How Nervous Speakers Become Great Presenters

The following is adapted from Self-Promotion for Non-Self-Promoters by Scott Beaumont.

Rachel was on my team for a while. She was, and still is, enormously capable, funny and engaging, with a sharp intellect and a warm personality that immediately puts people at ease in smaller settings. Yet speaking in front of a group reduced her to a bundle of nerves.

She got through it largely by hard work: practice, practice, practice. She also chose her clothes carefully, picking colours and a thin underlayer so that if she sweated, it would not show. Taking one worry away was a win.

Like top athletes, Rachel would visualise her race. She pictured the space, whether she would be sitting or standing, where she should look and who she would interact with. When presenting in person, she would travel the day before if necessary to see the room and imagine delivering her presentation successfully.

When I promoted Rachel, I asked her to speak to a few hundred senior executives. She did very well. She put her team on the map. It was a terrific eight out of ten, achieved by brute force.

But the story has a more magical ending. Years later, after Rachel had moved into a broader role that involved a lot of speaking, I watched her present at the same event. Her delivery was off the charts. Her practice was no longer about getting through it; it was about refining timing and audience engagement. All I could see was Rachel being herself.

Yes, You Can

For many of us, presenting on stage is terrifying. The good news is that comfort with public speaking can be taught and mastered. It is possible to build a career without it, but it will limit your options. Mastering my own nerves opened up roles I could not otherwise have taken on.

My breakthrough came from an acting class. Beyond breath control and visualisation, the most useful technique was to imagine passing the baton backstage to an alter-ego. Actor Scott was not intimidated by the crowd. Actor Scott could fill the stage. Eventually, I realised I was no longer calling on him. The crutch had done its job.

Others I have worked with found their own methods. Taewon imagined a close friend at the back of the hall and spoke to that person, later “inviting” more imaginary friends around the room to remind him to engage everyone. Rahul filmed himself, which he found excruciating but valuable. The key is breaking down what seems insurmountable into smaller, practical steps.

You can also make it easier on yourself. Panel discussions are a more forgiving entry point because the conversation is less scripted and you are not alone on stage. Cue cards, an autocue or a lectern are all valid tools along the way.

Practice does not necessarily make perfect, but good things will follow. You might even find that you enjoy it.

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For more advice on overcoming nerves and building confidence as a speaker, you can find Self-Promotion for Non-Self-Promoters on Amazon.

Find your path to say the quiet part out loud.

To bring your ideas to life, you must share them. You must convince others of their value. You must promote them. So you must promote yourself. Here’s how to do it on your terms.

Scott Beaumont has built, developed and led high-performing teams around the world. In these roles, Scott often encountered teams and individuals feeling helpless or frustrated, working in environments that they felt did not suit them. He encouraged owning the frustration and channelling that energy into positive action.

The impact was profound for the individuals, the teams and projects they worked on. Self-Promotion for Non-Self-Promoters is drawn from these experiences and breakthroughs. Here, you’ll find hard-won, real-world strategies developed and used successfully by others before you. These strategies will help you define and describe your worth, show the best of yourself and maximise your impact and enjoyment at work.