Presenting To Large Groups

Many people we have trained then go on to say something like: I am terrible at giving presentations. I'm okay when explaining things to a few people, but put me in front of more than approximately fifteen (15) people, and I start bumbling and stuttering, and I can't focus. Why is this, and what can I do?

Answer:
You are not alone. What we've discovered while delivering our Effective Presentation Skills Workshops is that nervousness can be managed. It takes time and practice by using techniques and skills you can hone. These techniques and skills will lower your nervous reactions to presenting to groups.

1. Your Perception: You say you're okay presenting to small groups. That's great. So what's the difference between a group of say five (5) and one of thirty (30)? If you're like most people, it's your perception. A large group is no different than a small group. You just have more people to engage in the process.
2. Your Expectations: Adjust your expectations. It's common for people to think of presentations as performances that must be perfect. Presentations should be thought of as "Orderly Conversations." "Orderly" because they are carefully structured. "Conversations" because they need to be spontaneous and interactive right from the start. Thinking in this way can relieve a lot of pressure. You no longer need to be a whiz-bang performer; you simply need to engage people in a thoughtful, two-way conversation, which by its nature is imperfect and unpredictable. And participating in conversations is something you do every day.
3. Engage Your Audience: Work to engage individuals, one at a time. Do this through solid eye contact. Think of it as connecting with a person for a full thought, then moving on to the next. This will feel more like a series of one-on-one conversations rather than a stress-inducing one-way speech. And because you're really connecting with people, everyone else in the room will feel engaged too.
4. Pause: You say that when you're nervous you can't focus. This too is common. You need to give yourself time to think. Pausing is key. Pause often and for longer durations than you think is necessary.

I hope this helps you - go and smash it up out there!