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Public speaking is an overwhelming notion for many people and can make giving a presentation at work an intimidating task. Even when you know the people and subject matter, anxiety can easily creep in. It’s important that you not let anxiety hold you back. Use the following preparation and public speaking tips to ensure you deliver a successful presentation with as little stress as possible.

How to Deliver a Work Presentation

1. Create a Structure That’s Easy to Follow

The right structure will help you best organize content and then use it as a blueprint while speaking.

First, establish your thesis. It should be a simple statement that states exactly what the presentation is about. Consider what your audience knows and what they need to learn. If you’re delivering a strategy presentation to a marketing team, you can skip a lot of introductory info on the topic. If you’re delivering the same presentation to an IT team, you may want to provide a basic introduction about marketing since it’s out of their field.

List goals, strategies to achieve them, and finish the presentation with an engaging call-to-action that gets the audience ready to work.

2. Write a Scriptpublic speaking

You can write a script to follow if you think it will help. Stick to clear, straight-forward language that’s based on notes listed in your presentation or PowerPoint. Just make sure you don’t rely solely on your script so the slightest interruption throws you off track. 

3. Learn How to Speak

One of the keys to public speaking is understanding how to speak. Start by reminding yourself to breathe while talking, including when on a virtual presentation. This will help you stay calm and also place natural pauses in your presentation. Make eye contact with audience members and speak slowly so that you don’t rush.

4. Practice

Practicing is how you master public speaking, like everything else.  Deliver your presentation in the mirror until you’re comfortable or record it using your mobile device. Next, share it with one or two friends and invite them to cause distractions so that you’re prepared to handle the unexpected. This process is a good way to build confidence and may also help you refine your presentation.

 

If you want to master public speaking or just good communication skills, contact Executive Coach Margaret M. Enloe, JD PCC. This New York City career and life coach has over 30 years of experience and will help you achieve your goals. You can explore business and retirement coach services on her website or email her for more information. 

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