Member-only story
Karl’s Tips for Confident Public Speaking
Public speaking can be scary. These 17 tips will reduce the fear. You might even come to enjoy the experience.
I remember giving my first presentation, just five minutes long, when I was sixteen years old. I was very nervous, standing there in front of the microphone. Speaking in public ranks high on the list of the top fears for most people. The anxiety is understandable. Everyone is staring at you, awaiting your words of wisdom. You feel exposed and vulnerable. Did you prepare enough? Did you practice enough? Will they laugh at your jokes?
Many decades later, I have now given 680 professional presentations as a software development consultant and trainer, ranging from 20-minute webinars to conference keynotes to 4-day in-person courses. I don’t get nervous anymore. In fact, I enjoy being on stage. Just in case you’re uncomfortable giving presentations, here I share Karl’s Tips for Confident Public Speaking.
Laying the foundation for a confident presentation begins long before you step into the spotlight. The first five suggestions will help you construct a presentation that will hold the audience’s attention and achieve your objectives. The remaining twelve tips will calm your nerves before and during the speech.
Presentation Tip #1: Determine your purpose
Think carefully about the goal for each talk you deliver. Is it to educate the audience, to persuade them to adopt a particular point of view, or to sound a rousing call to action? Perhaps you’re reporting the status of some initiative or trying to establish a shared vision toward a common objective. Occasionally, you might want to provoke controversy deliberately, stimulating the listeners’ minds so they can break out of the box of traditional thinking and generate new ideas.
Considering these goals will help you select the most effective content and delivery style. If people walk out of a talk without thinking differently or deciding to work in some new way, what was the point?
Presentation Tip #2: Know your audience
Knowing your audience includes understanding which forms of communication will…
