Presenting in Public: How to Find and Maintain Confidence Before and During Your Presentations

Before the Presentation

Get comfortable speaking with the group by participating in conversations before you present.

• Arrive early, ask questions, make comments, and mingle with your peers to help set the tone of the room...

  • In other words, speak before you really speak. Don't let your first words be the beginning of your speech.

Remember that you belong and have meaningful ideas to add to the conversation, through both your comments and presentation.

• Identify a few words or phrases to use as positive affirmations that enable you to envision the best case scenario and repeat them to yourself.

If you still feel nervous, shift your focus from the situation to your content.

• Review your notes (aloud if possible)! Remind yourself this content is your own and you know it better than anyone else and you are simply sharing something you care and are knowledgeable about.

During the Presentation

Always be authentically and confidently YOU...

• Speak slowly, enunciate, and allow yourself to take breaths and pauses.

• Show your personality by drawing on your communication strengths and speaking to the audience like real people.

• Be confidence in your knowledge and reason for being there.

...but expect imperfection

• Instead of getting stuck on a mistake or jumbled words, bring yourself back to your main purpose or current point and allow yourself to move on.

• Acknowledge your nervousness if appropriate, ask for a moment to collect yourself if you need, and remind yourself that responses and questions from the audience are a way to further the conversation rather than a critique on you or your work.

If there is a Q&A portion of your presentation...

• Remain humble, comfortable, and willing to learn and take constructive criticism.

• Thank each person for their question and opening conversation.

• If you don't know the answer to a question, acknowledge that you don't know but will look into it.

  • If appropriate, invite others to jump in if they have thoughts on the topic.

• Invite further conversation after the session and/or offer to exchange contact info with someone to continue the discussion.

Public Speaking Anxiety: Ideas for Navigating Your Nerves

How do I choose the right words?

If you're not sure how to explain something orally, consider your audience and purpose. What language best accomplishes your goals?

Practice saying your content in different ways to avoid getting stuck during your presentation.

Become so familiar with your content that you can share it comfortably.

How do I keep the audience's interest?

What is your relationship to this audience? What is their purpose for listening to you?

Consider these questions to help you determine how to reach them effectively and stay engaged.

Plus, be yourself! Audiences respond positively to authenticity.

How do I practice?

Try to simulate the real life situation in which you will be speaking. Practice with whatever materials and/or technology you will need.

Ask a friend or two to listen and provide constructive feedback.

Explain your ideas multiple ways to ensure you can go off-script and still be confident.

Visit the Writing & Speaking Studio for one-on-one help!

There's too much pressure!

Try to ignore any preconceived ideas of what a public speaker is. YOU are a public speaker!

Focus on your content and purpose for presenting and assume the audience wants you to succeed.

If the stakes are high, the more you know your material, the more confident you will be.

What if I mess up?

Nobody's perfect! Become comfortable with the idea that mistakes are a part of public speaking.

If you stumble over words or forget something, don't panic. Take a moment to breathe, regroup, and move on. Always come back to your main idea and focus on the content you are presenting.

When practicing, get used to working through your mistakes rather than starting over.

What do I do with my hands? Where do I look?

Practice your presentation with any materials you need so you become comfortable with them. If you tend to fidget, have a plan in place to hold something that won't distract from your presentation.

Do your best to make eye contact with your audience. Take advantage of low- and no-stakes opportunities to practice making eye contact with your classmates.

If you still feel uncomfortable, find a few items far away you can look at to engage with what's in front of you.

I don't feel confident in my English.

Multilingualism is a huge asset in so many situations!

Your content and your connection to your content are key. Practice with multiple people in different ways so you become comfortable talking about it.

Prepare with words that feel right to you and note key phrases you want to use.

Effective speaking isn't perfect! If you feel like you've made a mistake, pause, breathe, and continue.

Am I even qualified?

It's helpful to know that being qualified depends on research, practice, experience, and more.

Try to find a personal connection to your content. When you feel more connected, you are likely to feel more confident talking about the topic.

Think about your presentation as a conversation. You're simply sharing information that you have with the people around you. You are part of the conversation, which means you're qualified.

Preparing Your Elevator Pitch

A 30-60 second introduction to help you connect with others about who you are & the work you do

Know Yourself

• Who are you, professionally and personally?

• What inspires you to do your work, and what is unique about your approach? What is your desired impact?

• What are your pitch goals? A job, interview, further communication, collaboration, or something else?

Know Your Audience

• Who are they and what is their role? How can you tailor your message for them?

• What do they need to know about you?

• What do you want them to know about you?

Develop the Narrative

• Get your ideas out on paper. Then decide what is essential and how it can be organized.

• Aim to keep your message concise and easy to follow.

• Showcase your experience and qualifications, but also demonstrate your readiness to learn.

Practice

• Talk through the narrative in different ways to build flexibility for a variety of contexts.

• Get comfortable with your content, flow, and tone by practicing aloud.

• Practice with a friend, family member, or tutor who can provide helpful feedback.

A Guide to Realistic Speech Practice

Get Comfortable with Eye Contact

All eyes will be on you in your presentation, so make sure to practice making and maintaining eye contact as you rehearse. That way it won't be so jarring when it's your turn to speak.

Time Yourself

Timing is almost always a factor in presentations, so make sure you know how long or short your speech will go. Keep in mind we tend to speak more quickly when nervous!

Speak to an Audience

The best way to practice your speech is to give your speech. Try to practice a few times in front of a real audience of family or friends whenever possible. Even if you're not ready to give your speech in full, it can be helpful to talk aloud about your ideas and your plan for communicating them. Consider all feedback you can get, because one person's reaction can give you an idea about how others might react.

Rehearse Everything

Prepare yourself for all parts of your presentation by visualizing and practicing with visual aids, including PowerPoints, prompts, podiums, and anything else you know you'll use. Sometimes presenting feels like a juggling act, and you don't want to try it the first time in front of your audience.

Continue Despite Mistakes

Don't let your mistakes slow you down; practice continuing your speech despite any distractions to build resilience for working through problems in the moment. When you start over each time you make a mistake, you train yourself to stall. When you continue despite mistakes, you train yourself to recover and continue for when things go wrong during the real event.