We have all witnessed cringe-worthy presentations. The senior manager who reads every word from a script. The consultant whose jargon-filled slides blur into meaninglessness and the best man who leaves the room shifting uncomfortably in their chairs.

Yet, everybody who steps up to present does so with good intentions and most know what not to do. So why do we still fall into the same traps? From my experience as a professional speaker and presentation skills trainer for more than 20 years, it’s not from a lack of knowledge. Simply put – it’s fear.

The senior manager fears saying the wrong thing. The consultant fears running out of things to say and the best man fears his jokes won’t land. So they default to relying on notes, slides, speed and over-talking in a vain effort to get the ordeal over with as quickly as possible. But presenting is not about surviving, or getting out of the room in one piece. It is about engaging with and educating an audience.

Presentation skills coaching – The real work

Most people think presenting is about content, it is not, content is the easy part. The real work is managing your mindset and natural anxiousness when all eyes are on you. At the heart of presentation anxiety is one core belief – the audience will judge me negatively. Through this lens, we become defensive and move into fight, flight or freeze mode. When our nervous system activates we breathe faster, talk faster and grip the lectern tightly to steady ourselves or even hide.

We counteract this limiting (and false) belief around negative judgment by setting a conscious positive intention. For example, – how can I engage the audience? or how can I ensure my message lands? These questions harness the mind and align with the reason why you are presenting in the first place. This change of focus also gets your attention on to the audience and being of service to them, and away from focusing on yourself and how you are feeling. Remember audiences don’t care how you are feeling, they are only interested in ‘what’s in this for me?’

Insights

There are many tips for enhancing your presentation skills, but these four distinctions I find make the biggest impact. (If you would like to receive my Presentation Skills Tip Sheet containing more than 30 practical tips to boost your impactfulness as a presenter, just email me and I will forward them on.)

1. You Are Competing for Attention

Your audience is just one notification away from distraction. Without an engaging opening, you give them permission to switch off. So know how you will start your presentation. You might open with a question, a surprising fact or statistic, or a relevant and relatable story.

2. What is the one thing you want them to remember

Audiences retain very little information. If you are not clear on your core message, they won’t be. If you cannot summarise your message in one clear sentence, you have more fine-tuning to do. Clarity is at the heart of impactfulness. As Winston Churchill reportedly said, “I wrote a long letter because I didn’t have time to write a short one.”

3. Add Value, Don’t just Read Slides

Your audience knows how to read and they can read faster than you can speak. Slides are a visual aid. What comes from your mouth shapes meaning. Through insight, energy, clarity, or a fresh perspective what you say should elevate your content. Avoid jargon, clichés and buzzwords. It is authenticity that fosters engagement.

4. Preparation

Polished speakers rehearse, not to be robotic, but to know their timings and to edit their message by cutting what is not essential, (even if it is a favourite slide or anecdote!) A tip I always share with my clients is making the distinction between what I ‘must’ share with the audience and what is ‘nice’ to share with them. In addition to knowing your opening, plan in advance how you will close, and avoid the lazy option of ‘any questions.’

Yes, speaking in public is exposing. But it is also an opportunity to raise your visibility, to share your ideas and to shape how others see you. From a leadership perspective, presentation skills are not a ‘nice to have’ and presentations do not have to be something you have to endure. As I say to senior managers I work with, presentations are really leadership in action.

Coaching and workshops

If you are interested in putting some ‘presence’ into your presentations, check out my presentation skills coaching and workshops. We focus on far more than technique.
We work on:

• Managing nervous system regulation;
• Clarifying message and intention;
• Developing authentic presence;
• Creating an engaging structure;
• Building confidence that feels natural and grounded, not forced.

If you would like to elevate how you show up at the top of the room, I would love to hear from you, so feel free to get in touch. 

Author: James Sweetman is a powerful voice in the field of personal development. A gifted motivational speaker and keynote speaker, he regularly delivers inspiring talks and workshops in Ireland and overseas. He is a well-respected and established executive coach and life coach, soft skills trainer and writer. 
Contact 087 2492774 (office hours) and james@jamessweetman.com Coaching location: The Crescent Building, Northwood, Santry, Dublin 9 (just off Junction 4 M50).