how to present a speech confidently

14 Practical Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

• The Speaker Lab
• May 11, 2024

Table of Contents

Ever felt complete dread and fear at the thought of stepping up to deliver a presentation? If so, you’re not alone. The fear of public speaking is more common than you might think, but with the right presentation skills , it’s a hurdle that can be overcome.

In this article, we’ll help you master basic confidence-building techniques and conquer advanced communication strategies for engaging presentations. We’ll explore how body language and eye contact can make or break your connection with your audience; delve into preparation techniques like dealing with filler words and nervous habits; discuss tailoring content for different audiences; and much more.

Whether you’re prepping for job interviews or gearing up for big presentations, being prepared is key. With adequate practice and the proper attitude, you can crush your speech or presentation!

Mastering the Basics of Presentation Skills

Presentation skills are not just about speaking in front of a crowd. It’s also about effective communication, audience engagement, and clarity. Mastering these skills can be transformative for everyone, from students to corporate trainers.

Building Confidence in Presentations

Becoming confident when presenting is no small feat. But fear not. Even those who feel jittery at the mere thought of public speaking can become masters with practice and patience. Just remember: stage fright is common and overcoming it is part of the process towards becoming an effective presenter.

Taking deep breaths before you start helps calm nerves while visualizing success aids in building confidence. Also, know that nobody minds if you take a moment to gather your thoughts during your presentation—everybody minds more if they cannot understand what you’re saying because you’re rushing.

The Role of Practice in Enhancing Presentation Skills

In line with old wisdom, practice indeed makes perfect, especially when improving presentation skills. Consistent rehearsals allow us to fine-tune our delivery methods like maintaining eye contact or controlling body language effectively.

You’ll learn better control over filler words through repeated drills. Plus, the extra practice can help you troubleshoot any technical glitches beforehand, saving you the sudden panic during your actual presentations.

Remember that great presenters were once beginners too. Continuous effort will get you there sooner rather than later.

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Body Language and Eye Contact in Presentations

The effectiveness of your presentation can hinge on more than just the words you say. Just as important is your body language .

Impact of Posture on Presentations

Your posture speaks volumes before you utter a word. Standing tall exudes confidence while slouching could signal nervousness or lack of preparation.

If there’s one lesson to take away from our YouTube channel , it’s this: good presenters know their message but great ones feel it through every fiber (or muscle) of their being. The audience can sense that energy when they see open body language rather than crossed arms.

Maintaining Eye Contact During Your Presentation

Eyes are often called windows to the soul for a reason. They’re communication powerhouses. Making eye contact helps build trust with your audience members and keeps them engaged throughout your speech.

Avoid staring at note cards or visual aids too much as this might give an impression that you’re unprepared or uncertain about your chosen topic. Instead, aim to maintain eye contact between 50% of the time during presentations. This commonly accepted “50/70 rule” will help you exhibit adequate confidence to your audience.

If stage fright has gotten a hold on you, take deep breaths before you start speaking in order to stay calm. Make sure that fear doesn’t disrupt your ability to maintain eye-contact during presentations.

If body language and eye contact still feel like a lot to manage during your big presentation, remember our golden rule: nobody minds small mistakes. It’s how you handle questions or mishaps that truly makes a difference—so stay positive and enthusiastic.

Preparation Techniques for Successful Presentations

Presentation skills are like a craft that requires meticulous preparation and practice. Aspects like visual aids and time management contribute to the overall effectiveness of your delivery.

The first step towards delivering an impactful presentation is research and organization. The content should be well-researched, structured logically, and presented in simple language. This will make sure you deliver clear messages without any room for misinterpretation.

Dealing with Filler Words and Nervous Habits

Nervous habits such as excessive use of filler words can distract from your message. Luckily, there are plenty of strategies that can address these issues. For instance, try taking deep breaths before speaking or using note cards until fluency is achieved. In addition, practice regularly to work on eliminating these verbal stumbling blocks.

Avoiding Distractions During Presentations

In a digital age where distractions abound, maintaining focus during presentations has become an even more crucial part of the preparation process. This video by motivational speaker Brain Tracy provides insights on how one could achieve this level of focus required for effective presentations.

Maintaining Confidence Throughout Your Presentation

Confidence comes from thorough understanding of the chosen topic combined with regular practice sessions before the big day arrives. Make use of note cards or cue cards as needed but avoid reading from them verbatim.

Taking control over stage fright starts by arriving early at the venue so that you familiarize yourself with the surroundings, which generally calms nerves down considerably. So next time you feel nervous before a big presentation, remember—thorough preparation can make all the difference.

Engaging Your Audience During Presentations

Connecting with your audience during presentations is an art, and mastering it can take your presentation skills to the next level. Making the message conveyed reach an emotional level is essential, not just conveying facts.

Understanding Your Target Audience

The first step towards engaging your audience is understanding them. Tailor the content of your presentation to their needs and interests. Speak in their language—whether that be professional jargon or everyday slang—to establish rapport and ensure comprehension.

An effective presenter understands who they’re speaking to, what those individuals care about, and how best to communicate complex ideas understandably.

Making Complex Information Understandable

Dense data or complicated concepts can lose even the most interested listener if presented ineffectively. Breaking your key points down into manageable chunks helps maintain attention while promoting retention. Analogies are especially useful for this purpose as they make unfamiliar topics more relatable.

Audience Participation & Questions: A Two-Way Street

Incorporating opportunities for audience participation encourages engagement at another level. It allows listeners to become active participants rather than passive receivers of knowledge.

Consider techniques like live polls or interactive Q&A sessions where you invite questions from attendees mid-presentation instead of saving all queries until the end.

This gives you a chance not only engage but also address any misunderstandings right on spot.

• Treat each question asked as an opportunity—it’s evidence someone has been paying attention. Even challenging questions should be welcomed as they demonstrate an engaged, thoughtful audience.
• Encourage participation. It can be as simple as a show of hands or the use of interactive technologies for live polling during your presentation. This keeps your audience active and invested in the content.

Remember, your presentation isn’t just about putting on a show—it’s about meaningful interaction.

Free Download: 6 Proven Steps to Book More Paid Speaking Gigs in 2024​

Download our 18-page guide and start booking more paid speaking gigs today!

Presentation Skills in Specific Contexts

Whether you’re nailing your next job interview, presenting an exciting marketing campaign, or delivering insightful educational content, the context matters. Let’s take a look.

The Art of Job Interviews

A successful job interview often hinges on effective communication and confidence. Here, the target audience is usually small but holds significant influence over your future prospects. Body language plays a crucial role; maintain eye contact to show sincerity and interest while open body language communicates approachability.

Bullet points summarizing key experiences are also helpful for quick recall under pressure. This allows you to present your chosen topic with clarity and positive enthusiasm without relying heavily on note or cue cards.

Pitching in Public Relations & Marketing

In public relations (PR) and marketing contexts, presentations need to capture attention quickly yet hold it long enough to deliver key messages effectively. Visual aids are valuable tools here—they help emphasize points while keeping the audience engaged.

Your aim should be highlighting presentation benefits that resonate with potential clients or partners, making them feel as though ignoring such opportunities would mean missing out big time.

Educational Presentations

An educational setting demands its own unique set of presentation skills where deep understanding trumps flashy visuals. You must make complex information understandable without oversimplifying essential details—the use of analogies can be beneficial here.

Keeping the audience’s attention is critical. Encourage questions and participation to foster a more interactive environment, enhancing learning outcomes for all audience members.

Tips for Becoming a Great Presenter

No single method is suitable for everyone when it comes to speaking in public. However, incorporating continuous improvement and practice into your routine can make you an exceptional presenter.

Tailor Your Presentation to Your Audience

Becoming an excellent speaker isn’t just about delivering information; it’s also about making a connection with the audience. So make sure that you’re taking setting, audience, and topic into consideration when crafting your presentation. What works for one audience may not work for another, so be sure to adapt your presentation styles according to the occasion in order to be truly effective.

The Power of Practice

The art of mastering public speaking skills requires practice —and lots of it . To become a great presenter, focus on improving communication skills through practice and feedback from peers or mentors. Try to seek feedback on every speech delivered and incorporate those pointers in your future presentations. Over time, this cycle of delivery-feedback-improvement significantly enhances your ability to connect with audiences and convey ideas effectively.

If you’re looking for examples of good speakers, our speech breakdowns on YouTube provide excellent examples of experienced presenters who masterfully utilize speaking techniques. Analyzing their strategies could give you great ideas for enhancing your own style.

Finding Your Style

A crucial part of captivating any audience lies in how you deliver the message rather than the message itself. Developing a unique presentation style lets you stand out as an engaging speaker who commands attention throughout their talk. Through — you guessed it — practice, you can develop a personal presentation style that resonates with listeners while showcasing your expertise on the chosen topic.

Your body language plays a pivotal role here: open gestures communicate confidence and enthusiasm towards your subject matter, two qualities essential for keeping audiences hooked. Similarly, using vocal variety adds dynamism to speeches by emphasizing points when needed or creating suspense during storytelling parts of your talk.

Cultivating Passion & Enthusiasm

Showcasing genuine passion for the subject helps keep listeners engaged throughout even lengthy presentations. Sharing stories related to the topic or expressing excitement about sharing knowledge tends to draw people in more than mere data recitation ever could.

Recognize that everybody is distinctive; don’t expect identical results from every speaker. The path to becoming a great presenter involves recognizing your strengths and working tirelessly on areas that need improvement.

FAQs on Presentation Skills

What are good presentation skills.

Good presentation skills include a clear message, confident delivery, engaging body language, audience understanding, and interaction. They also involve effective preparation and practice.

What are the 5 steps of presentation skills?

The five steps of presenting include: planning your content, preparing visual aids if needed, practicing the delivery aloud, performing it with confidence, and finally post-presentation reflection for improvements.

What are the 5 P’s of presentation skills?

The five P’s stand for Preparation (researching your topic), Practice (rehearsing your talk), Performance (delivering with confidence), Posture (standing tall), and Projection (using a strong voice).

What are your presentation skills?

Your personal set of abilities to deliver information effectively is what we call your presentation skill. It can encompass public speaking ability, clarity in speech or writing as well as visual communication talent.

Mastering presentation skills isn’t an overnight process, but practice and perseverance will put you well on your way to becoming an effective speaker.

You’ve learned that confidence plays a crucial role in effective presentations, so take deep breaths, make eye contact, and keep your body language open. As always, preparation is key. Tackle filler words head-on and get comfortable with visual aids for impactful storytelling.

Remember the importance of audience engagement — it’s all about understanding their needs and tailoring your content accordingly. This way, complex information turns into digestible insights.

Above all else: practice! After all, nothing beats experience when it comes to improving public speaking abilities.

• Last Updated: May 9, 2024

Explore Related Resources

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series,  Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

Communication Strategies: Presenting with Impact

Search all Communication programs.

2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

Find related Communication programs.

Browse all Professional & Executive Development programs.

About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

Why Gender Equity in the Workplace is Good for Business

Research indicates a correlation between gender equity and organizational success, yet it also points to obstacles for women in leadership.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

• Personal Development
• Sales Training
• Business Training
• Time Management
• Leadership Training
• Book Writing
• Public Speaking
• Live Speaker Training With Brian
• See Brian Speak
• Coaching Programs
• Become a Coach
• Personal Success
• Sales Success
• Business Success
• Leadership Success

How to Speak with Confidence & Captivate Your Audience

Do you ever look at someone – a public speaker, a politician, even a friend– and think “wow, they are confident?” 

Confidence is a trait we admire in others and grieve the absence of in ourselves. While some people are born with innate confidence and charisma, the rest of us are left wondering how they sound confident so naturally.

But, the great thing about confidence is that it’s a skill that we can all easily acquire.

As all the best public speakers and politicians and friends know, confidence is as much about appearance and image as it is about feeling confident within one’s self. So where better to start honing your confidence than in your own voice, one of the most important tools you have to give others a good impression of yourself?

Why You Should Always Aim to Speak with Confidence

Consider some of the best speakers in the world. What makes them great? Is it their knowledge, their ability to communicate their message, their passion? Are they great at keeping their audience engaged? Are they good at storytelling?

While the answer to all of those questions is likely to be a “yes,” I’ll give you one of the most important characteristics that makes them all great speakers.

Their confidence.

Confidence is not a revolutionary concept. You probably didn’t faint from the shock upon hearing “confidence.” But the reason this is not surprising is that this is a well-known and very utilized characteristic in all leader types.

Most of the best public speakers excel in sounding confident. They understand that if they sound nervous or come off as timid or unprepared, their entire speech may feel inauthentic and uncredible.

They dedicate a significant amount of time to practice, a skill that helps them get rid of any lingering stage anxiety.  

So, if you aim to be a great speaker, you must speak with a confident tone and strong belief in yourself.

If you want your message to reach and stick with your audience, you must say it with confidence.

That’s the secret to how the world’s best speakers do it.   

10 Tips to Help You Find More Confidence When Presenting

As someone who has been a public speaker for over four decades now, I have learned a trick or two about how to give great presentations.

How to build confidence is a big one.

Here are some tips I have personally used that can help you develop more confidence in both your personal and professional communication.

These tips will help you present your report to your team or present your research at a TedTalk – with confidence. Utilize these tools next time you need to get your message across.

You will be happy you did.

One of the biggest keys to effective to building confidence as a public speaker is simply to practice speaking. You’ve heard the saying a million times: “Practice makes perfect” – but I am here to tell you that practice actually makes progress.

You will notice how much more confident and self-assured you sound as you go through your presentation again and again. 

Even if you believe your speech is perfect, practicing will help you feel more comfortable and certain in your delivery.

The more you practice, the more you build your confidence as a speaker. You can record yourself or practice with friends to get honest feedback. If you want to advance your public speaking skills even further, check out my blog on public speaking tips.

Plus, you may learn new things from one presentation to the next – things that could be helpful to incorporate into your next speech in order to deliver your message as confidently and effectively as possible.

Present to a Trusted Audience First

A great way to build confidence is by practicing in front of a trusted audience before presenting your message on the main stage. This allows you to get more comfortable speaking to an audience while getting honest and constructive feedback about your presentation.

By utilizing your network of friends, family, coworkers, and so on, you can run through your presentation without feeling nervous or worrying that you will mess up when it comes to presenting in front of your actual audience. This will allow you to practice your eye contact and body language for your performance.

Your trusted audience will act as a sounding board for how you can improve your presentation. They may express that you need to touch more on your important points, use a more confident voice, fewer filler words , more eye contact, fewer pauses, and so forth.

These comments can help you visualize your speech from the audience’s perspective and incorporate their feedback for the real thing.

Practicing in front of your trusted audience will help you feel more relaxed and confident. Public speaking can be scary, but don’t forget to take a deep breath and keep calm!

Believe in Yourself

A phrase that is displayed in many offices, homes, and Facebook walls – “Believe in yourself.” A common encouraging statement that is especially useful for confidence-building. In order to be great at public speaking, or anything else for that matter, you must believe in yourself, your message, and your abilities.

Believing in yourself applies to multiple facets. Firstly, you must believe in your message. This may be findings from research you have done or a new tool you hope to implement in your company – you must believe in whatever you are presenting.

You are the expert here, and people are looking to you for encouragement, advice, or knowledge. You must believe in what you are hoping the audience will believe in.

Secondly, you have to believe in your ability to deliver your message. Even if you are nervous or afraid, you must believe that you can do it.

Most great speakers will tell you that they were terrified when they first started presenting, but a trick they learned was, “fake it until you make it.” Is it your first presentation and you are freaking out?

Pretend it’s not! Imagine that you have done this a thousand times before and you’re a pro. Keep smiling, stay relaxed, smile, and just go for it – you can do it. And when you believe you can do speak confidently , you’ll sound more confident naturally to your audience.

If either of these criteria is not met, that will come through in your speech. You must believe in yourself in order to be confident and authentic in your presentation.

Stay Healthy

This tip may feel obvious, but your health is very important to your level of confidence

You know how it feels when you are sick; you are groggy, tired, congested, etc. You have a hard time focusing or being productive. You fall behind on tasks you need to complete.

That’s why keeping your health up is so important for your confidence (and your vocal cords!)

Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to make sure your voice and vocal cords are always “public speaker ready,” and well make you sound more confident.

Studies show that how hydrated you are has a direct effect on the sound of your voice—the more hydrated you are, the more clear and strong your voice sounds. That’s why whenever you hear a dehydrated character in a movie, their voice always sounds weak and raspy!

The key to staying hydrated and feeling confident in your voice is to not wait until right before your speech to start drinking.

Hydration takes time. Keeping yourself hydrated should start at least a couple of hours leading up to your speech – if not always! Staying hydrated ensures that your mouth and throat are properly lubricated so that you can speak articulately and smoothly. 

Staying healthy and hydrated will keep your mind and body sharp. If you stay hydrated, eat healthily, exercise, get a good night’s sleep, you will ultimately feel good. And feeling good is a great confidence booster!

The better you feel on the inside, the more confidence you’ll be able to muster up on the outside.

Seek Growth from Critique

You may give dozens of great speeches, but you will always remember the one that didn’t go as planned. You will dwell on it or even beat yourself up about it.

We tend to fixate on the things that went wrong, and that’s totally normal. How you grow from that experience will determine how much you will develop and succeed.

I’m here to tell you that even your mistakes can help you gain confidence. Even if something went wrong, there is no need to feel distressed or defeated. Instead, use that mistake as an opportunity for growth. It’s a perfect time to seek feedback and comments that can help you improve the next time.  Even the best thought leaders evolve over time, so don’t be afraid to listen to your criticism, you may just grow from it.

Usually, people will be encouraging about your speech. They will tell you what they liked and what kept them engaged. If they have a negative critique, do not take it personally.

Though it’s an initial ego-deflator, you can use negative critique as a vertical for knowledge and growth. Each comment will plant a seed in your mind that you can focus on for future speeches.

If your mistake was forgetting a line and looking panicked, you can practice how to stay calm in instances like that. You can also make sure to take more time to memorize all your important points the next time around.

Every point of critique is an opportunity to learn and grow. The more you view critique in that manner, the more confidence you can gain through every negative comment. 

Use Visuals

You know what they say: a picture is worth 1000 words.

Visual aids, such as pictures, charts, graphs, infographics, help engage your audience as well as reinforce your points. Considering 65% of the population are visual learners, visual aids can enhance the presentation and help them retain the information.

By including visual content, you’re increasing the percentage of people who will remember your message long after the presentation is over.

Visual aids help you emphasize your important points and keep your audience engaged. Especially if you are just starting out in your public speaking journey, having visual aids will give you something to lean on and divert focus to when you are nervous.

The audience’s attention will be at the screen for a moment, giving you time to take a deep breath and stay relaxed.

Once you feel confident as a speaker, you may not even need visual aids. You will feel comfortable and confident enough to speak to your audience without them.

Keep the Presentation Moving

The show must go on, right?

That’s what anyone who has ever been on stage knows to be true.

As much as we want to, we cannot control everything. Sometimes, things don’t go our way – there can be technical difficulties, venue issues, audience mishaps — whatever it is, being prepared for the uncertain can help you keep the show moving.

If you’ve ever seen a presentation go awry, you have noticed that a great public speaker will keep their cool and find humor in the situation.

Their body language will remain relaxed, they won’t lose their focus, they will keep smiling and holding eye contact with their audience, and find a way to make light of the situation. This type of engaging behavior will ease the awkwardness of the situation.

This type of level of confidence is gained through practice. You can enhance your public speaking by practicing your backup plan in moments when things aren’t going according to plan. Knowing how to handle a critical situation will help you feel more relaxed and confident throughout your entire presentation.

Even if you stumble, forget a line, experience a technical difficulty, or so forth, your ability to move the presentation along despite hiccups will demonstrate your confidence.

Keeping your presentation moving will show your audience that even though things don’t always go as planned, you remain confident and prepared for anything.

Avoid Filler Words

So, like… umm… yeah.

Filler words.

The um’s and uh’s and er’s that litter many of our conversations. Although these little words don’t add meaning to your statements, they do perform a function in conversations.

They allow you to take a second and think about what you’re going to say next. They let the person you are having a conversation with know that you’re not quite finished speaking yet, even if you’ve paused for a moment.

While typically acceptable in normal conversations, filler words can be detrimental to public speaking. Using a filler word may make it sound like you have forgotten what you’re about to say next. They break your audience’s attention from your message.

Instead of using filler words in your speeches, you should practice embracing the power of the pause.

All great public speakers are masters of the pause. They are comfortable with silences. When they are moving on to the next point or holding for dramatic effect, they take a deep breath, stay relaxed and keep smiling before saying anything. They know that the pause is a key part of good public speaking.

Since we use filler words so often, cutting them from your vernacular and replacing them with pauses may feel unnatural.

That’s why it’s so important to practice your presenting. Practice a few rounds of your presentation focusing heavily on the filler words. Once actively focus on the filler words, you will notice how much, or how little, you say them. Then, actively catch yourself in the moment and use a pause to replace it.

That pause will show your audience that you are confident in your speaking abilities, and keep them engaged in your presentation.

Experiment with Your Tone of Voice

Whenever you hear a great public speaker or storyteller, you notice how their tone and loudness fluctuate throughout their speech.

They use their tone to convey mood or emphasize an important point. They may use a lower, deeper tone when describing a problem. They will then switch to speaking loudly, in a higher, more optimistic tone when describing how the problem was solved.

This type of tone fluctuation allows them to influence the emotions of their audience and keep them engaged throughout their presentation.

The tone of your presentation should always match the subject matter you are discussing, which will add to you sounding confident during your entire presentation.

If you have a hopeful message, keep your tone light. If you want your audience to consider a serious topic, you can use a moodier tone. It’s all about playing up the important points in your message.

Practicing playing with tone can be a huge confidence booster. Even if you know the contents of your presentation like the back of your hand, you can utilize tone to create emphasis and intrigue where needed. Your audience will see you as more confident when you can get through your speech without making it feel like you read it from a paper.

Dress for Success

Look good, feel good, speak…even better!

Dressing for success means a few things in this situation: the way we dress in order to feel like our best, and how we should dress when presenting.

Let’s discuss dressing for ourselves first. As it turns out, the way we dress impacts how we feel about ourselves – even the way we judge our own abilities. In a 2012 paper by Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky, the idea of “enclothed cognition,” was studied. This study was to determine whether our clothes affect our thoughts

In one particular experiment, participants wore either a doctor’s coat or a painter’s coat and were asked to perform tasks. Those who wore the doctor’s coat performed significantly better at completing the task.

Wonder why that is? The research behind enclothed cognition suggests that it’s not so much about what we wear, but what we think about what we wear.

So even if you don’t have a doctor’s coat to throw on for your presentation, it is important that you wear the clothing that you feel the most comfortable and confident in!

Now we move into dressing the part. Even though your audience is there to listen to what you have to say, it’s very important to dress the part. While we now know how important it is to dress in something you feel comfortable and confident in, it must also align with the tone and theme of your presentation.

For example, if your presentation is about how to find balance in life, wearing a full-pressed suit may not be the best choice since the topic of the conversation is more casual and inclusive. You want to look and sound like you have found balance in your own life. A better outfit option for that speech could be a nice pair of slacks and a button-down.

If you are presenting something more formal and the event is corporate, a suit may be the way to go.

As long as you feel confident in that suit, of course.

Feeling good and looking the part when presenting will help you feel more confident and boost your stage presence. Just make sure that whatever you do wear is also comfortable to keep you worry-free during the presentation and will allow you to use body language naturally and without restriction or wardrobe malfunction.

Looking for the ultimate guide to public speaking, including everything from picking a speech topic to taking your public speaking international? Check out this blog on everything you need to know about public speaking.

With these tools, your ability to speak with confidence will grow exponentially. If you are looking for a course that helps you put these tips into action, check out my, “Speak Like A Leader,” course! Here, you will learn everything you need to know on how to use your words and your message to lead.

« Previous Post 21 Cold Calling Tips to Keep Prospects on the Phone and Increase Sales Next Post » How to Become an Optimist: 19 Tips to Stay Positive

About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

• Most Recent
• How to Start a Speech: The Best Ways to Capture Your Audience
• How to Develop Self-Discipline to Succeed
• The Art of Business Success: A Blueprint for Entrepreneurs
• How to Develop a Habit That Will Last
• How to Write an Author Bio (Examples Included)
• Free Webinar: How To Write a Book and Become a Published Author
• Free Video Series: 3-Part Sales Mastery Training Series
• Free Assessment: The Confidence Factor
• Free Assessment: Discovering Your Talents

Browse Categories

• Financial Success

Follow Brian & Join the Discussion

• Free Resources
• Best Sellers
• Knowledge Base
• Shipping & Returns
• Privacy Policy
• About Brian
• Brian Recommends

Your Privacy is Guaranteed. We will never give, lease or sell your personal information. Period!

© Copyright 2001-2024 Brian Tracy International. All Rights Reserved.

How it works

For Business

Join Mind Tools

Article • 13 min read

Better Public Speaking

Becoming a confident, compelling speaker.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Whether we're talking in a team meeting or presenting in front of an audience, we all have to speak in public from time to time.

We can do this well or we can do this badly, and the outcome strongly affects the way that people think about us. This is why public speaking causes so much anxiety and concern.

The good news is that, with thorough preparation and practice, you can overcome your nervousness and perform exceptionally well. This article and video explain how.

Click here to view a transcript of this video.

The Importance of Public Speaking

Even if you don't need to make regular presentations in front of a group, there are plenty of situations where good public speaking skills can help you advance your career and create opportunities.

For example, you might have to talk about your organization at a conference, make a speech after accepting an award, or teach a class to new recruits. Speaking to an audience also includes online presentations or talks; for instance, when training a virtual team, or when speaking to a group of customers in an online meeting.

Good public speaking skills are important in other areas of your life, as well. You might be asked to make a speech at a friend's wedding, give a eulogy for a loved one, or inspire a group of volunteers at a charity event.

In short, being a good public speaker can enhance your reputation, boost your self-confidence , and open up countless opportunities.

However, while good skills can open doors, poor ones can close them. For example, your boss might decide against promoting you after sitting through a badly-delivered presentation. You might lose a valuable new contract by failing to connect with a prospect during a sales pitch. Or you could make a poor impression with your new team, because you trip over your words and don't look people in the eye.

Make sure that you learn how to speak well!

Strategies for Becoming a Better Speaker

The good news is that speaking in public is a learnable skill. As such, you can use the following strategies to become a better speaker and presenter.

Plan Appropriately

First, make sure that you plan your communication appropriately. Use tools like the Rhetorical Triangle , Monroe's Motivated Sequence , and the 7Cs of Communication to think about how you'll structure what you're going to say.

When you do this, think about how important a book's first paragraph is; if it doesn't grab you, you're likely going to put it down. The same principle goes for your speech: from the beginning, you need to intrigue your audience.

For example, you could start with an interesting statistic, headline, or fact that pertains to what you're talking about and resonates with your audience. You can also use story telling as a powerful opener; our Expert Interviews with Annette Simmons and Paul Smith offer some useful tips on doing this.

Planning also helps you to think on your feet . This is especially important for unpredictable question and answer sessions or last-minute communications.

Remember that not all occasions when you need to speak in public will be scheduled. You can make good impromptu speeches by having ideas and mini-speeches pre-prepared. It also helps to have a good, thorough understanding of what's going on in your organization and industry.

There's a good reason that we say, "Practice makes perfect!" You simply cannot be a confident, compelling speaker without practice.

To get practice, seek opportunities to speak in front of others. For example, Toastmasters is a club geared specifically towards aspiring speakers, and you can get plenty of practice at Toastmasters sessions. You could also put yourself in situations that require public speaking, such as by cross-training a group from another department, or by volunteering to speak at team meetings.

If you're going to be delivering a presentation or prepared speech, create it as early as possible. The earlier you put it together, the more time you'll have to practice.

Practice it plenty of times alone, using the resources you'll rely on at the event, and, as you practice, tweak your words until they flow smoothly and easily.

Then, if appropriate, do a dummy run in front of a small audience: this will help you calm your jitters and make you feel more comfortable with the material. Your audience can also give you useful feedback , both on your material and on your performance.

Engage With Your Audience

When you speak, try to engage your audience. This makes you feel less isolated as a speaker and keeps everyone involved with your message. If appropriate, ask leading questions targeted to individuals or groups, and encourage people to participate and ask questions.

Keep in mind that some words reduce your power as a speaker. For instance, think about how these sentences sound: "I just want to add that I think we can meet these goals" or "I just think this plan is a good one." The words "just" and "I think" limit your authority and conviction. Don't use them.

A similar word is "actually," as in, "Actually, I'd like to add that we were under budget last quarter." When you use "actually," it conveys a sense of submissiveness or even surprise. Instead, say what things are. "We were under budget last quarter" is clear and direct.

Also, pay attention to how you're speaking. If you're nervous, you might talk quickly. This increases the chances that you'll trip over your words, or say something you don't mean. Force yourself to slow down by breathing deeply. Don't be afraid to gather your thoughts; pauses are an important part of conversation, and they make you sound confident, natural, and authentic.

Finally, avoid reading word-for-word from your notes. Instead, make a list of important points on cue cards, or, as you get better at public speaking, try to memorize what you're going to say – you can still refer back to your cue cards when you need them.

Pay Attention to Body Language

If you're unaware of it, your body language will give your audience constant, subtle clues about your inner state. If you're nervous, or if you don't believe in what you're saying, the audience can soon know.

Pay attention to your body language: stand up straight, take deep breaths, look people in the eye, and smile. Don't lean on one leg or use gestures that feel unnatural.

Many people prefer to speak behind a podium when giving presentations. While podiums can be useful for holding notes, they put a barrier between you and the audience. They can also become a "crutch," giving you a hiding place from the dozens or hundreds of eyes that are on you.

Instead of standing behind a podium, walk around and use gestures to engage the audience. This movement and energy will also come through in your voice, making it more active and passionate.

Think Positively

Positive thinking can make a huge difference to the success of your communication, because it helps you feel more confident.

Fear makes it all too easy to slip into a cycle of negative self-talk, especially right before you speak, while self-sabotaging thoughts such as "I'll never be good at this!" or "I'm going to fall flat on my face!" lower your confidence and increase the chances that you won't achieve what you're truly capable of.

Use affirmations and visualization to raise your confidence. This is especially important right before your speech or presentation. Visualize giving a successful presentation, and imagine how you'll feel once it's over and when you've made a positive difference for others. Use positive affirmations such as "I'm grateful I have the opportunity to help my audience" or "I'm going to do well!"

Cope With Nerves

How often have you listened to or watched a speaker who really messed up? Chances are, the answer is "not very often."

When we have to speak in front of others, we can envision terrible things happening. We imagine forgetting every point we want to make, passing out from our nervousness, or doing so horribly that we'll lose our job. But those things almost never come to pass! We build them up in our minds and end up more nervous than we need to be.

Many people cite speaking to an audience as their biggest fear, and a fear of failure is often at the root of this. Public speaking can lead your "fight or flight" response to kick in: adrenaline courses through your bloodstream, your heart rate increases, you sweat, and your breath becomes fast and shallow.

Although these symptoms can be annoying or even debilitating, the Inverted-U Model shows that a certain amount of pressure enhances performance. By changing your mindset, you can use nervous energy to your advantage.

First, make an effort to stop thinking about yourself, your nervousness, and your fear. Instead, focus on your audience: what you're saying is "about them." Remember that you're trying to help or educate them in some way, and your message is more important than your fear. Concentrate on the audience's wants and needs, instead of your own.

If time allows, use deep breathing exercises to slow your heart rate and give your body the oxygen it needs to perform. This is especially important right before you speak. Take deep breaths from your belly, hold each one for several seconds, and let it out slowly.

Crowds are more intimidating than individuals, so think of your speech as a conversation that you're having with one person. Although your audience may be 100 people, focus on one friendly face at a time, and talk to that person as if he or she is the only one in the room.

Watch Recordings of Your Speeches

Whenever possible, record your presentations and speeches. You can improve your speaking skills dramatically by watching yourself later, and then working on improving in areas that didn't go well.

As you watch, notice any verbal stalls, such as "um" or "like." Look at your body language: are you swaying, leaning on the podium, or leaning heavily on one leg? Are you looking at the audience? Did you smile? Did you speak clearly at all times?

Pay attention to your gestures. Do they appear natural or forced? Make sure that people can see them, especially if you're standing behind a podium.

Last, look at how you handled interruptions, such as a sneeze or a question that you weren't prepared for. Does your face show surprise, hesitation, or annoyance? If so, practice managing interruptions like these smoothly, so that you're even better next time.

Chances are that you'll sometimes have to speak in public as part of your role. While this can seem intimidating, the benefits of being able to speak well outweigh any perceived fears. To become a better speaker, use the following strategies:

• Plan appropriately.
• Engage with your audience.
• Pay attention to body language.
• Think positively.
• Cope with your nerves.
• Watch recordings of your speeches.

If you speak well in public, it can help you get a job or promotion, raise awareness for your team or organization, and educate others. The more you push yourself to speak in front of others, the better you'll become, and the more confidence you'll have.

You've accessed 1 of your 2 free resources.

Get unlimited access

Discover more content

Concept sprints.

Delivering and Testing Prototypes in Five Days

Book Insights

Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos

Add comment

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!

Get 30% off your first year of Mind Tools

Great teams begin with empowered leaders. Our tools and resources offer the support to let you flourish into leadership. Join today!

Sign-up to our newsletter

Subscribing to the Mind Tools newsletter will keep you up-to-date with our latest updates and newest resources.

Subscribe now

Business Skills

Personal Development

Leadership and Management

Member Extras

Most Popular

Latest Updates

What Is Operations Management?

Mentoring Skills

Mind Tools Store

About Mind Tools Content

Discover something new today

The hoshin planning system.

Steering Everyone in the Right Direction

Building Resilience for Success: A Resource for Managers and Organizations

Cary Cooper

Expert Interviews

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Boosting Your People Skills

Self-Assessment

What's Your Leadership Style?

Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

Recommended for you

Hartnett's consensus-oriented decision-making model.

Developing Solutions Collectively

Business Operations and Process Management

Strategy Tools

Customer Service

Business Ethics and Values

Handling Information and Data

Project Management

Knowledge Management

Self-Development and Goal Setting

Time Management

Presentation Skills

Learning Skills

Career Skills

Communication Skills

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

Working With Others

Difficult Conversations

Creativity Tools

Self-Management

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management and Wellbeing

Coaching and Mentoring

Change Management

Team Management

Managing Conflict

Delegation and Empowerment

Performance Management

Leadership Skills

Developing Your Team

Talent Management

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Member Podcast

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

How to speak with confidence in public

November 8, 2022 - Dom Barnard

An estimated 75% of adults suffer from a  fear of public speaking . When stress hormones are released we may behave differently – frequently, our minds go blank, our voices become harder to control, we may visibly shake etc.

Even professional public speakers have to deal with nerves but they have techniques to cope. In this article, we discuss ways of speaking with confidence in public.

Preparation and organisation

Be prepared and organised for your presentation because this increases your control and less things can go wrong. For example:

• Visit the venue and room you’ll be presenting in beforehand
• Ensure you print any materials you need at least the day before
• Create cards to use as cues
• Prepare for technical faults, such as, having a back-up in case a video does not play
• Arrive early for your speech
• Practice repeatedly

Read our  Checklist for Before and After a Presentation

Positive mental imagery

Visualise delivering your presentation confidently and successfully as this will reinforce your confidence. Really imagine being there and use all of your senses to form the imagery. If you find that your visualisations are negative then challenge these scenarios by drawing on previous experiences of successful communication. Substitute the negative imagery with more realistic imagery.

Managing nerves

Remember that you haven’t been invited to present for the purpose of being ridiculed – the audience wants to hear you speak. Plan for  managing your nerves  by:

• Avoiding consuming too much caffeine beforehand as this is a stimulant and can leave you feeling more nervous and shaky.
• Preparing music or a podcast that you can listen to on the way to the presentation.
• Find a mindfulness exercise you’d feel comfortable doing as you travel to the venue.
• Master controlled breathing beforehand so you can engage in this right before going onstage.
• If you have time, engage in exercise beforehand. Exercising releases endorphins which reduce stress levels and make you feel better.
• Recognise that it’s unlikely that the audience will know that you’re feeling nervous – you do not look as anxious as you feel.

During the presentation, if you notice that you’re speaking too quickly then pause and breathe. This won’t look strange – it will appear as though you’re giving thought to what you’re saying.

You can also  strategically plan some of your pauses , such as after questions and at the end of sections, because this will give you a chance to calm down and it will also give the audience an opportunity to think and reflect.

Pausing will also help you  avoid filler words , such as, “um” as well which can make you sound unsure.

If you’re very familiar with the content of your presentation, your audience will perceive you as confident. Practicing tips:

• Don’t just read the presentation through – practice everything, including  your transitions  and using your visual aids.
• Stand up and speak it aloud as though you were presenting to an audience.
• Ensure that you practice your body language and gesturing.
• Practice in front of others and  get their feedback .
• Film yourself presenting and watch it back.
• Freely improvise so you’ll sound more natural on the day. Don’t learn your presentation verbatim because you will sound uninterested and if you lose focus then you may forget everything.

Confident body language

You’ll notice that professional public speakers look relaxed and confident, they talk slowly and make positive body movements. To appear confident:

• Maintain eye contact  with the audience
• Use gestures to emphasise points
• Move around the stage
• Match facial expressions with what you’re saying
• Reduce nervous habits
• Slowly and steadily breathe
• Use your voice aptly

For more details, read our  8 Elements of Confident Body Language

Grow your confidence with  interactive practice exercises , on skills such as public speaking, impromptu speaking, giving feedback, and more.

Use your nervous energy

It can be difficult to hide your nerves so another way of dealing with this is to emphasise your emotions. This means conveying the emotions you’re explaining/you felt at the time, for example, the disappointment you felt at a failure or the excitement you felt at a finding. The emotion you display will hide your nerves.

Speak slowly

When you’re nervous you may rush through your presentation and finish too quickly. This makes it obvious to the audience that you’re nervous, it’s probably frustrating for them to listen to and watch, you’re not taking the time to connect with them and it’s likely that you’re making mistakes.

Try speaking at a speed that feels uncomfortably slow because it’s likely that’s the correct speed.

• Average Speaking Rate and Words per Minute

Connect with audience from the start

The first five minutes are vital for engaging the audience and getting them to listen to you. Consider telling a story about a mistake you made or maybe life wasn’t going well for you in the past – if relevant to your presentation’s aim.

People will relate to this as we have all experienced mistakes and failures. The more the audience relates to you, the more likely they will remain engaged which will increase your confidence.

• How to start a presentation effectively

Friendly faces

Find a member of the audience that is: engaged, nodding or smiling in each section of the room. When you find yourself becoming uncomfortable you can move your eyes to the friendly face in that section.

Identify and challenge your excuses

Write down the thoughts you have when you avoid speaking in a meeting or when you reject delivering a presentation. These thoughts will identify what you’re specifically afraid of, such as, worrying the audience will judge you as incompetent.

This negative inner dialogue reduces your confidence and makes you think you can’t speak in public. Challenge these thoughts by looking at evidence of your successful communication and recognise how unrealistic the thoughts can be.

Focus on your message

When you’re presenting focus on what you’re saying and why this message needs to be delivered to the audience. This will keep you connected with your speech and will prevent you from being distracted by, for example, an audience member falling asleep or your evaluation of how the presentation is going. Instead you’ll be connecting to the listeners who finding your presentation valuable.

Create a stage persona

It can be tempting to imitate favoured public speakers but it’s better to work out what your characteristics as a speaker are and then amplify these. To develop a confident stage persona ask yourself:

• What are my best characteristics as a speaker? E.g. Am I empathetic? Humorous? etc.
• What are my features as a speaker? E.g. Do I gesticulate a lot? Am I energetic? Do I stick to the script or do I improvise? etc.

More experienced and confident public speakers use humour in their presentations. The audience will be incredibly engaged if you make them laugh and it lightens the mood which will make you feel more comfortable. But caution must be exercised when using humour because a joke can be misinterpreted and even offend the audience.

Only use jokes if you’re confident with this technique and it’s suitable for the situation. Making fun of yourself is usually a safe way of using humour and it cultivates trust because it’s more relatable to the audience.

• Udemy course on becoming  Funnier at Public Speaking

Be prepared for mistakes

Mistakes happen all the time but reacting awkwardly can make the audience feel uncomfortable. It’s better to laugh at yourself so consider preparing one-liners to fall back on if you do make a mistake. Having this back-up can make you feel more secure.

Recognise the positives afterwards

After delivering a presentation it’s typical of some people to only focus on the negatives of the presentation. By doing this you’re ignoring the positives even though there were probably more of these compared to the amount of negatives.

Acknowledge these positives and write them down so you can remind yourself in the future and challenge your negative predictions.

It’s important to accept that you’re probably going to be nervous when you present but most people experience this feeling and it doesn’t ruin presentations. Have confidence in what you’re saying and convert your nerves into something helpful.

You won’t develop your confidence if you don’t push yourself and if you avoid uncomfortable situations.

• Presentation Skills

Essential Strategies to Boost Your Public Speaking Confidence

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Rhubarb The blog at SkillsYouNeed

• Rhubarb Front Page -guidelines for contributors-
• 22 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips
• What is a Pitch Deck and Why Do You Need One?
• Enhancing Creativity: A Guide to Harnessing Mid-Journey Prompts for Image Creation
• Strategic Planning for Conference Success - A Step-by-Step Guide for Teams
• Effective Presentation Skills for Professionals
• Presentation Skills: Using AI To Help You Thrive in Your Presentations
• Mastering Soft Skills to Deliver Impactful Presentations
• How to Present Statistics and Analytics in an Effective Manner?
• 7 Tools to Improve Your Presentation Skills
• Five Reasons Why Singing Lessons Will Be a Game Changer for Your Public Speaking Efforts
• Captivating Presentations: Techniques to Engage and Retain Your Audience
• How Can AI Help in Creating Winning Presentations?
• How to Dress to Impress During an Important Presentation
• How to Present Effectively to your Colleagues
• How to Become a Better Public Speaker
• How You Can Improve Your Video Editing Skills
• What is Your Story? How to Identify Your Story from Raw Data
• Why Public Speaking and Communication Are So Important to Your Career
• Preparing for Oral Presentations
• Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks
• How to Get People to Actually Listen to What You’re Saying
• Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation?
• 7 Public Speaking Tips For Introverts
• Psychological Secrets for Effective Presentations

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.

You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.

We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.

In today's globalized world, the ability to communicate effectively in public is more than a mere skill – it's an indispensable part of personal and professional life. Public speaking is a multifaceted art that integrates aspects of communication, personal development, and leadership. It's a powerful tool for making an impact, whether in a boardroom, classroom, or community gathering.

This article aims to unravel the intricacies of public speaking and provide you with essential strategies to boost your confidence and effectiveness as a speaker. We'll explore the psychological aspects, practical techniques, and the profound impact mastering public speaking can have on your life.

Whether you're a seasoned speaker looking to refine your skills or a novice facing the fear of your first public address, these insights will equip you with the tools to stand confidently on any stage.

The Psychology of Public Speaking

Understanding the psychology behind public speaking is crucial in mastering this skill. For many, the mere thought of speaking in front of an audience can induce anxiety and fear. This fear often stems from a natural human response to being the center of attention and the perceived risk of negative judgment or failure. However, by understanding and addressing these psychological barriers, we can transform public speaking from a source of dread to an opportunity for empowerment.

The first step is recognizing that anxiety about public speaking is a common experience. It's not a reflection of your abilities or worth, but rather a normal reaction to a high-pressure situation. The key is to shift your mindset from one of apprehension to one of opportunity. Public speaking allows you to share your ideas, influence others, and make a meaningful connection with your audience.

Developing a growth mindset is essential in this journey. Instead of seeing public speaking as a fixed ability that you either have or don't have, view it as a skill that can be developed and refined over time. This perspective encourages a focus on learning and improvement, rather than on the fear of making mistakes.

In the upcoming sections, we'll delve into practical strategies, including the use of positive affirmations, audience analysis, and effective practice techniques, to help you harness the power of psychology to your advantage in public speaking.

Audience Analysis: A Key Life Skill

Understanding your audience is a critical aspect of effective public speaking and an invaluable life skill. Tailoring your message to the interests, needs, and expectations of your audience can significantly enhance the impact of your speech.

Start by researching your audience

What are their demographics? Consider age, gender, cultural background, and professional status. This information can guide your language choice, examples, and overall tone.

What might be their general interests or concerns regarding the topic? Align your content with their interests and address any potential concerns they might have. This alignment shows that you are attuned to their needs and perspectives.

Assess Their Level of Knowledge on the Subject: Understanding the audience's familiarity with your topic is crucial. This helps in pitching your speech at the right level, avoiding overly technical jargon for novices or oversimplifying for experts.

Consider Their Expectations and Objectives : Why is the audience attending your speech? Are they seeking information, motivation, entertainment, or skills? Tailoring your speech to meet their expectations will make it more impactful.

Analyze the Context and Setting: The environment in which you're speaking can influence audience behavior and receptiveness. A formal conference setting might necessitate a different approach compared to a casual workshop.

Understanding the cultural, social, and educational background of your audience can guide you in choosing the right language, examples, and even humor.

Additionally, consider the context of your speech. A business presentation requires a different approach than a community talk or an educational seminar. Be mindful of the setting and purpose of your speech and adapt accordingly.

Audience analysis also involves being attentive and responsive during your speech. Pay attention to the audience's reactions – are they engaged, confused, or indifferent? Use this real-time feedback to adjust your delivery, pace, and even content if necessary. This adaptability not only shows respect for your audience but also strengthens your connection with them, boosting your confidence as a speaker.

The Art of Practice

Practice in public speaking is not just about repetition; it's an art that involves refining your message, delivery, and presence. Effective practice is about creating a connection between you and your content, as well as between you and your audience.

Begin by breaking down your speech into manageable parts. Work on each section individually, focusing on clarity of message, appropriate pacing, and engaging delivery. It's beneficial to practice in varied environments and settings, as this prepares you for the unpredictability of live speaking scenarios.

Use tools such as video recording to review your performance. This can provide insights into your body language, voice modulation, and overall presence. Be your own critic, but also seek feedback from trusted peers or mentors. Constructive criticism is invaluable in refining your skills.

Remember, practice is more than preparing to get it right; it's preparing to not get thrown off when things go wrong. It's about building resilience and adaptability, essential traits for any skilled public speaker. Embrace every opportunity to speak as a chance to practice, learn, and grow.

Managing Nerves: A Crucial Aspect of Personal Development

Feeling nervous before a public speaking engagement is natural, but effectively managing these nerves is key to a confident delivery. Here are strategies to help:

Identify Your Nervous Triggers: Understanding what specifically makes you nervous can help in developing targeted strategies to address these triggers.

Deep Breathing Exercises: Practice deep breathing to calm your mind and reduce physical symptoms of nervousness. Techniques like the 4-7-8 breathing method can be particularly effective.

Visualization Techniques: Visualize yourself delivering a successful speech. This mental rehearsal can boost confidence and reduce anxiety.

Positive Self-Talk: Counter negative thoughts with positive affirmations related to your speaking abilities.

Physical Warm-Up : Light physical exercises or stretching can help release tension and nervous energy.

Practice Regularly : The more you expose yourself to public speaking, the more familiar and less intimidating it becomes.

Accept Nervousness : Recognize that some level of nervousness is normal and can even add a positive energy to your delivery.

By incorporating these techniques into your preparation, you can transform nerves from a hindrance into a tool that enhances your public speaking performance.

The Role of Positive Affirmations in Skill Development

One of the most transformative strategies in mastering public speaking is the use of positive affirmations . These are powerful, concise statements that, when repeated, can reprogram your mind to believe in your capabilities and worth. The principle behind affirmations is rooted in the idea that our thoughts influence our actions. By nurturing a positive mindset, we can significantly enhance our confidence and performance.

Begin by crafting affirmations that resonate with your public speaking goals. Phrases like “I am a confident and persuasive speaker” or “I engage my audience with ease and enthusiasm” are great examples. These affirmations should be stated in the present tense, as if they are already true.

The key to making affirmations work is consistency. Integrate them into your daily routine. Repeat them during your morning ritual, in moments of doubt, or right before a speaking engagement. Over time, these affirmations will shift your internal narrative, changing how you perceive yourself and, consequently, how you perform on stage.

But remember, affirmations are not just magical phrases; they are most effective when paired with action. Use them as a foundation for real practice and skill development. As you reinforce your belief in your abilities, ensure you're also honing the technical aspects of your speech and delivery.

Engaging Your Audience: Beyond Public Speaking

Audience engagement is the cornerstone of memorable public speaking. It transforms a monologue into a dynamic conversation and makes your message resonate more deeply with your listeners.

To effectively engage your audience start by:

Incorporating storytelling into your speeches.

Stories create emotional connections and make complex topics more relatable. Use anecdotes, personal experiences, or relevant case studies to illustrate your points. This not only makes your content more engaging but also more memorable.

Incorporate questions

Pose rhetorical or direct questions to provoke thought and encourage audience participation. This technique keeps your audience mentally active and involved in your presentation.

Incorporate visual aids

Use slides or props, to support your message. These tools should complement, not overpower, your speech. Use them to highlight key points and maintain audience interest.

Remember, engagement is a two-way street. Pay attention to your audience's body language and feedback. Adjust your tone, pace, and content accordingly to maintain a connection with them throughout your speech.

Public speaking is more than a skill—it's an art that encompasses deep personal growth and connection with others. Throughout this article, we've explored a range of strategies to enhance your public speaking confidence, from positive affirmations and audience analysis to the art of practice and engagement techniques. We've also touched on the importance of embracing technology and learning from real-life examples.

Remember, mastering public speaking is a journey. It's about continuous learning, adapting, and evolving. Every opportunity to speak is a chance to refine your skills and grow. Embrace the challenge, celebrate your progress, and know that with each step, you're not just improving your ability to speak in public, but also enriching your personal and professional life.

Public speaking is a powerful life skill, one that opens doors to new opportunities and experiences. By applying the strategies discussed, you'll be well on your way to mastering the stage and speaking with confidence and impact.

About the Author

Innertune offers an app for daily affirmations to empower your life. Change your life and feel empowered with just 5 minutes of listening per day.

Continue to: Coping with Presentation Nerves Top Tips for Effective Presentations

See also: Five Reasons Why Singing Lessons Will Be a Game Changer for Your Public Speaking Efforts How to Improve your Public Speaking Skills 7 Public Speaking Tips For Introverts

• Delivery Techniques →

How to Give a Speech: 10 Tips for Powerful Public Speaking

When we start preparing to give a speech, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. It’s completely normal—most of us feel a combination of excitement and nerves when we’re about to take the stage.

However, with some strategic planning and practical advice, you can make sure your speech is powerful and effective. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to give a speech that will leave your audience engaged and inspired.

We’ll examine 10 tips to help you build a powerful speech, from outlining your points methodically to crafting captivating introductions . Whether you’re a beginner or experienced public speaker, these nuggets of wisdom will help you take your next speech to the next level. Let’s get started!

Quick Review of Key Points

Preparing ahead of time is the key to giving an effective speech. Make sure to structure your speaking points, rehearse your delivery, and be aware of the needs of your audience for maximum impact.

How to Prepare for a Speech

Preparing for a speech is an essential step to public speaking success. It can help to build your confidence, create content that reaches the audience, and reduce performance anxiety.

Although it can be time-consuming in the beginning, preparation will ensure less stress and more comfort during delivery. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for a speech:

Practice : Before delivering a speech, practice it out loud several times. This will allow you to gain experience in speaking without an audience and increase your confidence when you do have one.

Practicing also helps to identify awkward moments in the speech or any difficult phrases which then can be changed or removed altogether. Additionally, it helps you determine where to pause for effect. Research : Depending on the topic of the speech , research should be done beforehand to gather information that is relevant and interesting for the audience. It is important to get acquainted with the language typically used by audiences to ensure a clear understanding of what is being said.

Additionally, relevant statistics and stories concerning the topic are a great way to draw in listeners and make the presentation more engaging .

Know Your Audience : When preparing your speech, be sure to consider who will be listening. For instance, if giving a presentation at work, include industry jargon that members would understand and include relevant topics from publications that might be familiar to the employees.

On the other hand, if consulting business professionals in their field then technical language may be easier for them to comprehend than laypeople or students.

By gathering valuable information about the topic and getting comfortable with a speech’s content and delivery through practice, speakers will gain more assurance during their talk as well as respect from their audience.

Preparing beforehand not only gives insight into how to engage listeners but also encourages more meaningful conversations after the event. Now that we have discussed how to prepare for a speech let us move on to creating an outline which will provide structure during delivery.

Create an Outline

After determining the audience and purpose of your speech, the next step to effective public speaking is to create an outline .

An outline serves as a roadmap to ensure that your speech has a logical flow and contains all important points. It also can help keep you on track during the speech itself, allowing you to stay focused and organized.

When constructing an outline, consider drawing up both a main point and sub-points for each portion of the speech. Both should be relevant to the goal of the presentation and backed up by facts and research.

Brainstorming can help in this process; try grouping your ideas together in clusters to make sure you cover all possible angles.

Furthermore, writing out exact quotations or figures can prove beneficial in forming a cohesive argument. At this stage, it is also wise to decide where transitions, humor, stories, or other engaging techniques will be included.

While there are differing opinions as to whether outlines should be memorized or simply used as a reference while speaking, many agree that they should serve their purpose – not only articulate the main thoughts of the speech but also assist the speaker with maintaining focus and preventing distractions.

The debate between those who advocate for memorization versus casual consulting touches upon issues such as rehearsal time, risk of errors in delivery, ease of practice versus actual performance and more.

Each side has valid arguments that should be weighed prior to deciding what type of approach best suits your needs.

Having a firmly constructed outline acts as a valuable tool when it comes time to deliver a powerful public speech. By actively utilizing this tactic, speakers may not only enhance their clarity and coherence, but also add structure and vibrance to their presentations.

Now that we have explored what goes into crafting an effective outline, let’s dive deeper into how we can best collect resources and research our topics for maximum impact.

Collect Sources and Research

Collecting sources and research is a crucial step for any public speaking engagement. It ensures that you have the necessary information to make strong points and back up your statements.

Before writing your speech, take time to research your topic to gain familiarity with different perspectives, facts, and counterpoints. This will help you to craft an argument that can stand up to scrutiny while also adding a breadth of knowledge to your speech.

Interviews can be a powerful source of evidence and anecdotes, so try to include one or two relevant interviews in your research process. Relying solely on secondary sources such as books and articles can lead to a narrow scope of understanding.

Interviews provide an opportunity to hear directly from an expert and create an interesting dynamic in your speech by adding personal experiences as well as commentary from a professional.

In research it is important to stay objective. Gather a variety of perspectives and be open-minded about their merits. Don’t forget to consider both sides of the argument when researching for your speech.

Doing this allows you to understand the opposing perspective and enables you to anticipate potential counter arguments from your audience.

By acknowledging them beforehand, you may increase the persuasive power of your speech by showing confidence in the points you make.

Once you have collected all sources, review them carefully and separate the most pertinent information from the less useful material.

Synthesising this information into concise yet impactful points is a critical part in delivering powerful talks without overloading your audience with too much data or going off track during your speech delivery.

Organizing Your Speech

Before you start putting your words together, it’s important to consider how the different parts of a speech fit together. By taking the time to organize the ideas in your speech , you’ll be able to deliver a presentation that is well-constructed and easy to understand.

One way to help with organizing your speech is to write an outline . An outline is like a map or plan that will provide you with a framework for each section of your speech.

Start by writing out your main points and then include additional details underneath each one. This will help keep your speech focused and provide direction for where you are going next.

Another approach for organizing your speech is known as the “inverted pyramid” method. This structure starts with your conclusion at the beginning of the speech, and then works backward by providing more explanation and detail as it moves toward the introduction.

This method can be helpful when speaking about topics that are unfamiliar to the audience since it doesn’t require them to wait until near the end of the presentation to learn what you’ve been talking about.

No matter which organization approach you choose, make sure to practice it before giving your speech so that you are comfortable with its flow. Lastly, remember that it’s ok to adjust things while you speak if they don’t seem or feel quite right.

Now let’s take a look at how we can use these organizing techniques to actually put our speeches together – starting with structuring our speech.

Structure Your Speech

Creating a strong structure for your speech will ensure that the audience stays engaged and understands your main points. As you are developing an outline, map out how you want to begin and end your speech.

Break up the information into smaller sections with either verbal or visual cues so that your audience can clearly see how you are transitioning between topics . Consider adding humor judiciously throughout your presentation as this could help engage the audience and lighten any tension.

The length of your presentation is also important. You will want to make sure that you include all of the necessary information without going over time.

Oftentimes less is more; if you can say it in five minutes why use ten? Make sure that you practice timed rehearsals so that you can gauge how long you’re actually speaking.

In contrast, avoid trying to pack too much content into one presentation as this could overwhelm both you and the audience. If needed, offer supplemental reading materials for those who may be interested in delving further into the subject matter.

Paragraphs can also be helpful when organizing large amounts of content within the body of your presentation. Utilizing paragraph breaks gives your audience a break and helps to highlight key ideas or summaries before moving onto a new topic area.

Finally, it is crucial to remember what your desired outcome is from the presentation; plan accordingly by ensuring that the beginning, middle, and end serve their respective purposes and adhere to that goal.

With careful deliberations, structuring a successful presentation can be achieved with relative ease.

Having established a solid structure for your speech, it’s important to focus on another key element: rehearsal. The next section will discuss the benefits of practicing before delivering a powerful public speaking performance.

Rehearse Your Speech

Rehearsing is integral to giving a successful speech. When you rehearse your presentation, you give your mind an opportunity to become familiar with the notes and concepts that you are presenting. It also increases your confidence and reduces anxiety or self-doubt.

In fact, studies have found that those who rehearsed their presentation had higher scores in public speaking performance and language proficiency evaluations.

When it comes to how much rehearsal is enough, opinions are divided. Some people believe that over-rehearsing can lead to a more robotic speech with less natural emotion and connection with the audience .

On the other hand, others argue that no matter how well-versed someone is on the topic, additional rehearsal time improves both the delivery of the speech and memorization of key points and facts.

Ultimately, it’s important to practice until you personally find the most comfortable level for yourself, as this will ultimately result in a more engaging delivery.

Finally, if at all possible, try to practice in front of a friend or colleague for honest feedback on any elements that need improvement before the big day. Rehearsal dedication may be tedious, but it results in big rewards on stage–enabling you to deliver your content with clarity, confidence, and poise.

With thoughtful preparation complete, it’s now time to step into the spotlight and give your speech!

Giving Your Speech

The key to success when giving a speech is to be well prepared and confident. Every individual’s preparation process will vary, but the basics should stay the same.

Start by studying your content, understanding the material and being able to repeat it in your own words. Clarify any potentially difficult points. Create visual aids like PowerPoint slides or handouts that supplement the key ideas in your speech.

Practice your public speaking skills with informal conversations with friends and family or rehearse it alone in front of a mirror. Use visualization; imagine yourself confidently delivering your speech. Consider addressing a practice audience if possible to become more accustomed to a live size group.

On the day of the event, arrive early and plan for any potential obstacles: What if my computer doesn’t work? What if I forget something? Allow sufficient time for setup and check-in.

When you are ready to give your speech, take some deep breaths, focus on the positives, and distract yourself from any anxious thoughts with positive affirmations. Remember you have prepared diligently for this moment, you are well prepared and you will succeed!

Start strong by engaging the audience immediately with an attention grabbing opening statement. Speak clearly and make sure that everyone can hear and understand your message.

Slow down and emphasize points as needed throughout your presentation. Be aware of pace, volume, and tone of voice: too fast/monotone can confuse/bore listeners while pauses add a dramatic effect that keeps their interest piqued.

Ultimately, giving a successful speech will depend on knowing your material well enough to speak confidently in front of your audience without hesitation or missteps.

When you do make a mistake (and they happen!) don’t panic – know that mistakes are inevitable but don’t be discouraged; get back on track as soon as possible and continue at the same energy level you had before the mistake occurred.

Having successfully given your speech, take a moment to reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon for next time before transitioning into the next step: mastering delivery.

Master Your Delivery

Mastering your delivery is the key to an effective speech. Without purposeful body language and careful emphasis on certain words , your speech may lack wow-factor and prevent listeners from tuning in. Following these simple tips can help you get started with delivering an engaging and memorable speech:

The most important part of delivery is practice. Rehearse and perfect your speech ahead of time – this allows for more natural flow and confidence during your presentation. It also helps to create pauses between sentences for clarity, emphasize key points, and not be too casual or stiff.

Practicing inflections and varying tones adds interest to your speech by keeping listeners’ attention.

Additionally, it’s important to project your voic e so everyone in the room can hear you; make sure you’re speaking loud enough but don’t feel pressure to shout or yell at any point unless that’s part of the atmosphere of the event.

It’s also crucial to maintain good posture while speaking – stand tall with both feet on the ground, keep your back straight, hold yourself up without gesturing too much or leaning against a podium if applicable.

To further engage listeners, use purposeful hand gestures as they help emphasize certain points and add visual interest – however, avoid overusing them as it can hinders communication.

Make meaningful eye contact with audience members throughout the presentation – otherwise you might come across as unenthusiastic or bored with what you’re saying which deters attention away from the content itself.

By mastering your delivery, you can boost the impact of your presentation considerably – providing a memorable experience for your audience that stands out from others’. As such, it’s worth investing time into practicing ahead of time until delivery feels comfortable and second nature.

Having said this, making use of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can greatly improve the impact of a speech once delivery has been mastered – let’s look into that next.

Use Visual Aids

Using visual aids can help presenters express concepts more clearly and engage the audience.

Visuals are particularly useful when conveying complex information, such as data, trends, or statistics — they impart meaning at a glance. But some public speakers may wonder if visual aids can be distracting or unnecessary.

Even though visuals can attract attention away from a presenter’s verbal delivery, carefully designed visuals can actually support the speech and help provide clarity. If done well, visuals are effective for capturing an audience’s interest and helping them to better understand the content being presented.

For example, a graph or chart should relate to the points made in the speech and should be discussed in more detail during its appearance onscreen. The presentation can also include larger images that effectively reinforce the ideas conveyed in the speech.

Videos and sound clips are other powerful forms of multimedia that could be employed to make the speech more meaningful.

To ensure that visuals enhance the message of the presentation, key factors to consider include relevancy to topic, good graphic design or aesthetics, accurate size to prevent distortion or blurriness, and seamless integration into the keynote slides or printed handouts .

In this way, visuals offer an opportunity for presenters to demonstrate their creativity and keep their audiences interested in what is being said. Thus, used wisely and aptly, visuals can add tremendous value to speeches by presenting arguments more efficiently and driving home important points. Now let’s explore effective techniques for speech giving that will allow you to craft and deliver your speeches with confidence.

Effective Techniques for Speech Giving

There are a number of effective techniques for giving a speech that will help you deliver it with confidence and poise.

First, practice your delivery in advance. You should practice both in front of a mirror or recording device to check for any distracting habits such as talking too quickly or mispronouncing words.

Second, use simple, clear language and short, concise sentences. Avoid overly technical terms and jargon that may leave your audience confused.

Third, work to establish a connection with your audience by using appropriate facial expressions and hand gestures while speaking.

Fourth, utilize effective persuasive techniques such as presenting evidence, strong arguments supported by facts, personal anecdotes and vivid metaphors.

Finally, articulate an organized structure for your speech. Your speech should have an introduction, body and conclusion to clearly communicate the main point and provide the audience with the necessary context to understand it better.

While these techniques may sound intimidating at first, they can be learned over time with practice and will make all the difference in how successful your speech delivery is received by your audience.

To build on these skills further , the next section will provide tips on how to build confidence when giving a speech.

Building Confidence

Building confidence is key when giving a powerful speech, as it will enable you to deliver the speech in a more poised and credible manner.

To create this confidence , start by understanding that any hesitation or butterflies prior to your speech are completely normal and should not be feared. Instead, view them as natural states of anticipation for something exciting, knowing that you are about to give an amazing speech.

Next, understanding who your audience is and tailoring your speech to meet their expectations will help build your confidence.

Familiarizing yourself with their interests and knowledge on the subject matter ahead of time can equip you with the understanding needed to respond appropriately if questions arise or objections surface during the speech.

Further, practice is key when building confidence for a public speaking engagement . Rehearsing with friends or colleagues before hand will give you an opportunity to learn where problem areas are within the content of your speech, as well as help solidify your delivery by becoming more comfortable with each step.

Checking sound levels in the room you’re presenting in coupled with learning where exits/emergency locations are located within that space can also help alleviate stress levels and boost self-assurance while delivering the speech.

Finally, wearing comfortable clothing and dressing professionally adds an extra layer of confidence when speaking in public.

If possible, bring an additional outfit on hand during the presentation in case of spills or accidents that would require a quick change between sections of the talk. Having this back-up plan in place can aid in keeping peace of mind at ease throughout the speech.

In conclusion, building confidence prior to a public speaking event can mean the difference between a good and great delivery of your message.

By taking into account each of these tips you can ensure that this part of your preparation runs smoothly and sets you up for success when delivering powerful speeches.

With a well-crafted note card of talking points and strong sense of self-assurance, it’s time to start speaking with passion!

Speaking with Passion

As a public speaker, your audience expects you to engage not only with your words but also with your emotions. To share the most impactful message, it is important to speak passionately about your subject.

Doing so will make your speech more memorable and thereby more effective in convincing your audience of its legitimacy.

The power of speaking authentically with emotion lies in its relatability and connection. Showing feelings allows people to connect with you as a person rather than just a speaker. It opens the door to understanding through empathy and active listening .

Examples might include adding personal stories , telling jokes, or displaying your feelings openly during the delivery of your message.

However, not all topics lend themselves easily to expressing emotion. If the subject matter is overly complex or technical there may be less opportunity for emotional expression—but this doesn’t mean those conversations can’t incorporate emotion.

Even if faced with a difficult situation such as death or financial turmoil, emotions can still be conveyed in a respectful way that keeps audiences engaged.

Remember that how much emotion you show depends on the type of audience you’re sharing it with—using sensitivity when delivering passionate speeches helps avoid awkwardness or embarrassment for any attendees who may find opinionated language uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Striking the right balance between being straightforward and showing compassion takes practice, so take the time to develop a style that works best for you and improves upon each performance.

Finally, incorporating passion into a speech gives it life and makes it relatable and engaging—which are essential elements to speaking effectively.

Having passion means giving ourselves permission to take ownership over our stories, making them deeply personal in order to reach our goals and touch people’s hearts in meaningful ways. With that said, let’s move on to discussing how we should tackle dealing with challenges while giving a speech.

Dealing with Challenges

The process of delivering a speech can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. Difficulties can arise during the process that may threaten to derail your success. To ensure you are adequately prepared for these possible pitfalls it is important to consider strategies for proactively mitigating the risk of encountering these challenges. 1. Public Speaking Anxiety: Many people experience some form of anxiety when asked to speak in public. There are a number of techniques available to combat this fear and increase confidence, such as deep breathing exercises, mental rehearsal, positive self-talk and visualization of success.

Learning about the audience, creating an engaging presentation and using props or visual aids can also help reduce anxiety levels and create a better overall experience for both the speaker and the audience. 2. Unfamiliar Topics or Audiences: When presenting on unfamiliar topics or to an unknown audience it can be difficult to prepare effectively.

In this situation it is important to conduct research on the topic and familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience so that the content is tailored accordingly. It is also helpful to use humor or stories related to the topic in order to engage your audience and make them more receptive to your message. 3. Lack of Support: If you lack support from family, friends, colleagues or mentors, it can be difficult to push through difficult conversations or speeches without any additional motivation.

To overcome this challenge, seek out peer mentorship opportunities or find compatible online communities where people discuss similar topics or objectives. Here you can share ideas, provide feedback and learn from others who have experienced similar issues. 4. Time Constraints: One of the biggest challenges when giving a speech is managing your time effectively in order to deliver an effective message without going over allotted timeslots and boring your audience .

To successfully address this challenge try setting manageable goals for each section of your speech and practice regularly. Replicating real-time conditions as closely as possible will help you stay within time constraints when delivering your speech on the day itself. In conclusion, there are many potential challenges you may face when giving a speech or taking part in a public speaking event – but with proper preparation and practice they are easily managed if approached correctly.

With knowledge of techniques for dealing with such scenarios comes increased confidence when stepping up to the podium – further improving your chances of delivering an effective speech that resonates with your audience members.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

How should i end my speech to leave a lasting impression.

The best way to end your speech is by reinforcing your main point and summarizing the key takeaways. You should also encourage the audience to take action, whether it be to sign up for a newsletter, make a donation, or visit your website for more information. This final call to action will not only leave a lasting impression on the audience but will also help you achieve any goals you might have had when making your speech in the first place.

What techniques can I use to keep my audience engaged during my speech?

One of the best techniques for keeping an audience engaged during a speech is to keep it interactive . Ask questions throughout the presentation, as well as allowing for audience input and discussion. This can help to keep people’s attention and create a more engaging experience.

Another great tip is to use humor. Even if you don’t consider yourself a natural comedian, sprinkling in a few jokes here and there can break up the monotony of long speeches and keep people interested. Humor can also help to make points stick in people’s minds, making them easier to remember.

Finally, try to be enthusiastic about the content of your speech. If you show too much indifference or lethargic behavior, it will discourage your audience from paying attention and taking your message seriously.

Instead, be passionate about what you are saying so that the energy of your words carries into the room and engages your audience with excitement.

How can I use storytelling to make my speech more interesting?

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to make any speech more interesting. Telling stories in your speech will help engage the audience and make your message stick. Here are some tips for using storytelling in your speech:

1. Choose stories that are relevant to your message and audience. Think about stories that will best illustrate the point you are trying to convey, or evoke emotions in your listeners. 2. Use vivid descriptions and visuals when telling your story. Be sure to include details such as setting, character descriptions, dialogue and plot points. This will help to bring the story to life for your audience. 3. Make sure the story you are telling has a strong conclusion or moral at the end. This will help add emphasis to your message and make it memorable. 4. Practice telling stories out loud before delivering a speech with them. Rehearsing will help you deliver your story more effectively and with more confidence in front of an audience. By using these tips, storytelling can be an effective tool to make any speech more interesting, engaging, and persuasive!

How can I prepare for my speech effectively?

Preparing for a speech effectively is essential to delivering an impactful and memorable presentation. Here are some tips: 1. Have a clear goal in mind. Before starting to prepare, ask yourself what the purpose of giving the speech is: what message do you want to convey? Defining this will help to structure your content and focus your research. 2. Research thoroughly. Make sure you understand the subject matter well, so that your delivery sounds confident and inspiring. Using facts and data will strengthen your arguments and make your talk more convincing. 3. Outline your speech. Make a rough outline of how you want it to go – from beginning to end – well in advance of the actual presentation. This will give you a strong foundation upon which you can craft an engaging talk with an effective narrative arc that keeps audiences interested and engaged. 4. Practice regularly. Rehearsing your speech out loud several times is key to ensuring that you know it well enough to feel comfortable when delivering it live in front of an audience.

5. Time yourself. Record how long it takes for you to go through your entire speech, so that you can adjust the length as needed before delivering it live – remember that most speeches should last no more than 10-15 minutes. 6. Identify potential questions from the audience and prepare answers before hand. Knowing ahead of time what kind of questions people may ask can help reduce the anxiety of not knowing what comes next, enabling you to stay confident when speaking in public. 7. Work on building up confidence levels before delivering a speech. Visualize yourself succeeding in delivering a great presentation; practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or positive self-talk; or use props during practice sessions such as water bottles or stress balls if needed to remain calm during the real thing!

What strategies can I use to reduce my anxiety when giving a speech?

1. Plan Ahead: Create an outline of your speech beforehand and practice it multiple times to become familiar with the content. Doing a trial run with the audience can also help you get used to speaking in front of people.

2. Visualize Success: Positive visualization is a great way to reduce anxiety before giving a speech. Imagine yourself confidently delivering the speech while feeling relaxed and composed.

3. Get Organized: Make sure you have all the materials necessary for your presentation, including notes, slides, etc., to reduce any additional stress that may come from not having what you need when you speak.

4. Take Deep Breaths: Before and during the speech, take a few deep breaths as this will help calm nerves and make sure your breathing is regulated throughout the duration of your presentation.

5. Speak Slowly: It is common to feel anxious while giving a speech and try to rush through it too quickly. Speaking slowly helps maintain composure while delivering your message effectively and clearly.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body: Your posture, stance, movements , facial expressions can all influence how confident you appear to your audience and how nervous you may be feeling inside. Check in with yourself frequently throughout the presentation and correct any tense body language or physical actions if needed.

7. Focus on the Audience: If you notice that your anxiety levels are growing as you present, shift your focus onto the audience instead of yourself as this will help refocus your attention away from negative thoughts that may arise from fear or insecurity.

8. Make Eye Contact: Establishing eye contact with your audience is a key confidence-builder for public speakers—it shows that you’re strong, engaged with them, and receptive to feedback or questions they might have regarding your speech topic .

9. Practice Positive Affirmations: Positive thoughts will boost your self-confidence as well as your mood which can help increase performance quality significantly during speeches or presentations in general—so don’t forget to tell yourself “you can do it!” several times throughout the day leading up to the event!

10. Seek Support of Friends & Family: Many experienced public speakers suggest seeking support of close friends & family members prior and during their speeches—not only does it allow helpful critique regarding content but it also creates a more comfortable atmosphere while speaking which can reduce pre-speech jitters drastically.

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Be Confident During a Presentation

Last Updated: April 13, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Gale McCreary . Gale McCreary is the Founder and Chief Coordinator of SpeechStory, a nonprofit organization focused on improving communication skills in youth. She was previously a Silicon Valley CEO and President of a Toastmasters International chapter. She has been recognized as Santa Barbara Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year and received Congressional recognition for providing a Family-Friendly work environment. She has a BS in Biology from Stanford University. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 87% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 85,017 times.

Giving a presentation and speaking in front of a room full of peers can be a stressful experience, but there are ways to project confidence and authority even when you are nervous. It is normal to get tense before a presentation, but you do not want to project that tension to your audience. If you use confident, secure body language, project your voice, and prepare for your presentation in advance, you will feel like a confident, expert speaker.

Using Confident Body Language

• Good posture conveys to the audience that you are confident, credible, and sure of your subject. Speaking with proper posture also allows you to project your voice, making your speech clear and assertive. [2] X Research source

• Don’t stand too close to the audience, and don’t move beyond the first row of seats.
• As you move toward the audience, think about staying there for a period of 30 seconds. When you step in another direction, spend about another 30 seconds there. [5] X Research source Think about trying to reach everyone in your audience, and try to make eye contact with several audience members as you move from section to section.

• Don’t cross your arms during a presentation. While this may be a comfortable position, you may be projecting negative cues to your audience. This closed-off position may make you seem inexperienced, uninterested, or nervous.

• While giving a presentation, maintain eye contact with an individual for periods of 3 to 5 seconds. [9] X Research source Eye contact will demonstrate that you are trustworthy and passionate about the topic, and it will help keep your audience’s attention. [10] X Research source

Speaking with Confidence

• Lie down on your back, and keep your abdominals and stomach relaxed. Keep one hand on your abdomen, and think about moving it up and down as you breathe in and out.
• Find out in advance if you will be using a microphone for your presentation. This can help you plan ahead and adjust the volume of your voice accordingly.

• Try to incorporate these variations in speech while giving your presentation, and pretend as though you are having a conversation with a friend or a colleague.
• Practice these variations by reading a poem, a play, or another piece of literature aloud. [11] X Research source

• Stretch out your vowels to slow your speech. Pretend that the vowels are italicized and focus on speaking each one clearly. Practice this technique to ensure that it sounds natural.
• Break your presentation up into sections. Plan to pause for a moment or two when you reach the end of each section. Allow for one second to pause before moving on to the next point. [13] X Research source

Practicing Your Presentation

How Should You End a Presentation?

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-posture.htm
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247737
• ↑ https://blog.ted.com/a-ted-speaker-coach-shares-11-tips-for-right-before-you-go-on-stage/
• ↑ https://www.presentationprep.com/body-language-body/
• ↑ https://sixminutes.dlugan.com/connect-with-your-audience-move-closer/
• ↑ https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/famelab-whats-science-behind-smile
• ↑ https://liveboldandbloom.com/10/self-confidence/body-language-tips
• ↑ https://www.inc.com/sims-wyeth/10-reasons-why-eye-contact-can-change-peoples-perception-of-you.html
• ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324809804578511290822228174
• ↑ https://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14466/1/How-to-Look-Approachable.html
• ↑ https://www.presentationprep.com/body-language-voice/
• ↑ https://ethos3.com/how-to-slow-down-nervous-speedy-speech/
• ↑ https://sixminutes.dlugan.com/vocal-variety-speech-breathing/

About this article

Reader Success Stories

Jan 2, 2018

Did this article help you?

Valentina Opra

Sep 17, 2019

Chantal Nsengiyumva

Oct 13, 2020

Asiphe Vuzane

Mar 2, 2017

Aug 11, 2017

• About wikiHow
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Communication Skills
• Speaking Skills

How to Speak Well and Confidently

Last Updated: February 19, 2023 Approved

Building Confidence

Speaking eloquently, maintaining presence.

This article was co-authored by Amy Chapman, MA . Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 32 testimonials and 95% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,005,028 times.

Good communication is the key to success, whether you're speaking in front of a large audience or trying to get a point across to a new friend. If you want to know how to speak well and confidently, you've got to believe in yourself, speak slowly and carefully, and have strong convictions about what you're saying. If you want to know how to sound intelligent and thoughtful when you speak, then see Step 1 to get started.

Tip: It's all in how you say it. If you start a sentence by saying, "I think that…" Or, "But maybe…" then nothing you say afterwards will sound as forceful as it would have if you just made the statement.

• Look people in the eyes when you talk to them - you can look away for a moment or two to get your footing, but in general, stay focused on the eyes of the people you're talking to.
• If you see someone looking confused or concerned when you're speaking, you may even think about whether or not you're being clear enough. However, you shouldn't let one confused person get you off track.
• If you're talking to a larger group where it's difficult to really make eye contact, focus on looking at just a few people in the audience.

• Plan appropriately.
• Engage with your audience.
• Pay attention to body language.
• Think and speak positively.
• Cope with your nerves. [3] X Research source
• Watch recordings of your speeches. This will help you to improve each time.

• If you really want to know the room, you can also show up on a day before your actual speaking engagement to get a sense of what it's like.

• This way, when it's time for your big moment, remember what you visualized -- how can you get there?

• One of the reasons people get nervous when speaking is because they don't like the unknown; that's why you have to gather as much information as possible.

• Have great posture
• Avoid slouching
• Don't fidget with your hands
• Avoid pacing around too much
• Look ahead of you instead of down at the floor
• Keep your face and body relaxed

• If you will leave some time for questions after your speech, you can practice giving it to a friend in advance; have the friend ask some tough questions to help yourself prepare for what may come.

• If you can't think of anything you'd want to praise yourself for, then you'll need to work on boosting your confidence. Build your self-esteem by focusing on something you're good at, addressing your flaws, and spending time with the people who really care about you and make you feel good about yourself.

• If you speak in a low voice, not only will others not be able to hear what you say, but you will also portray a submissive demeanor, which suggests the opposite of a confident one.
• On the other hand, you don't want to speak so loudly that you're talking over people just to be heard. Your words alone should get people's attention.

• This doesn't mean that you have to throw fifty $100 words into your speeches or everyday conversations every time. Just a few key "fancy" words can make you sound more intelligent, but not like you're trying too hard.
• Keep a vocabulary journal. Write down all of the new words you've encountered while reading and define them.

• Of course, if you're just speaking with friends, then slang is fine, but if you're addressing a more mature audience and want to speak well, then you should avoid it.

• If you use verbal pauses (such as "um" or "uh") while you speak, don't be too worried about it. It's just a natural way of getting our minds into gear and even President Obama uses them quite frequently. If you think you use them too much, you can try to tone it down, but don't think that you have to avoid them completely.

• If you're giving a speech, then write it down and say it aloud. Reading your own words can help you see where you're being repetitive, and which things you'd like to cut.

• Think about writing an essay. You have to repeat your main points at the end of every paragraph and in your conclusion, don't you? Well, speaking is not so different.

• Tell a story or two. If you're giving a speech, a story at the beginning or the end can help introduce your points in a more human way.

• You can also develop a routine for talking to friends. Find something that calms you down when you're nervous about speaking, whether it's grabbing a Koosh ball in your coat pocket or smiling a bit more.

Community Q&A

• Pauses may seem as though you are forgetful or you don't know what to say while you are speaking, but in reality, they can be used to grab the audience's attention. If people are losing interest in your speech, or you need to emphasize something, just take a pause! Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 0
• It's important to dress appropriately. Always wear clothes that suit your figure. Don't be afraid to dress it up a little too. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 1
• Practice really does make perfect. If you're giving a speech, then rehearsing it in advance will help you sound clear and confident on the big day. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 4

• Remember that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Don't portray an exaggerated amount of confidence, or you will come off as arrogant and overconfident. There's nothing worse than coming across as believing that your ideas are better than the ideas of everyone else. Thanks Helpful 13 Not Helpful 0
• In addition to speaking your own ideas, do not forget to listen to the ideas of others too! Otherwise, others may find you to be self-centered, and you will lose the benefit of their valuable opinions. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://mannerofspeaking.org/2012/03/15/speak-with-conviction/
• ↑ https://socialself.com/blog/confident-eye-contact/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adaptation/201811/conquer-your-fear-public-speaking-these-5-tips-0
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201901/positive-affirmations-11-keys-affirmations-work
• ↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/volume-public-speaker/
• ↑ Amy Chapman, MA. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
• ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/confident-public-speaking_n_4058830
• ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/9-techniques-to-delivering-a-speech-with-confidence-2011-3

About This Article

If you want to learn how to speak well and confidently, follow these 6 steps: Step 1: Write concise notes outlining your speech. Don’t try to write out your entire talk – just make notes that cover your most important points. Bring your notes with you on the day of your presentation for reference. Step 2: Practice your speech frequently. You’ll feel more confident if you know what you’re going to say, and how you will say it. It’s a good idea to practice in front of a mirror to work on making eye contact and using gestures effectively. If you are able, present your talk to a small group of family or friends, and ask for their feedback. Step 3: Before giving your talk, take a few moments to calm and center yourself with relaxation techniques. Try breathing deeply, inhaling with your nose until your lungs are full, and exhaling through your mouth. Another effective technique is visualization: Imagine yourself delivering a great speech, and the audience’s applause when you are done. Step 4: Make sure your audience can hear and understand you by speaking loudly and slowly enough so that they can easily follow what you are saying. Slow down, enunciate clearly, and pause from time to time to allow your audience to process what they have heard. A steady, deliberate pace will make you seem more authoritative, and your speech more effective. Step 5: Make eye contact with your audience from time to time throughout your speech. Pick out a few supportive people in the room, and move your gaze between them. You can imagine you’re giving the speech just to them if the audience seems intimidating. Step 6: Conclude your speech with a concise statement of the main theme of the talk, and thank the audience for listening. Enjoy the applause – you’ve earned it! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Eren Korkmaz

Sep 16, 2017

Did this article help you?

Joan Walmsley

Sep 19, 2021

Angie Malcolm

May 5, 2016

Sankalp Dua

Apr 9, 2016

Sep 12, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

16 Public Speaking Tips for Students

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Aron Janssen, MD is board certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry and is the vice chair of child and adolescent psychiatry Northwestern University.

Public speaking tips for students aim to reduce anxiety that can interfere with giving presentations or speeches in class. These tips can also be helpful for those with social anxiety disorder (SAD)   who have difficulty speaking in front of a group or telling a story among friends.

Public Speaking Tips

If you have SAD and need to give a speech  in elementary school, high school, college, or university, it helps to be as prepared as possible . Beyond preparation, however, there are strategies that you can use to reduce anxiety and fight the urge to stay home with a fake illness.

Even great speakers practice their speeches beforehand. Practice out loud with a recording device or video camera and then watch yourself to see how you can improve. If you are feeling brave, practice in front of a friend or family member and ask for feedback.

• Talk about what you know : If possible, choose a topic for your speech or presentation that you know a lot about and love. Your passion for the topic will be felt by the audience, and you will feel less anxious knowing that you have a lot of experience to draw from when other students ask you questions.
• Concentrate on your message : When you focus on the task at hand, anxiety is less likely to get out of control. Concentrate on the main message of your speech or presentation and make it your goal to deliver that message to the other students in your class.
• Grab the audience's attention : Most of your fellow classmates will pay attention for at least the first 20 seconds; grab their attention during those early moments. Start with an interesting fact or a story that relates to your topic.
• Have one main message : Focus on one central theme and your classmates will learn more. Tie different parts of your talk to the main theme to support your overall message. Trying to cover too much ground can leave other students feeling overwhelmed.

Tell Stories

Stories catch the attention of other students and deliver a message in a more meaningful way than facts and figures. Whenever possible, use a story to illustrate a point in your talk.

Being prepared to speak in public can also be important if you have social anxiety disorder. Feeling confident and prepared to give your speech may help lessen your feelings of anxiety. Some of the things that you can do to prepare include:

• Visit the room : If you have access to the classroom where you will be speaking outside of class hours, take the time to visit in advance and get used to standing at the front of the room. Make arrangements for any audio-visual equipment and practice standing in the exact spot where you will deliver your speech.
• Rack up experience : Volunteer to speak in front of your class as often as possible. Be the first one to raise your hand when a question is asked. Your confidence will grow with every public speaking experience.
• Observe other speakers : Take the time to watch other speakers who are good at what they do. Practice imitating their style and confidence.
• Organize your talk : Every speech should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Structure your talk so that the other students know what to expect.

Manage Your Anxiety

Taking steps to deal with your feelings of anxiety can also make public speaking easier. Some of the things that you can do:

• Tell someone about your anxiety : If you are speaking in front of a high school or college class, meet with your teacher or professor and describe your public speaking fears . If you're in elementary or high school, share your fears with your parents, a teacher, or a guidance counselor. Sometimes sharing how you feel can make it easier to overcome stage fright.
• Visualize confidence : Visualize yourself confidently delivering your speech. Imagine feeling free of anxiety and engaging the students in your class. Although this may seem like a stretch for you now, visualization is a powerful tool for changing the way that you feel. Elite athletes use this strategy to improve performance in competitions.
• Find a friendly face : If you are feeling anxious, find one of your friends in class (or someone who seems friendly) and imagine that you are speaking only to that person.

Press Play for Advice on Finding Courage

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares a strategy to help you find courage when you need it the most.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Maintain Perspective

Remember that other students are on your side. Think about a time when you have been an audience member and the student delivering the speech or presentation was noticeably nervous. Did you think less of that student? More likely, you felt sympathetic and wanted to make that person more comfortable by smiling or nodding.

Remember—other students generally want you to succeed and feel comfortable. If for some reason the audience is not on your side or you experience bullying or social exclusion, be sure to discuss this with a parent, teacher, or guidance counselor.

Be Confident

Sometimes just knowing what makes a good speech can help you feel more confident. Focus on some of the following elements and practice them before you have to speak in public.

• Develop your own style : In addition to imitating good speakers, work on developing your own personal style as a public speaker. Integrate your own personality into your speaking style and you will feel more comfortable in front of the class. Telling personal stories that tie into your theme are a great way to let other students get to know you better.
• Avoid filler words : Words such as "basically", "well", and "um" don't add anything to your speech. Practice being silent when you feel the urge to use one of these words.
• Vary your tone, volume, and speed : Interesting speakers vary the pitch (high versus low), volume (loud versus soft), and speed (fast versus slow) of their words. Doing so keeps your classmates interested and engaged in what you say.
• Make the audience laugh : Laughter is a great way to relax both you and the other students in your class, and telling jokes can be a great icebreaker at the beginning of a speech. Practice the timing and delivery of your jokes beforehand and ask a friend for feedback. Be sure that they are appropriate for your class before you begin.
• Smile : If all else fails, smile. Your fellow classmates will perceive you like a warm speaker and be more receptive to what you have to say.

Don't Apologize

If you make a mistake, don't offer apologies. Chances are that your classmates didn't notice anyway. Unless you need to correct a fact or figure, there is no point dwelling on errors that probably only you noticed.

If you make a mistake because your hands or shaking, or something similar, try to make light of the situation by saying something like, "I wasn't this nervous when I woke up this morning!" This can help to break the tension of the moment.

A Word From Verywell

It's natural to feel frightened the first time you have to speak in front of your class. However, if you fear continues, interferes with your daily life and keeps you awake at night, it may be helpful to see someone about your anxiety.

Try talking to a parent, teacher, or counselor about how you have been feeling. If that doesn't get you anywhere, ask to make an appointment with your doctor. Severe public speaking anxiety is a true disorder that can improve with treatment .

Spence SH, Rapee RM. The etiology of social anxiety disorder: An evidence-based model . Behav Res Ther. 2016;86:50-67. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.06.007

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Amrabat: I’ll always give my best

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Present to an Audience That Knows More Than You

• Deborah Grayson Riegel

Lean into being a facilitator — not an expert.

What happens when you have to give a presentation to an audience that might have some professionals who have more expertise on the topic than you do? While it can be intimidating, it can also be an opportunity to leverage their deep and diverse expertise in service of the group’s learning. And it’s an opportunity to exercise some intellectual humility, which includes having respect for other viewpoints, not being intellectually overconfident, separating your ego from your intellect, and being willing to revise your own viewpoint — especially in the face of new information. This article offers several tips for how you might approach a roomful of experts, including how to invite them into the discussion without allowing them to completely take over, as well as how to pivot on the proposed topic when necessary.

I was five years into my executive coaching practice when I was invited to lead a workshop on “Coaching Skills for Human Resource Leaders” at a global conference. As the room filled up with participants, I identified a few colleagues who had already been coaching professionally for more than a decade. I felt self-doubt start to kick in: Why were they even here? What did they come to learn? Why do they want to hear from me?

• Deborah Grayson Riegel is a professional speaker and facilitator, as well as a communication and presentation skills coach. She teaches leadership communication at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and has taught for Wharton Business School, Columbia Business School’s Women in Leadership Program, and Peking University’s International MBA Program. She is the author of Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life and the best-selling Go To Help: 31 Strategies to Offer, Ask for, and Accept Help .

Partner Center

Jerrod Carmichael’s riveting defense of ‘therapy comedy’

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone still working through what they think (or are supposed to think) about an unorthodox new reality show.

As editor Matt Brennan writes in this week’s Catch Up, “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” contains fewer revelations about the “Rothaniel” comedian than about his creative process — and if you watch it for the former you’re bound to be disappointed.

Also in Screen Gab no. 132, Marcus Scribner joins us to say goodbye to Andre Johnson Jr. as his 10 years on “black-ish” and “grown-ish” come to a close, plus streaming recommendations for your weekend.

You are reading Screen Gab newsletter

Sign up to get recommendations for the TV shows and streaming movies you can’t miss, plus exclusive interviews with the talent behind your favorite titles, in your inbox every Friday

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Must-read stories you might have missed

Jonathan Bailey doesn’t like to bare it all. But vulnerability fueled his best performance yet : After swaggering turns in “Crashing,” “Cock” and “Bridgerton,” the actor delivers a career-best performance in “Fellow Travelers” by tapping a new wellspring: soft power.

At KTLA, Sam Rubin was a local morning news pioneer who covered Hollywood with zeal : Rubin helped pioneer early-morning TV broadcasts at Channel 5, and his coverage of Hollywood tended to be largely positive.

After 10 years on ‘The Tonight Show,’ Jimmy Fallon remains a departure from his predecessors : “The Tonight Show” is a storied institution that’s been on air nearly seven decades. Now, it’s celebrating 10 years with Jimmy Fallon, a tenure that’s been a departure from previous hosts.

Nicola Coughlan moves out of the shadows and into the spotlight on ‘Bridgerton’ : This season of “Bridgerton” sees Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Featherington move to the center of the story, which the actor says is reflective of her own life and career.

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

“Bodkin” (Netflix)

A bodkin is best known, from Shakespeare, as the dagger with which one might make one’s quietus. But here it’s the significantly sinister name of the Irish village to which bumbling American podcaster Gilbert (Will Forte) has come on the cold trail of a 25-year-old mystery: the disappearance of three people on the Irish Night of the Dead. Attached to him are a reluctant, even contemptuous Dove (Siobhán Cullen), a legitimate investigative reporter whose editor has hustled her out of the U.K. after the death of a whistleblowing source; and eager, somewhat abused assistant Emmy (Robyn Cara). As one would expect from a seven-episode series, emerging facts will widen the scope and rearrange the matter of the case, and as one would expect from a small town (dark) comedy, our heroes are regarded variously as a curiosity and an irritant — to the eccentric villagers and to one another. Nearly everyone’s got at least one secret — even to themselves — and things get wild, and emotionally moving, as the show goes on. — Robert Lloyd

“John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.” (Netflix)

Although he made clear his hosting stint was strictly a limited run, John Mulaney proved he could be the next big thing in late night with “Everybody’s in L.A.” Featuring interviews with his comedian pals and local experts on L.A.-centric topics like coyotes and palm trees, Mulaney crafted a bizarre and often chaotic show that feels straight out of the ‘70s. The hybrid late-night/sketch comedy show, produced in conjunction with the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival , assembled a motley crew of A-listers, academic celebrities and up-and-coming comedians for its six episodes to prompt delightfully strange encounters — like when David Letterman cozied up with comic Luenell under a blanket, proceeding to make seismology star Lucy Jones blush. It’s an acquired taste, but those familiar with Mulaney’s style will appreciate its zaniness. Richard Kind also lends his familiar banter as the show’s announcer, and he and Mulaney maintain consistent bits throughout the episodes, like asking live callers what kind of car they drive or getting snacks from a food delivery robot during the show. The host’s monologues, with biting one-liners about his new city, are also quintessential Mulaney: strong rhythm, witty criticism and a dash of eccentricity. — Kaitlyn Huamani

READ MORE: John Mulaney’s ‘Everybody’s in L.A.’: A guide to the hyperlocal references

Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about

Those searching “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” for insights into the inner life of its star would do well to look elsewhere: The Max docuseries, which concludes Friday, is proof that “unscripted” TV can be its least “authentic,” and that verisimilitude doesn’t necessarily equal candor. By Carmichael’s own admission, after all, “performance protects” — and the series, whether in its controversial depiction of his sex life or its uncomfortable scenes of family strife, ultimately holds any meaningful revelations about its subject at arm’s length.

Instead, “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” emerges as a riveting document of the comedian’s creative process, transforming the real (his relationships) into reality (his docuseries) and thence into art (his act). Having already opened a vein in his Emmy-winning special, “Rothaniel,” Carmichael now presents a four-hour making-of featurette: Match-cutting on-camera exchanges with his boyfriend, his closest friends and his parents to biographical snippets in his stage shows, we see what he exaggerates, what he downplays, what he makes up whole cloth. At a moment when “true stories” are outpaced only by “intellectual property” in the Hollywood imaginary, and celebrities are regularly expected, Method-style, to explain how their work dovetails with their personal lives, Carmichael’s most vulnerable decision in the series is to display how the sausage is made — and, by extension, to defend against criticism of what friend and fellow stand-up Jamar Neighbors calls “therapy comedy.”

After the hand-wringing over the truth content in Hasan Minhaj’s act , or the search for the “real” Martha of “Baby Reindeer,” or indeed the social media firestorm sparked by seemingly every personal essay published in the Cut , “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” is a useful reminder, as an “anonymous” friend remarks in the first episode, that “this is not a neutral eye,” whether the camera’s, Carmichael’s, yours or mine. Nor is the memoir form, on screen or on the page, simply a transcription of one’s experiences and emotions. If you’ve ever felt your mind drift as a friend or family member droned through a “hilarious” or “dramatic” tale, you know firsthand that first-person storytelling is still a craft, and if nothing else “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” wears its mechanics like a second skin.

Whether you believe Carmichael’s claim that he needs the camera to tell the truth — or that he can elicit productive responses from those unused to its presence — there is no doubt that the series, like “Rothaniel,” is the result of careful, even ruthless, construction. Indeed, “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show’s” most electric exchange, at the tail end of the comedian’s confrontational road trip with his father, says less about Carmichael the son than Carmichael the performer, as his father accuses him of staging a setup. “I knew this was coming,” he says, in a pained whisper to rival “The Jinx” that’s neither therapy nor comedy, but still unforgettable television. “I knew it. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.” — Matt Brennan

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

After a decade playing the nerdy, optimistic, occasionally harebrained Andre Johnson Jr. — better known as Junior — Marcus Scribner is ready to graduate into whatever’s next. Actor and character, who were just 14 when “black-ish” premiered on ABC in 2014, have since stepped into bigger shoes as the center of campus spinoff “grown-ish” (Freeform), launched in 2018 with Yara Shahidi’s Zoey. Before the series concludes its sixth and final season Wednesday, Scribner stopped by Screen Gab to discuss growing up alongside his character, how “Challengers” ignited his affinity for techno and more. — Matt Brennan

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

I couldn’t shut up about “The Holdovers” [Peacock] last year. I don’t know why, I just think I went in with low expectations and not expecting to connect with the stories and characters and I really did. I didn’t want their story to end right there. This year I’m loving “Challengers.” The performances were insane, and the soundtrack was phenomenal. I’m not much of a techno guy but now I am. As for shows, I’m loving “The Other Two” [Max]. I cannot shut up about it and I feel like it went under the radar a bit.

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the film or TV show you return to again and again?

“Blades of Glory” [Paramount+] and “Zoolander” [Paramount+] were go-tos for a really long time and I feel like that still persists. A recent one for me is “The Batman” [Max, Tubi] with Robert Pattinson. It’s definitely one of my new favorite movies.

Between “black-ish” and “grown-ish,” you’ve now played Junior for 10 very formative years. What do you think has changed most about you in that time? What do you think has changed most about him?

I feel like in a very weird way we’ve grown together. I brought a lot of things about myself to the character of Junior and it’s been interesting to see us evolve as people in such different ways. One thing that I feel like has been a through line is our optimism, and I hope that always prevails. Junior started out as this super nerdy kid who wasn’t sure of himself and was picked on by the people around him for being the way he was, then grew into a confident young man who knew what he wanted and was and wouldn’t let anyone take that from him. The main thing that prevailed was his optimism and I admire that.

When “black-ish” ended, we asked the cast to share their favorite episodes. What’s your favorite episode of “grown-ish” and why?

I love our finale episode. I think it’s a banger and I hope everyone who watches agrees. I feel like we give the characters a decisive end that feels real while also celebrating the years we’ve been with them.

The complete guide to home viewing

Get Screen Gab for everything about the TV shows and streaming movies everyone’s talking about.

Matt Brennan is a Los Angeles Times’ deputy editor for entertainment and arts. Born in the Boston area, educated at USC and an adoptive New Orleanian for nearly 10 years, he returned to Los Angeles in 2019 as the newsroom’s television editor. He previously served as TV editor at Paste Magazine, and his writing has also appeared in Indiewire, Slate, Deadspin and numerous other publications.

Kaitlyn Huamani is a 2024 intern for the Entertainment and Arts section at the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she interned at People Magazine, covering celebrity and pop culture news, as a part of the American Society of Magazine Editors’ internship program. A New Jersey native, she studied journalism at the University of Southern California.

Robert Lloyd has been a Los Angeles Times television critic since 2003.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Jake Gyllenhaal sings his way through Season 49 finale of ‘Saturday Night Live’

With ‘OMG Fashun,’ Julia Fox and Law Roach bring sustainable, daring style to reality TV

May 18, 2024

Kel Mitchell details split with Kenan Thompson, and their reunion, on ‘Club Shay Shay’

May 17, 2024

Dabney Coleman, the bad boss of ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Yellowstone’ guest star, dies at 92