We all have seen how a speaker can be the loneliest person in the world when he is sitting behind a desk and the first rows of chairs are rather far from the edge of the podium. An awkward setting can make it more difficult for you. Therefore, always remember that people want to feel connected. It is in your best interest to create this feeling of connection.
A good start is not to put your audience too far away, if you can influence the set up. The first rule, according to the presentationmagazine.com website, is that you always need to make sure that it will be easy to connect with your audience and to transmit some of your energy.
1) Don’t panic if you make a mistake
It is often our own feeling of shame that is the most harmful – not the mistake itself. When you realize that you have made a mistake, you need to slow down and breathe. Then allow your head to jump on the next thought and focus on your audience again. If you misspoke, just correct yourself calmly. You don’t need to apologize, it is usually only a waste of time. It might make you look weak, too.
2) Don’t mock yourself
Never say you are glad it is over, never say you hate speaking in public, even if you feel relieved after you have delivered an especially difficult presentation. Don’t endanger your credibility and the professional impression you have created. Nobody needs to know how nervous you were.
3) Humanize your audience
If you can ask a question, go for it. It is very helpful in establishing a rapport with the people who are watching you. It can also help to calm your nerves. It helps you focus outward and it lowers your tendency to see the room as being full of cruel critics, when in reality the people are also only human with flaws of their own.
-jk-