One tip that works for me: I NEVER try to memorise what I'm going to say! This is a bad idea IMO because you're not gonna remember everything anyway because there's usually too much and especially if you're nervous. Then when you can't remember stuff you were "supposed to say" you get even more worried. The best way is simply to KNOW the subject so well that you can role-play. This is especially easy when you are talking about your own work, I always just role-play and use slides as prompts to guide the talk in general.

LOL I have a mate like that. He'll spend 20 minutes preparing during breakfast or something then in the presentation he's really pally and familiar with the audience like he was talking to a mate and usually he ends up talking too much but he does sound confident.

I love public speaking, and at the risk of generating hatred I am one of those who does it 'off the cuff' without notes.

I agree totally with what other people have said. I find the best preparation for a speech is to get a few mates together over a beer or a coffee a couple of days beforehand and have a thorough discussion about the subject your speech is going to be about. If you've recently had a discussion or argument about it in a situation you're comfortable with, all the important points are fresh in your memory when you come to do your speech.

I really love presentations. Never in my life have I gotten a bad mark or anything less than a multiple standing ovation after doing this. Acting classes payed out, and I love them still.
Who knows, maybe you'll see me in a couple of years starring in a Hollywood megabuster :D
Anyway, don't let them see you are afraid, they (the evil audience) can smell fear, and the faces they make when they do will sink you. Just be joyous, don't put much weight in it.

I speak to myself in front of the mirror. it works! and when I finally deliver my speech in front of the people. I just picture them as my reflection on the mirror.

See, I wasn't sure whether or not to advise memorization... I, too, can give a speech just like that.
It's a popular theatre exercise, actually. Someone names a topic (It helps if it's something strange like 'Bunnies' or 'Hair' or 'My boyfriend is SUCH a loser...') and the player has to give a one-minute speech on it.
I once gave a five-minute improvised report... ON improvisation.
It is my opinion that everyone should take a basic acting for non-majors type of class (if you're in college and they offer one), or a public speaking class. It's something everyone has to do.

Speaking in public is a skill, just like any other. And the way you improve any skill is to practice.

I highly recommend Toastmasters as a way to practice your speaking skills. I've been doing it for six years now, and because I've practiced so much in Toastmasters, there are very few public speaking scenarios that can bother me. Getting called on to deliver a keynote presentation in thirty minutes is one... that still brings chills.

But a general 5-7 minute presentation... no problem. And when things pop up like typos, missed words, and so on, you're more comfortable and can go with the flow.

For reference, I prefer to memorize stories, rather than words. A five to seven minute speech should have about three stories in it, or perhaps two. My notes, and I do use them, list the story itself, and not the actual words. As long as I know the concept I want to convey, I can run with it.

I routinely deliver 45-50 minute presentations to technical audiences, and I enjoy it, much like Epona and others. It's great to be on-stage and the center of attention, even when I flub up. I find the conversational approach (having a discussion with a couple of people in the audience, while everyone else listens in) to be the most effective.

Good luck for the next one!

LOL I have a mate like that. He'll spend 20 minutes preparing during breakfast or something then in the presentation he's really pally and familiar with the audience like he was talking to a mate and usually he ends up talking too much but he does sound confident. </font>[/QUOTE]Grrr... I can only blag stuff when I'm confident I know more about the subject than anyone listening, which doesn't happen all that often. So I usually have to resign myself to days in the library. Like today, for example... tax evasion and black market analysis anyone?

[ 02-23-2004, 11:19 AM: Message edited by: Barry the Sprout ]

I'm not great at presentations - they're not total nightmares for me and I don't foul myself over them, but I do get a little nervous. I might talk a bit quickly or stutter once or twice, but it's never anything too noticeable. In terms of preparation, I type out all my notes in big font and just read them over several times beforehand, to ensure it sounds good when spoken out loud and that it's actually a fairly decent speech in terms of content and structure as well. During the presentation itself, I just try to relax and pretend I'm having a conversation with someone, or explaining something to a mate, rather than viewing the whole thing as a show of sorts.

i go thinking "what's the worst thing that can happen" and think that hopefully i won't have to experience it...but sadly my technique have never worked for ANYONE besides.....nope it hasn't worked fr me either..hopefully after reading this thread i'll do better [img]tongue.gif[/img]