Whether it is a big stage, little stage, or a small or large podium,
put yourself in a setting where you are looking out on a grand room or
audience. This is all about building your comfort and confidence level.
Continue to find different venues to do your presentations in, and try
not to get so comfortable with the same room and set-up for practice
time; you don’t want to get so comfortable in your practice routine and
location that you will get thrown off when you are not in it. A variety
of settings will get you more comfortable and enable you to present
anywhere in all types of settings. In addition to increased confidence
about presenting in different locations, you will start to get a feel for
your own preferences for seating and room layout.
Find a stage—any stage. This includes your car, your house, and anywhere
you feel there is a way to practice your presentation. On more
than one occasion people have looked strangely at me while I was walking
the dog, flying on an airplane, waiting in a long line, or driving down
the road, as they saw me practicing. Everywhere can and should be your
stage. I have even practiced in front of my dental hygienist in the waiting
room for my bi-annual cleaning. If you gained confidence to present
in front of strangers or in odd settings, imagine how good you will feel
when you are in a more contained environment.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com