Stress Free Presentations!
STRESS FREE PRESENTATIONS
Many people suffer from unnecessary anxiety when faced with the prospect of delivering a presentation. Oftentimes this can be due to lack of training or instruction. A few guidelines can dramatically reduce stress levels if followed correctly.
CLEAR AIM
Every presentation benefits from having a crystal-clear aim. A clear aim or purpose of a presentation builds confidence in the speaker as he or she can focus laser-like on their message and stick to the point avoiding the possibility of losing their audience.
A useful technique to facilitate a clear aim is to reduce it to six words. This idea is based on the Hemingway challenge where Earnest Hemingway was challenged to write a complete story using only six words. This was not a simple task but Hemingway being a master wordsmith produced a story with emotional impact as follows, “Baby shoes, for sale, never worn.” If it is possible to create a complete story with six words, then it is possible to write the aim of a presentation with six words.
Practice is the key to successfully producing a six-word aim. Most audiences will appreciate the clarity created and be more inclined to listen to the speaker, leading to a confidence boost.
CREATE A MESSAGE OF VALUE
Once you have produced a six word aim for your presentation, it is easier to create a message of value to present to your audience. If you imagine that a message of a value is tantamount to a gift you give to your audience, then you will be considerably more confident when you present. A message of value must have benefits for audience members. Therefore, you need to clearly identify the benefits to the audience members, answering the question, why they should listen to you. If you identify ten benefits, pick the top three. As part of your speech you can explicitly state the benefits as part of your introduction. By articulating the benefits at the start of the presentation the audience is more inclined to pay attention.
Sometimes in the commercial arena it may not be obvious what the benefits are for the audience as you may just be disseminating information. For example, if you were delivering an update on Q4 financial results, the benefit could simply be you are saving the audience time, as they do not need to read a detailed financial report.
CROWDING OUT
If you have prepared your presentation using a six word aim and identified the benefits to your audience resulting in a message of value being created, then you should be considerably more confident than if you have not.
When it comes to the time to deliver your presentation and you find your anxiety levels rising prior to actually standing up in front of your audience, you may want to consider the psychological technique known as crowding out. In order to counter negative thoughts that may be escalating your anxiety when you start thinking thoughts such as, “I’m no good at presenting,” or “they will think I’m stupid,” replace any such thoughts by constantly repeating a positive phrase of your choice. Some people choose to repeat phrases such as, “they need to hear my message” or “I feel excited,” or “I’m ready to deliver.” Whatever phrase you choose simply repeat it in your head over and over again to crowd out negative thoughts.
Don’t discount this technique until you try it. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the crowding out technique. Your mind has a mind of its own so you need to take back control to dispel unhelpful negative thoughts relating to your next presentation.
If you have any feedback concerning the above, I’d be delighted to hear from you. Let me know how you got on with the suggested advice. You can contact me at michael@michaellukecollins.com
