Nonverbal Communication: Mastering the Art of Confident Presentations
[This is the fifth entry in a series on Nonverbal Communication for Success in the Workplace. See parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the links.]
Introduction
Giving a strong presentation confidently is a skill that most people want, but only a few have.
For whatever reason, many people in our society seem to think that presenting is an innate gift – you either can do it or you can not. This is untrue. Presenting with confidence is a learnable skill. Show me someone who can give strong presentations, and I will show you someone who worked hard at it, either through practice or by giving many presentations in the past.
The Power of Effective Presentation
In the professional world, being a great presenter is very valuable. It's rare and makes you stand out when you do it well. Giving excellent presentations demonstrates confidence, skill, and the ability to provide your knowledge and insights to others, all of which raise your profile in the workplace.
A successful presentation is given with confidence. It's not about being an expert in every detail – the goal is to show you understand the topic in your role and experience. You will likely face experts who ask unexpected questions, and that is ok.
Before diving into confident presenting, you need to understand the basics. This article mainly focuses on in-person presentations, but the ideas also work for virtual settings like Zoom and phone calls with some adjustments.
Visual Aids
When making a presentation, think of it as a story that guides the audience toward a decision or action. Visual aids help people understand. Use visuals that make your points stronger, but don't overuse PowerPoint slides. Well-chosen visuals keep people interested. Remember, listeners might lose focus because of distractions, so good visuals help keep them interested.
Balance is important – your visuals should add to what you say, not replace it. Use short slides to highlight key ideas and questions, and use your words and story for most of the presentation.
Practice is Key
Write down what you want to say in advance and practice reading it out loud.
Making it up as you go won't give the best results. Writing and practicing your speech multiple times helps you organize it and remember it. Practice is important – the more important the presentation, the more you should practice. As you practice, you'll feel more confident and less anxious about your remarks.
Managing Pre-Presentation Nerves
Everyone gets nervous before speaking. Real confidence doesn't mean knowing you'll do perfectly, but believing you'll be okay no matter what happens. Think this way to feel less anxious.
Different body positions provoke different emotions. Look into Amy Cuddy’s work on power poses to instill confidence before a presentation.
For extra preparation, try Amy Cuddy's Power Poses to feel more confident before you start. Breathing exercises can also help calm nerves – take slow, deep breaths while waiting your turn. Remember, the only difference between fear and excitement is breathing. Focus on steady breathing to change how you feel, and think of the presentation as a rollercoaster ride instead of a mortal threat to relax about the occassion.
Showing Confidence Through Presentation
How you present shows how confident you are. Speaking without relying on a podium commands respect.
The hierarchy of confident speaking formats ranges from TED Talk-style talks, to standing at a podium, to sitting in front of the audience, and then to sitting with them as the lowest demonstration of confidence. This concept works for virtual presentations too – being willing to show yourself on screen and be vulnerable to criticism affects how confident you appear.
Being confident doesn't just make people trust you, it also gets them engaged. When you're confident, the audience feels more comfortable. They also are less likely to challenge a confident speaker, making your role even easier.
To be more confident, use space – move around, even if you're behind a podium, open up your arms and gesture towards people and slides. Moving with open body language shows you're at ease.
Looking the Part: Clothes and Body Language
Dressing well will give you more authority in the eyes of the audience.
What you wear affects how people see you. Being well dressed subconsciously raises your authority level on the issue. Dress a bit better than usual, especially if you're the main speaker. Colors matter – choose shades like dark blue, gray, and deep green for confidence and trust. Earth tones show warmth and credibility, while black looks powerful when needed.
Physically, stand tall with relaxed shoulders and good posture. Focus on increasing the distance between your ears and shoulders. Keep your body language open – don’t cross your arms or put your hands in your pockets. Open body language makes you seem friendly, honest, and at ease. Use gestures with purpose – avoid fidgeting or nervous behaviors. Do not point at people, use open palms to gesture around the room to increase receptivity instead of creating defensiveness.
Eye Contact and Voice Control
Make eye contact with people around the room to keep them engaged and connected with you. Prioritize important listeners, but also do your best to connect with the whole audience.
In how you speak, your pace matters. Anxiety can make you speak too quickly, so slow down and speak clearly. Practicing beforehand will help you speak better and use fewer filler words like "ums" and "likes." Use pauses – they show confidence, not being unprepared. It takes stones to stand in front of a crowd in silence whike they wait for your next word.
After making an important point, use a pregnant pause for a moment and look around the room before moving on.
A Confident Ending
Confident presentations come from good preparation, confident delivery, and using body language well. Getting great at this is takes time, but it is impressive when you do.
Remember, confident presenters aren't born that way – they become skilled through practice and experience. You can too.
As you work on becoming a great presenter, know that every step, from planning to speaking, helps build your confident presence.