Quite a number of us struggle with stuttering, especially when it comes to presenting ourselves in front of an audience. This is a result of feeling nervous. Of course, feeling nervous need not necessarily be a bad thing. In fact, it would go to show that the presentation which you are giving means something to you. However, that’s not to say that you should let it get the better of you.
When giving a presentation, a key aspect to it’s success would be on how well you are able to capture your audience’s attention. And one of the factors that causes even the best presenters to lose their audience’s attention would be when they project nervousness in front of their audience. This projection of nervousness is especially evident when one stutters uncontrollably.
Many of us stutter either because we are not adequately prepared for the presentation, or because we don’t truly believe in the subject of our presentation. Fortunately, there are a few ways to overcome this.
The first would be to allow yourself sufficient time for practice before the presentation. Having sufficient practice is key to ensuring that you are familiar with the subject which you are presenting. The more familiar you are with it, the more you will believe in it with conviction. If possible, record yourself whilst you are practicing. This would allow you to see for yourself the areas in which you might need improvement.
Another tip would be to take deep breaths before your presentation. This allows you to calm down, and to calm the nervous energy which may be at a rather high level, especially before a presentation. Take the time to arrive at the venue early, to have sufficient time to compose yourself. Over time, you’ll find that this does wonders in assisting you for delivering an outstanding presentation.
And finally, when you are speaking in front of your audience, it would be best to slow down. A major reason behind stuttering and projecting nervousness onto the audience would be because your mind and mouth are not in sync. Lowering the pace of your speech would assist you, especially in ensuring that you do not lose your chain of thought during the presentation.
Most, if not all presenters feel nervous before delivering their presentation. However, while it’s normal to feel nervous, taking these steps to overcome your fears, will help you to remain calm. By reducing your anxiety, you may be able to overcome the problem of stuttering, and this will allow you to feel more confident, each time you stand in front of an audience.
