In my working career, I’ve faced the dread-inducing requirement of a *presentation* shock, horror.
As a socially anxious and overall, quite shy individual, I’ve had to learn how to ‘fake’ confidence to best approach these ghastly presentations without deciding to move country instead. Confidence is the driving force behind a successful presentation and/or pitch. When you believe in your ideas, others are more likely to do so as well. So, I’ve put together some things I’ve learned along the way to help you build confidence when presenting:
Preparation: Confidence begins with knowing your material. A thorough presentation means you’re less likely to stumble over your words or lose your train of thought. The more you understand your content, the more confidently you can discuss and express it. I find that drafting a makeshift script I can refer to if I’m feeling particularly nervous is helpful. Even just knowing it’s there as a backup is often useful because you do know your content; you wrote it — it’s just having the confidence to run with it.
Practice: Practice really does make perfect. Rehearse your presentation, ideally in front of friends or colleagues, as they can provide valuable feedback. But going it alone works too, just running through your content out loud can help you spot errors in your presentation, as well as ensure the flow works well. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become with your material.
Positive self-talk: Self-doubt can be a significant hurdle in your confidence. Counteract this with positive self-talk and remind yourself of your accomplishments and capabilities. Believe in your ideas and others will follow suit.
Body-language: Your body language can communicate confidence or nervousness far quicker than you can verbally. Try your best to maintain good posture, make eye-contact, and use gestures purposefully. This is useful to practice at home, I find picking a few spots on the wall to flit between, imagining taking a glance at different people around the room to ensure engagement. Exuding this confidence can help to boost your confidence as you present.
Strong opening: Start your pitch and/or presentation with a strong and engaging opening. This can capture your audience’ attention and set a confident tone to your entire presentation. Capturing your audience’s attention from the offset can set a positive tone and in turn boost your confidence
Dress professionally: The way you present yourself visually can significantly impact your confidence. If you’re dressed professionally, it not only conveys competence but can also act a ‘confidence jacket’ that helps you feel more at ease.
Building confidence when you’re pitching ideas or presenting is a journey. You’re not going to be the most confident version of yourself overnight. But building on your confidence over time is a real tangible element that can turn your presentation into an extraordinary one. By diligently preparing, practicing, and maintaining a positive mindset when approaching presentations as a challenge you’re well equipped to take on, you can reinforce your confidence and significantly improve your presentation success rate. Remember that confidence isn’t about ridding yourself of your nerves altogether, but about harnessing those nerves to deliver a compelling presentation.
