Many people have been visiting my website recently looking for information on how to put together a presentation. This was the subject of the first series of newsletters we produced several years ago, but I thought it would be worthwhile to come back to it with a different spin.

How much anxiety does it take to put together a presentation?

The worst mistake people make is to respond emotionally when they realise they have to do a presentation.  The tension and anxiety produced prevents them from marshalling their resources and getting down to the planning and preparation required to be effective. On the flip side there are those who are so confident that they fail to do any work before the day and try to wing it. I have never witnessed a good performance from anyone who has relied on enthusiasm and adrenaline alone.

So the first thing to deal with is your emotional state. If you are someone who tends to be a bit overconfident, I would stress that the more work you do beforehand, the better your performance will be. You may feel the occasion is not important enough to warrant much preparation, but you just never know who will be watching you who could be the key to a better future. Whilst running training and development programmes that ended with a presentation to senior management, I have seen people who performed well being offered attractive jobs in a different department.

For those who shake at the mere thought of giving a presentation, thorough preparation and learning how to manage your nerves can help you to perform beyond your expectations.  The newsletters over the next few months will deal with these points and provide some other tips on putting together a successful presentation that achieves your objective.