Sometimes you
have to present to a group of your peers.
And you may be speaking about something they know quite a bit about
themselves. How do you come across as being knowledgeable and confident without
sounding condescending and cocky?
You need to
believe that you are qualified to give the presentation. Start by understanding why you have been
asked to give the presentation.
What is it about your knowledge or experience that makes you the perfect person to deliver this presentation? Perhaps you led the project or know the client better. (Yes, sometimes you are giving it just because nobody else wanted to do it. But even in that case, you have earned the right to be presenting.)
What is it about your knowledge or experience that makes you the perfect person to deliver this presentation? Perhaps you led the project or know the client better. (Yes, sometimes you are giving it just because nobody else wanted to do it. But even in that case, you have earned the right to be presenting.)
Being clear
about the reason ahead of time can help you focus and be more confident when
you present in front of your peers, rather than being stuck in your head
worrying, “Who am I to present? These people know more just as much – or more –
than I do about this topic.”
Once you cover
this ground with yourself, you can focus on your material. Think about it from
the audience’s point of view – what questions or concerns might they have?
Then practice
your presentation and focus on how you might be perceived by the audience. Practice in front of a mirror or on
camera. In particular, be aware of your
facial expressions and your tone. Do you
sound condescending, like you are lecturing at the audience?
Sometimes you
intend to sound one way and you come across differently, so ask for feedback from
a trusted colleague or coach. There can be a subtle
difference between a smile and smirk or between sounding confident and sounding
cocky and it’s helpful to get feedback about it.
Preparing and practicing your presentation will help you be comfortable and confident when you're presenting to your peers.
Preparing and practicing your presentation will help you be comfortable and confident when you're presenting to your peers.
| 7 STEPS TO CONFIDENT PUBLIC SPEAKING |