Written by: Nimra Khan / Communication / June 29th, 2022 / 10 minutes read

Many clients that I have spoken to recently have made the shift into the hybrid environment or have seen a shift in content of meetings to more speaking opportunities as well. It’s only natural that, after a couple of years of limited contact with others, many adults find these situations cause more nervousness than they did previously or feel more awkward. There are some overall strategies that could help you feel more confident in presentation situations, however it is important to remember that these skills take time to use independently. Start by focusing on one or two areas and increase the strategies you use from that point.

This can be daunting, but the more comfortable you get at doing this, the more you can be in the present. This doesn’t mean you need to stare at one person or look for each person you happen to make eye contact with to give you feedback. This just involves seeing the audience as being present to learn something new, rather than being there to judge you specifically. Start by scanning the room – this is to reduce how much you look down at a piece of paper or only face a screen, if you are using slides or something similar for your presentation. This can work well for small groups (less than 10 people), but also large audiences (100+). As you gain more confidence in this, you’ll be able to involve and connect with the audience much more easily.

Everyone’s way of speaking dynamically is different. Think of public speakers that present to wide audiences, such as Obama; his way of pacing and placing emphasis on key words helps to make what he is saying very interesting, even when it is something mundane.

This doesn’t mean you need to speak like Obama – but he’s on the right track. Taking control of your rhythm of speech can make what you are saying sound much more interesting. Try to add more vocal variety – place emphasis on key words (usually a noun or verb), and this will reduce the feeling of being ‘rushed’.

Enunciation and intonation are important factors in this strategy. Find more examples and exercises for the use of these in my previous articles, ‘confident communication in the workplace’.

Try not be using the tone you would expect of a very serious University professor. This can be done by keeping a dynamic speaking style, but also not using textbook language for your entire

presentation. There will definitely be points that are more ‘boring’ (sometimes this could involve explaining the numbers, etc.), however, try to bring in moments in-between where you can explain something in simpler terms so that everyone is on board.

This links to the conversational tone, because we use metaphors and analogies all the time in conversation, too. As an example, if I had to give a presentation about why sales of product ABC are going down in one market area – I could try to bring in one or two sentences about my use of this product. Or, to link to my point about positives, I could add a metaphor such as ‘hope is on the horizon’. This will help the audience not feel bored and work towards the overall aim, which is a presentation that people want to listen to, and will remember information from. Of course, remember to tell relevant stories here that are going to back-up your overall message.

Don’t just think of speaking slowly, but instead consider a rate that is balanced – not too fast and not too slow. Using the emphasis on specific words as mentioned above, you can then say non-emphasized parts of sentences with less of a slowed pace. The more control you can have over your voice, the easier it will be to be professional but also dynamic. One of our communication wellness courses could also be used to target communication in leadership – read more HERE.

All of these areas can be daunting to use together, so it’s important to start with one area at a time. Build your confidence step-by-step. If you are interested in reading more about the pandemic isolation’s effects on interpersonal communication, this could be an interesting read. Our speech therapists also tackle these areas in therapy sessions – read more about the benefits of therapy vs telehealth HERE.

To speak with one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.