“I don’t think I can come back from this,” lamented a contestant on Australian Idol after being put on notice following what was not her best performance.
I felt for her, as I’ve been there. Fumbling with the slides, music not connecting, the audience not interacting, feeling lethargic and not at peak performance.
What do you do when you are in the spotlight, all eyes are on you and you fail to deliver, or to put it more plainly – suck?
We all have bad days and generally we dust it off, have a good night’s sleep and just get back to work. However, sometimes the pressure is just too great and we want to give up.
Public performance is one of our biggest fears. Many singers, performers and speakers who have been practising their craft for many years still experience anxiety before stepping onto the stage. It is the number one concern my potential clients want addressed in my presentation skills training.
I share with them, and now with you, these ideas on how we can manage our state before the moment on stage gets the better of us.
Think about how you want to make your audience feel and use that desired outcome as your focus to keep on track.
Our mind can stir up many emotions before we present, particularly nervousness and fear. We fear failure and being judged. What will people think? Perhaps we imagine others will laugh, that we’re not good enough or we don’t know enough.
You may have heard the acronym F.E.A.R – False Evidence Appearing as Real. The fears you have generally don’t happen, particularly if you have prepared well in advance.
You are the authority. You know your topic.
Yes, people may have an opinion, good or bad. “Let them,” as Mel Robbins says. You are there to serve your audience, so there is no need to make the focus about you.
Plan and structure your presentation and then practise.
Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse.
Rehearse your presentation in front of friends, family or whoever will listen. You may be tempted to just “wing it” as you want to come across as natural and spontaneous. That is of course the desired outcome – to appear effortless and engaging. However, you are far better off having a few run-throughs in front of a familiar audience first.
See Your Success. If you can walk around the room or on the stage beforehand, picture yourself there, owning that space and sharing it with friendly faces. Visualise your audience smiling, engaged and interested in what you have to say.
Shake It Off. Move around backstage or in another room to release some pent-up energy. Swing your arms, do a few star jumps, strut it out or do a few power poses. Let out that sound and breath too with some car karaoke on the way or singing in the bathroom.
Stillness. Now that your energy bar is raised, be still and let your breathing soften. Deep breathing, slow and steady, will calm some of those nerves. Pause, make eye contact and smile. You’ll look friendlier and feel more relaxed.
Pausing and smiling gives you a moment to gather yourself and deliver your first couple of lines with impact. Being in control in those first few moments will help you relax into the rest of your talk and take the focus off you and onto delivering the message your audience is there to hear.
Once you start your presentation, speak a little more slowly so you don’t sound hurried. It’s perfectly fine to pause here and there so the audience has time to absorb what you are saying.
Sip Water. Keep hydrated, as a dry mouth will hinder your speech. Avoid coffee or tea with milk, or even the sugar rush of a fizzy drink before you speak. Instead, sip room-temperature water slowly.
Most importantly – keep going.
Your presentation may not live up to the high standards you have for yourself, but try not to dwell on negative outcomes. Understand what worked and what could be improved next time and build on your success.
Focus on the times you do present well.
It will happen.
Developing confident presentation skills will help you grow your personal brand. Learn more about communication when you sign up for my free eBook, The Secret to Your Personal Brand Revolution. Get Your Free eBook Now!
Sue Currie is an image entrepreneur who guides and empowers business leaders and entrepreneurs to have “Spotlight Confidence”. She is passionate about helping professionals elevate their personal and professional brand through her speaking, coaching and training programs on Self Brand, Style and Speaking Skills, providing a multi-faceted approach to gain high transformation for her clients.
