I suck at giving presentations

[Aimster]

I wasnt nervous at all going up to give my presentation.. then when I was giving it I was really nervous.

How do I fix this problem?

I am not anti-social and I am not shy. I don't get it.

 

[hypn0tik]

Practice in front of an audience.

 

[Heisenberg]

I find that knowing my material well and rehearsing the talk several times helps a lot.

 

[Scouzer]

practice

 

[mrkun]

Pretend that everyone is naked?

 

[Aimster]

I didnt give a presentation in years, this was my first in like 3 years.

I was so nervous I didnt finish my speech. I still got an A, but I hate knowing I got like that.

Embarrasing.. oh well.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
I find that knowing my material well and rehearsing the talk several times helps a lot.

I find that to be a horrible solution. You end up saying something different than the way you rehearsed it, stumble around to get back onto the exact same wording, and the stumbling makes you even more nervous so you make even more mistakes. The whole process then repeats itself. That method is a disaster wating to happen. I know, it happened to me many times.

For me, the key is to (A) know your material very well so you can talk for hours on the subject without practice, (B) know your key points so you can get back on track if you do make a mistake, and (C) never once practice the stuff in between.

 

[vital]

Originally posted by: Aimster


I didnt give a presentation in years, this was my first in like 3 years.

I was so nervous I didnt finish my speech. I still got an A, but I hate knowing I got like that.

Embarrasing.. oh well.

what were your noticeable symptoms?

 

[robisc]

the more you give, the more comfotable you will get, nothing beats actually doing it, I remember being terrified every time in my first speech class in college but now I have no problems breifing 500+.

 

[ggnl]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
I find that knowing my material well and rehearsing the talk several times helps a lot.

I find that to be a horrible solution. You end up saying something different than the way you rehearsed it, stumble around to get back onto the exact same wording, and the stumbling makes you even more nervous so you make even more mistakes. The whole process then repeats itself. That method is a disaster wating to happen. I know, it happened to me many times.

For me, the key is to (A) know your material very well so you can talk for hours on the subject without practice, (B) know your key points, and (C) never once practice the stuff in between.

Very true, not to mention the fact that it takes a very talented speaker to make a memorized speech sound extemporaneous.

 

[archiloco]

i am fairly normal at presentations, but there was this one where i was unprepared (used to adlib a bunch no problem, but this one was really technical, and i did not do my homework) just looked like a fool, and started sweating and my speech was shaky.......the next time i had to make a presentation was in front of a school board, and i just started shaking and sweating for the first 5 min (scripted presentation, then i said screw this!!!) so i started to adlib again, and everything was fine....what i figured out if i am prepared i can adlib and i am very normal, but if it's scripted no matter what my preparation it's going to suck.

 

[Aimster]

Originally posted by: vital

Originally posted by: Aimster


I didnt give a presentation in years, this was my first in like 3 years.

I was so nervous I didnt finish my speech. I still got an A, but I hate knowing I got like that.

Embarrasing.. oh well.

what were your noticeable symptoms?

I was shaking (I tried to hide it) and I couldnt speak, I was studdering more and worse. I knew if I continued I would start studdering. I got really hot too.

However, when the question part of the presentation took place I was okay and was much better.

 

[Injury]

Know the material. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Do it to the point where you don't need note cards to guide you and you know the information like the back of your hand.

Don't know what you are talking about and wing it, but work from a mostly memorized script.

If you have to take time to think about what to say next, then thinking about being nervous is going to interrupt the train of thought and build more nervousness.

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by: archiloco
i am fairly normal at presentations, but there was this one where i was unprepared (used to adlib a bunch no problem, but this one was really technical, and i did not do my homework) just looked like a fool, and started sweating and my speech was shaky.......the next time i had to make a presentation was in front of a school board, and i just started shaking and sweating for the first 5 min (scripted presentation, then i said screw this!!!) so i started to adlib again, and everything was fine....what i figured out if i am prepared i can adlib and i am very normal, but if it's scripted no matter what my preparation it's going to suck.

Same here-
If I try to read or follow notes I just get flustered...I go up there with no plan at all, just a basic skeleton of a powerpoint and just adlib the info that I know. You really do need to know the stuff really well though, then for me it's just like explaining it to a friend or somthing. I'm sure my speaches are a bit too informal for some applications, but generally I get a lot of complements.
That being said- I have a 20 min speach to give tomorrow that I'm not quite ready for (at all)....good times...

 

[IronWing]

Remember that for most presentations the audience didn't come to see you, they came to get the information. I try to get out of the way of the material, basically being a facilitator [God, how I hate that word] for getting the information to the audience. This allows me to relax and focus on the material. Also, in real live, unlike school, brevity is valued. If you are given fifteen minutes to speak but only need seven to make your point effectively then ask for questions or sit down; people will thank you for the time saved.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
I find that knowing my material well and rehearsing the talk several times helps a lot.

I find that to be a horrible solution. You end up saying something different than the way you rehearsed it, stumble around to get back onto the exact same wording, and the stumbling makes you even more nervous so you make even more mistakes. The whole process then repeats itself. That method is a disaster wating to happen. I know, it happened to me many times.

For me, the key is to (A) know your material very well so you can talk for hours on the subject without practice, (B) know your key points so you can get back on track if you do make a mistake, and (C) never once practice the stuff in between.

*shrug*
Whatever works for you I guess, but I find that I need to run through it a few times to get the feel of how it should go. I don't try to memorize and recite word for word, and I don't have usually have any problem stumbling with words. I've given lots of talks to rooms full of professors and have always done a fairly good job.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Aimster


I didnt give a presentation in years, this was my first in like 3 years.

I was so nervous I didnt finish my speech. I still got an A, but I hate knowing I got like that.

Embarrasing.. oh well.

poor baby.

just keep saying to yourself, "i'm the man... i'm the man" while speaking in front of people.


really, you need to talk to yourself. use that inner voice to calm yourself down.

 

[dirtboy]

Accept that 3 min after you are finished nobody will remember what you said or did. Makes it easier knowing they don't care.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
I don't have usually have any problem stumbling with words. I've given lots of talks to rooms full of professors and have always done a fairly good job.

That is the key. This thread is for those who do stumble and who don't usually do a fairly good job. You are a completely different type of person. Thus the tricks that work for you won't work for someone who is 100% the opposite.

 

[aries2k1]

recording yourself giving a practice speech might help....you can focus on any noticable signs you give out or what words come out funny. my job in the army requires me to do a lot of briefs to high ranking officers...i figure everything i tell them, they already know so it doesnt really bother me once i start speaking....

 

[LikeLinus]

http://www.toastmasters.org/

 

[tweakmm]

Are you nervous to the point of anxiety attack or quaking?