Nerves. Nerves are normal.
Introduction
Let’s be honest — giving a presentation in front of your colleagues can be downright nerve-wracking. In the moment, it seems like the only lifeline you have is…you. You hope to impress them with your words, your slides, and your hard work, but then you misspeak. Your slides may not transition properly. Your laser pointer may run out of batteries. Who knows what your audience is really thinking?
A personal example
In high school, I began applying for scholarships to help pay for admission to a local university. At some point, I filled out a scholarship application that required me to both write a speech and verbally present the same speech in front of an audience. From what I can tell, this was my firt The topic I’d come up with was titled “Our living, breathing Constitution”, and the contents were supposed to be geared towards a strong statement of how the American democracy is a breathing, thriving entity in which laws, regulations, and ongoing court cases were constantly changing the landscape of the modern justice system. My title was spot on and my concept had relevant content. So why didn’t I win the scholarship?
Long story short, I got distracted. In my haste to turn in the other scholarship applications, I hadn’t taken the time to prepare my delivery. I certainly hadn’t thought through my appearance nor had I come up with an introduction. I walked onto the stage with little more than hope.
Nerves are normal
My scholarship presentation is the worst I’ve ever witnessed. Many times, the speaker does what I should have done: practiced their talk, become familiar with their slide’s content, and put effort into their appearance. Of these, however, there are still a subset that fail due to the speaker becoming overrun by nerves.
Fundamentally, nerves are a result of our body’s fight or flight response. With physical and mental preparation, we can overcome our nervous habits by a) trying to be afraid, b) being prepared, c) getting into a positive thinking space, d) loading the room with people you know, and e) talking to someone you inherently trust. As you can imagine, there’s a lot to unpack here, so we’ll save this for a future discussion.
The opportunity is great
Nerves aside, what’s to enjoy about a situation like this? A lot. In fact, in that moment, you’re the only person in the room who’s been given the gift of everyone’s time and undivided attention. Nerves are normal, but they can be used to your advantage. Think about it for a moment — everybody in the audience knows what it’s like to give a presentation and they expect you to be nervous as well. It’s the same reason why you may not have slept well the night before.
But that’s not you. This is your moment. You’ve put in the time and effort to prepare for this moment. You’re familiar with your slides, their content, and their flow. In fact, you’ve gone through your slides so many times, the message has become conversational — a laid back discussion rather than a formal presentation. With the pressure relieved, you become more confident and it shows in your body language, further amplifying the impact of your presentation. You’ve also learned a valuable lesson to further your own professional growth and self-improvement: How to effectively communicate.
Conclusion
It may seem that nerves will always be a factor no matter how much you prepare, and this may be true…for now. To get rid of nerves entirely, you’re going to have to become comfortable with presenting in front of other people. You’re going to have to become comfortable with public speaking, and that’s where we come in.
If you’re struggling with your confidence or slide deck, Present Proper is here to help. Based on 15 years of experience in Academia and Industry, we’ve overcome our fear of public speaking and want to help you do the same. From wedding toasts to Ph.D. defenses, we offer solutions to fit your needs. Contact us today to arrange a free consultation!
Present clearly. Present concisely. Present Proper.