Today I’m happy to share the last post in this mini-series on managing your stage fright. Today we’re going to be discussing a few strategies to keep in mind when you are ‘in the moment’ of the presentation.
Engage with the Attendees:
One thing I love about presenting is the ability to connect with new people. Just before your presentation starts, go out into the audience and engage with the attendees. Why? For three reasons.
1. It helps to break down mental barriers. If you talk with people, you can start to build a rapport with the audience. This is very important for presenters. One of the main reasons why people experience stage fight is because they are concerned that the attendees will judge them and question their authority as the subject expert. But if you go out into the audience and talk with people, it gives you a fantastic opportunity to gain an understanding of where your audience is regarding their knowledge and skill level.
2. It will provide you with validation. If your abstract and session description match what you have planned then people are already ahead of the game. The attendees read the information you provided about your presentation and they chose you!! They chose your session because they saw value in what you plan to present. If you’re presenting at an international conference with typically has a high number of sessions for people to choose from, then give yourself a pat on the back because you’ve already done something amazing – you got people in the door to attend your presentation. Take that as a small victory and let it boost your confidence!
3. Getting to know people before the presentation provides you with an opportunity to create direct connections between your presentation and the attendees. While you’re giving the presentation, you can speak directly to an individual who had a question. It allows the audience to see that you care about their needs and want to ensure they get the most from your session.
Be Aware:
This is technique is a bit more advanced. It requires you to be able to take in everything around you. Essentially, you need to be able to acknowledge your nerves and to be able to focus on other things that are happening around you. It doesn’t mean you’re nerves go away. It simply means you are managing them instead of letting them manage you. You can feel the jitters rising up, but you are able to look out into the audience and recognize that the attendees are looking directly at you rather than checking their phones or email. This helps to manage your nerves because once you are able to start seeing other things that are occurring around you, you will be able to broaden your focus of the situation, so the nerves are not the main focus of the picture, but rather part of a complete experience.
Finding the Joy
The last tip I will share is to find the joy in presenting. When I am selected to give a presentation, workshop, or speech, I always consider it to be a huge honor. And yes, there are definitely times when I still get nervous, but overall, I think about how much I love being able to share my message with an audience. I love inspiring people, helping them to see new perspectives, and helping them grow in their own personal journeys. If you are giving a presentation, you too have been extended that honor. It is a gift. One that should be enjoyed. Best of luck to you!