Here's how I improved my public speaking, and made it an enjoyable part of my role!

I probably shouldn’t say this, but I used to be terrible at public speaking! At school, I even hated reading out loud in front of people. I would either refuse or dissolve into nervous giggles.

The first time I delivered a talk professionally, I wanted to run away and hide. I was so anxious, I couldn’t understand what I was feeling, and this was the first time I learned about fight-or-flight! Afterwards, I got some good feedback (my lovely team said that I knew my stuff, which was the kindest thing they could have said) and I felt encouraged to keep on trying.

Years later, when I began my role at A Cloud Guru, I was still very awkward and uncomfortable - I had not had much experience other than small presentations to my own team, or within projects I’d worked on. Talking on camera feels like a completely different skill!

So what happened? - Lots and lots of practice! Over the past 3 years I’ve delivered almost 60 talks in-person or online.

Here’s what I learned along the way to make public speaking an energising and enjoyable part of my work!

Preparation is key

I like to be well prepared, so I practice until I feel ready. My first big talk was practiced at least 20 times - I realise that this is completely unreasonable and unnecessary! But at the time, doing that made me feel much more comfortable on the day, and I felt I was ready. These days, I practice a new talk 3 times, and that’s usually enough!

Ask the audience

Always ask some questions. Understanding more about your audience will help you to deliver a talk that resonates. Making it a two way street also changes the energy in the room, because people feel like they are part of something, not just sitting there being talked at.

Start strong

The first 2 or 3 minutes are always the most nerve wracking! So having a strong start can really set you up for success, by this I mean practicing how you’ll introduce yourself, begin the talk, and be sure to have something interesting to catch people’s attention at the beginning.

Stay on track

Don’t get thrown off track by your own slides! Make sure they are well structured, this will make it much easier to take your audience on a journey and make it easy for you to deliver as well. If ideas are bouncing around all over the place, it makes it much more challenging for you to deliver a coherent message.

Slow and steady

This was the hardest thing for me in the beginning, because if you’ve met me, you’ll know I’m a bundle of nervous energy, I naturally talk fast, especially when I’m excited so I have to consciously slow down! Breathing deeply helps a lot, as well as arriving early, so that I’m not rushing about at the last minute.

Channel your inner superhero!

🦸‍♀️ My bonus tip is to find your power pose. It’s such a cliche but it works. Mine is: Superhero! I find a quiet place a few minutes before my session starts and take a few moments to stand, hands on hips, shoulders back and head held high, after that, I’m ready for anything!

What are your tips for successful public speaking?