When you prepare for a presentation there is always plenty of advise to go around, but which of these suggestions are tricks that work, and which of them are myths? We spoke to a Speech Consultant to find out.
“Picture them Naked”
This is definitely a trick. Picturing their audience naked, or in their underwear will stop many presenters from feeling nervous.
First, let’s understand why it works. It is actually not because it makes the audience less intimidating. Trust me, your boss or a big client would be just as intimidating in their nickers as they are in a suit – and maybe even a little more so!
In reality, you aren’t actually scared of those you are presenting to, you are nervous because you’re scared of yourself. Nervous speakers are worried that they will make a mistake, not say the right thing, do something goofy, or otherwise not get their message across. They are worried, and worrying is a mental activity.
Picturing the audience naked works because it too is a mental activity. You are using your imagination, which distracts your brain from its worrying.
So if picturing the audience naked distracts you, then it is a great trick to use, but any form of mental activity can work just as well. Counting window panes or repeating a tongue twister can also work. I once had a client for whom I would provide a simple puzzle – It would only take a minute or two and if he was successful, I bought the coffee after the speech.
The key to this trick is that your brain has a job to do, other than worry.
“Find a Friendly Face”
Myth. And a bad idea at that. The concept behind this advice is that by finding a friendly face to keep coming back to, you will provide yourself with a place to gain encouragment. Humans are very social; we continually seek cues from our environment, and adjust according to them.
In a conversation, the person we are speaking to provides these cues through their interaction with us, but during a presentation these cues are removed because we are speaking in an endless stream without response. This is a challenge that a lot of presenters have difficulty with; it feels very unnatural to speak without receiving assurances that we are saying the right thing.
If you go into a presentation with the intention of finding a friendly face to gain your encouragement, then you are setting yourself up for a potential failure. Most people in the audience are looking at their papers, or staring back at the speaker with a blank expression. This doesn’t mean that they dislike what the speaker is saying, but if the speaker is looking for a friendly face and doesn’t find one, they can become nervous and self-conscious.
Instead, I recommend that you create the assurances that you need. The first step is to identify the cues that you use to tell others that you are interested in what they are saying. Do you step closer to them, smile slightly, or nod your head? Do you furrow your eyebrows to show that you deeply considering their point? These are the body language cues that mean “interest” to you.
Now use them to encourage yourself. During your presentation nod as you say something that you expect others to agree with or smile slightly if you are making a great point. This will do two things, first just performing the action yourself will bolster your confidence. And second, several members of your audience will mimic your behavior and nod along with you or smile back. Now you will have the friendly face you are looking for.
“Bring a Glass of Water”
This is one of my favorite tricks. But, like picturing the audience naked, it doesn’t work for the reason that most people think. The water is not for dry mouth – it’s a prop.
Taking a sip of water provides you with an acceptable excuse to take a pause.
If you are distracted during your presentation then you will need a chance to gather your thoughts, regain your composure, and find your place in your notes. By taking a quick drink, you are not only able to regroup mentally, but you also create an acceptable excuse to take a moment to flip through your notes upon returning to your presentation.
The danger of the water is that you will compulsively sip on it when you’re nervous. This is not only very distracting to the audience, it also carries the risk of a full bladder – which will be distracting to you.
To prevent this, I always put a little salt in the glass. Not enough that it tastes bad, but just enough that it doesn’t taste great. That prevents compulsive sipping.
And if you actually do get dry mouth, gently place the sides of your tongue between your molars and chew once or twice. This will get your salvatory glands going again, which is much more effective than any beverage.
