Do breakout groups
6. I want to be confident and authoritative.
- Get to know your topic well
- Covertly give pieces of your talk informally at the dinner table, to other party guests, etc.
- Know that you have knowledge to give to others
- Post and/or repeat “STAND TALL”
- Embody a speaker who you think stands tall
- Practice, practice, practice
7. I’m afraid of being boring—I want my audience to enjoy the presentation.
- Think of your talk as a stage show or movie; include features of both in it
- Build in varied activities such as demonstrations, breakout groups and interviews
- Involve audience in presentation
8. I want people to be as interested in my topic as I am.
- Ask them what they want to get out of your talk, then give them at least some of what they want
- Show your passion for your topic—it will be infectious
- Tell stories
- Demonstrate how topic affects them
9. I don’t want to be or sound nervous.
- Use presentation elements that you like such as role plays or live web tours
- Produce talk so it’s fun for YOU
- Try out material on others prior to your presentation
- Imagine your talk in great detail before doing it
10. What if I don’t know the answers to questions during Q&A time?
- It’s okay not to know everything—no one does
- Predict questions ahead of your program
- Say, “I’m not sure and I will get the answer to you.”
- Ask if anyone else knows the answer
- Direct asker to another resource
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