1. Know that, despite this being the most prevalent cause for anxiety in Western societies, being afraid to speak in public is not inevitable.

2. Acknowledge that you were not born with a fear of speaking in public; the fear developed over time, as a result of your responses to certain events, people, situations. And so, the fear reaction can be changed.

3. Understand the mind/body connection. Your thoughts influence your internal body mechanisms. The fearful thoughts that you experience at delivering a presentation create stress within the body – the flight/fight response. You can control both your thought processes and your physical responses.

4. Recognise specifically what it is that makes you feel anxious. Identify how these concerns originated and then how they developed over time.

5. Acknowledge that speaking in public is not all bad. Reflect on the positives of delivering a presentation in relation to personal development etc. Identify the opportunities that speaking in public provides you with.

6. Be realistic about presentations. How do you define a “successful” presentation? Are you expecting too much of yourself?

7. Be aware of your own hidden agenda. Are you unconsciously trying to make everyone like/respect you? The information that you need to impart is, in reality, the star of the show, not you, the presenter. You are merely the conduit through which the audience are going to benefit.

8. Remember, the audience is on your side. You have their immediate respect because they find the thought of speaking in public just as daunting as you did. You are courageous in their eyes and they want you to succeed. They also want to benefit from the information you are about to impart.

9. Preparing the presentation. Remember, it is the information that’s important. Know your subject matter and become completely engaged with it; if you’re bored/disinterested, chances are, your audience will be too. Create 3-4 main points, and focus on imparting the information as simply as possible.

10. Once you know the content of your presentation, practise delivering it in front of the mirror/to significant others. You could video yourself and identify your strengths, experiment a little. But don’t try to be someone other than yourself; give yourself permission to be yourself and play to your strengths.

11. Prepare yourself: dress appropriately, avoid stimulants such as coffee, alcohol etc; generate a positive state of mind with mental rehearsal, visualisations of success, relaxation exercises, steady breathing.

12. Prepare the room and all necessary equipment/handouts etc.

13. The presentation itself:

- Recognise your nerves and turn them into enthusiasm/excitement; work with the energy generated by the fear, not against it.
- Distraction. Notice everything about the room you are in, the weather outside etc. Greet people as they arrive. Engage with people prior to the presentation. Notice everything about the people in the audience; who’s wearing glasses, high-heeled shoes etc.
- Breathe slowly and steadily.
- Remember that you are not the star of the show – the information is. Distract attention away from yourself and onto the information. Speak slowly, audibly, enunciate clearly. Speak with conviction. Show congruent emotion such as excitement, create rapport with questions, engage the audience. Pause, move, gesticulate. Know when to stop.
- Utilise the reactions of the audience, but do not seek to control their behaviour.

14. Post presentation, reflect on what you did well; learn from things that didn’t go according to plan. Apply those lessons to the next presentation.

15. Do not avoid speaking in public. The more you present to others, the easier and more fulfilling it becomes.