Work - Presentations!
 

Have to do a lot of these all the time as part of my work. But had an especially daunting one today. Was fine right up until the minute I walked in and got very nervous. The presentation went well in the end - but it's just the worst feeling beforehand. Had the dry mouth syndrome too - which I never get.

Anyone else had a bad presentation experience (big fluff ups?) - more importantly how do you get round your nervousness?

My secret is don't eat beforehand and drink lots of water. Unfortunately I blew it - I couldn't resist the breakfast buffet. So right now I'm putting my nervousness down to that :)

Hate public speaking, I'd rather chew a light bulb.

I love it.

A bit of nervousness is no bad thing; it shows you want to do well and it keeps you on your toes. I think even really seasoned pros get butterflies ahead of a big presentation.

Cheers
Kav

I was a chairman for a couple of years-always felt like that until the meeting actually started then I was fine!

I've given a few presentations in my time. I don't mind so much now, especially if I'm 100% comfortable with the subject.

Only times I get stuck is if I get an akward question and I end up nearly talking my self into a corner. I know what I want to say but don't always know the right way of saying it, so I'm normally saying something like "how can I put it" or "what's the right prase" while thinking "OMG. WTF do I say now!".. :)

Still, makes you feel better when the whole thing is over and you can look forward to going home :D

I've been doing presentations on courses for clients for quite mawhile now, probably done about 100 sessions in all. You do get less nervous with time but I don't think you ever lose the butterflies completely - I don't think I'd want to to be honest. Once you realise that your audience appreciate what you're doing (particularly when you know they've paid for the opportunity of listening to you!) it does become a bit easier.

i would sooner enter a wasps nest chewing competition than do a presentation :D, its an acquired skill IMO, you tend to find that all the good speakers at a large company like mine, are all the lazy sods.

I find it very daunting talking in front of people, TBH i wouldnt allow myself to go up the promotional ladder far enough were i would have to do it. But every credit 2 u if you can get up there & spout

:D PMSL

Present company excepted ;)

Cheers
Kav

Ok, so a nightmare presentation story....

When I first graduated I shared a house with 2 mates who worked at the same company. After a few weeks, one of the guys (mate A) announced that he had a big time presentation to a key supplier in Germany. With this announcement he had hit on a couple of key touch points to fresh faced, self inflated graduates - namely being important enough to give a presentation and international travel.

Anyway, the other flat mate (mate B) and I wobbled home from the boozer one night to find mate A tucked up in bed in advance of his early flight the following morning. Sooooo.... we naturally found his briefcase, opened it and under his file marked "presentation for Wednesday" or whatever, jammed in every boys "special interest" magazine we could find, then sat on his case and closed it.....

The following day, mate A breezes into the conference room of the supplier, pops the locks on his executive "I'm considerably more inportant than yaw" briefcase and looks in horror as half a dozen soiled and dog eared copies of "Razzle", "Big Uns" and "Fiesta" slide accross the polished walnut table.

It took about a year for him to see the funny side and no-one ever left the house without first undertaking a thorough "case check".....

I lecture from time to time on emergency medicine, and also teach / lecture on advanced life support courses. Have been doing for 5 years, and still find am nervous, bit of dry mouth, and slight shake of hands for the 1st few minutes.
Unfortunately the main solution seems to be preparation. If you've practiced it enough times, then the nerves will go wuickly as you get into your stride, if you're winging it, and stumble a bit at the start, then confidence is likely to collapse.
For a 1 hour lecture, I usually have to do about 10 hours of preparation. Obviously if I've given the same lecture before, then this can be shortened a lot, but still need a couple of run throughs.

The amount of crap I see from a presentation is unreal, so if they (pension sellers or whatever) can easily pedal a crappy powerpoint presentation in which they've got really "arty" with how the words appear on the screen. They you with a modicum, of common sense should have no problem in selling something you believe in.

Assuming you give a rats arse of course.