The American author Mark Twain once put it like this:'There are two types of people: those that are
nervous and those that are liars.' So, once you accept that (almost) everybody who gives a presentation
- whether formal or informal, long or short, to strangers or colleagues - is nervous, then you just
need to find ways to deal with nervousness and even learn how to use it to your advantage.
Let's first look at ways to deal with and reduce nervousness.
1 Prepare well. Tailing to prepare is preparing to fail/ Preparation is the key to a successful
presentation. Nothing will relax you more than knowing exactly what you want to say and having
practised saying it. Make sure you practise your talk until you feel at
home with it - then you can concentrate on other things.
2 Learn to relax. Doing stretching or breathing exercises
before your talk can help you to reduce nervousness.
One example: before your presentation, sit
comfortably with your back straight. Breathe in
slowly, hold your breath for about five seconds, then
slowly exhale. You can relax your facial muscles by
opening your eyes and mouth wide, then closing
them tightly.