How can you present with confidence and charisma?

During my first big presentation to a room full of senior executives, I learned the importance of knowing your purpose and audience. My topic was a complex strategy, and I initially prepared a technical, data-heavy presentation. However, I soon realised that the executives were more interested in the potential impact on profits and shareholder value. I quickly adjusted my approach, focusing on the strategic implications and the bottom-line benefits. I spoke confidently and with enthusiasm about how the strategy aligned with the company's goals. By tailoring my message to their interests, I engaged the audience, earned their trust, and delivered the presentation with charisma.

Confidence is the degree to which you can trust yourself. We tend to confuse confidence for skill: we see someone who’s a great speaker, and think “I wish I could be like them”. Able to show up and just do it. What we don’t see is the hundreds of times they tried and it didn’t work out. That’s how they built their skills: by having the confidence to show up again. Confidence is about effort: do you trust yourself to keep showing up? Or will you give up and stop doing it? Confidence is a journey, so embrace feedback, keep honing your skills, and over time, you'll become a charismatic and confident presenter who leaves a lasting impact. Be real. Be authentic. Be genuine and be fearless as these qualities will help build trust and connection

Throughout my academic journey as an educator/Head of English department,I learned to incorporate objectives and clear outcomes to planning and presentations.Clear objectives and interactive engagement through relevant examples/case studies are the most effective strategies to connect with an audience. I recommend using the real world as a model in any presentation. Prior to presenting, it is important to review material and understand how it can be applied in different scenarios so that the audience is able to engage with the content. A presentation is thought of as something very technical, however formulating content into chapters tells a story, engages the audience, and creates a memorable experience with much to adapt from!

As an effective speaker, one must cultivate the quality of Empathy as well. We may be prepared with the topics and know the audience; however it is necessary to go beyond one step. One needs to be aware that end the end of the day, beyond their profession or inclinations, they are people. And people connect to feelings, emotions, yes the expression and discipline of it may vary. That is the reason the visuals, storytelling and quoting examples work like a charm whole breaking the ice or making a connect.

Effective communication is when you shift the audience in 1 of 3 key ways. Changing what they THINK, FEEL or DO as a result. If you haven't shifted these 3 areas, you haven't been effective. In this way, get clear on what you want your audience to be thinking, feeling and doing afterwards. Try the "ANTI-TALK" technique where you imagine the worst possible result, then do the opposite. E.g. I have a talk today about networking, and the ANTI-TALK outcomes would be they THINK they can't do what I'm encouraging them to do, they FEEL overwhelmed/fearful about networking and they DO... nothing! They don't network, go to events or introduce themselves. So the opposite is thinking they CAN do it, feeling CONFIDENT/EXCITED and taking action.

One of the techniques that I've found incredibly effective is thorough preparation. Knowing your material inside and out not only boosts your confidence but also allows your charisma to shine through. Also, practice, practice, practice! Rehearsing your presentation multiple times can help you refine your delivery and ensure you connect with your audience. Remember, it's not just about what you say but how you say it. Body language, tone of voice, and genuine enthusiasm can make all the difference.

One simple technique that I have recently learned is to pause — the audience is unable to think and absorb what you have just told them if they do not have the space to. This technique not only helps refine the delivery to allow the audience feel less "talked at", as a relatively anxious public speaker, this also gives me a perfect excuse to feel comfortable pausing and slowing down.

During my first big presentation at work, I learned the importance of practice and rehearsal in presenting with confidence and charisma. I initially underestimated the preparation needed. Nervously, I skimmed through my slides, thinking I knew the content well. However, during the presentation, anxiety took over, and I stumbled through my points. Realising my mistake, I dedicated hours to rehearsing. I practiced in front of a mirror, recorded myself, and sought feedback. As a result, I delivered my next presentation with a newfound confidence. I maintained eye contact, spoke clearly, and engaged the audience. Practice made all the difference, turning my anxiety into assurance and allowing my charisma to shine.

I used to practice my presentations in front of my two dogs. If I stumbled over words or begin to ramble my thoughts or message, I started all over - back to slide one. A little extreme but I knew where and how I wanted to emphasize a key point with enthusiasm - naturally.

Even after doing public speaking for about 5 years now in local and international conferences, I still feel a lot nervous when I am getting on stage in the first few minutes. And I can't enforce more on how important practice and rehearsal is for your talk. In the initial months, I used to write the whole script and soft memorize it (like not exactly the word by word), and practice it in front of mirror. This will help your brain to adjust to the content you have to talk and timing on when to talk, and your talk will feel like a natural flow of words. The audience will find you authentic and will be able to connect with you.

Embrace your personality and individual approach, it's hard to be authentic without this. This makes you human and relatable to your audience as well. If you are interested in the content you are sharing, passion will arrive naturally in your delivery.

FILLER WORDS. Right now, I have to get the filler words under control. Um you know right? Lol. I talk this way and it's killing me in my presentations. I record and edit my videos. And oh my, early on I spent a lot of time cutting many of them out. I have not eliminated them completely, but I have improved. Just take a deep breath while thinking what to say next instead of using a filler word.

During my college years, I had to deliver a crucial presentation on climate change to a room full of professors and peers. I was determined to present with confidence and charisma, so I decided to be authentic and passionate. I spoke from the heart, sharing my genuine concern for the environment and my personal experiences with nature. I didn't try to be someone I wasn't or hide my nervousness. As I talked about my love for the outdoors and the urgent need for action, my enthusiasm shone through. I used relatable examples and maintained eye contact. The result? The audience was engaged, and I received positive feedback.

When you are speaking with pleasure and passion, your audience will see it. Time will be your enemy in this situation so keep an eye on your clock.

Absolutely! Authenticity and passion are the heart and soul of effective presentations. When you are genuine, your audience can sense it, making your message more relatable and impactful. By embracing your unique style and experiences, you offer a fresh perspective, setting yourself apart from others. Personal anecdotes and genuine emotions create a bond with listeners, fostering trust. Moreover, by sidestepping jargon and cliches, you ensure clarity and relatability in your message. Indeed, when you speak with sincere passion and authenticity, not only do you command attention, but you also inspire and resonate deeply with your audience.

I used visuals such as images, videos, or music in my presentations as the TAKE AWAY MESSAGE for that slide. I split the content on the slide into two parts. The left side is reserved for the key points using 3 to 5 words. It forces us to be concise. It serves as a reminder what to talk about. Also use animation to show your bullet point as you are speaking about it. Otherwise, the audience has read your slide and tuned out. On the right of the slide, consider adding a TAKE AWAY MESSAGE visual. Visit these free sites for images. Pixabay, Pexels, and Unsplash. Also, Microsoft Designer has good images too.

Presenting with confidence and charisma involves several key elements, including the effective use of visuals and stories. To captivate your audience, employ compelling visuals that support your message, such as graphs, images, or slides. Ensure these visuals are clear and relevant, enhancing rather than distracting from your presentation. Additionally, incorporate engaging stories to humanize your content and connect with your audience emotionally. Craft narratives that illustrate your points, making them relatable and memorable. By combining visuals and stories, you can convey complex ideas in a compelling manner, boosting your confidence and charisma as a presenter, and leaving a lasting impact on your audience.

Visuals are designed to enhance your presentation, not be your presentation! If you find yourself reading off your slides, you have too much info on them. Strip them back and look for key points or visual cues that anchor the information for the audience.

Its is very important to use images that is telling more about your story. You can explain or develop ideas on pictures that you present and you will add more information for your audience.

3 models from teaching/facilitation are I DO, WE DO and YOU DO. I DO activities are where you talk/demonstrate, e.g. telling a story. WE DO activities are where you do something with the audience, e.g. brainstorming with a whiteboard or creating a mindmap. Asking an open ended question and doing call-and-response is a great way to do this. YOU DO activities are what you get the audience to do either individually, in pairs or in groups. E.g. Individual YOU DO would be "Close your eyes and image your #1 goal for this year). Pair YOU DO would be "Turn to the person next to you and share an experience of imposter syndrome". Group YOU DO would be, "Form a group of 5 and do trust falls" (haha). Mix I DO, YOU DO, and WE DO for maximum impact!

Often times, being a public speaker feels like one-sided love. As a speaker, you think that the audience loves you and wants to hear you, but it's the opposite case most of the time. You are talking, but they are not listening. They are just their consuming your words regardless of the intentions and meaning behind those words. So, first thing I do is always build a trust at the start of the talk that this is not a talk, instead it's going to be a conversation. I keep asking questions, do small physical activities, and often reward people with gifts like free stickers, books etc. for engagement. This makes the audience excited, and they participate in your session with you. I deliver very technical talks, but this trick does wonders for me.

Presenting with confidence and charisma hinges on engaging your audience effectively. Start by knowing your material inside out, allowing you to speak confidently and authentically. Maintain eye contact to establish a personal connection and convey sincerity. Vary your tone and pace to keep listeners attentive and interested. Use body language to emphasise key points and convey enthusiasm. Encourage interaction through questions, anecdotes, or relatable stories. Active listening to your audience's reactions helps adapt your presentation on the fly, making it more engaging. Finally, practice and preparation are crucial for building confidence, as they ensure you can focus on engaging your audience rather than worrying about your performance.

Storytelling is the key to engaging your audience. Sharing personal stories, successes, and vulnerable moments is critical. As you develop your facilitation, you also develop your social awareness and can pick up when perhaps your audience needs a 'change of state', perhaps an activity, break or a quick joke 😉

Introduce your audience to unique analogies and metaphors to keep them engaged. Remember, it should be relatable so that it aligns with your message. And well-timed pause could invite responses helping you improve communication.

Your audience is infinitely extremely important but the truth and sincerity of what you say is more important and this is why you must be very knowledgeable about your subject matter so that you can translate it to your audience naturally and with all your emotions. Added to it is the variety of your contents, the tone, the voice, change of pitch, pace, that would definitely create pleasure, for the audience to listen All these require, of course, lots of practice

Create curiosity. Start with a question or a fact that would be considered otherwise unexpected. Call it a pattern interrupt. 90% of all such presentations start with the speaker asking if everyone can hear them, if the slides are on etc. You lose your audience right there and then and then it's making it up from there. Start strong. Don't give everything away - have the audience mull over what was just said. Focus on no more than 5 key takeaways, and really hone them in - so even if the average member forgets your name, they have something to recall. End with bringing it full circle. The end should seamlessly connect with the beginning. The best presentations have a natural flow and this is one of the ways to build that.

Two things: One of the most important things speakers don’t care about is the usage of mic. The way your voice transfers through the mic is different than it does when you are talking/rehearsing face to face. In a low tone, say hello or greet them with confidence, no high shouts, no enthusiasm, just a low pitched hello to show you have control. Second: This trick might not work every time but start by stating an extremely weird fact, this gets the attention after that low pitched hello. Every human is different, you cannot follow what other speaker does on stage, so you will have to try out things & figure out what works for you. But usage of mic is universal, everyone needs to learn. For that, record your audio on different mics!

Turn negatives into positives, and don’t be afraid to speak to “the elephant in the room”. We were hosting our first groundbreaking. We were small, ill prepared, and the event was poorly advertised. A colleague offered, “I hope there’s enough people there to make it worth it”. I rewrote my presentation to address the negative. I opened with, “This is a pretty small gathering, don’t you think? But that’s okay”. I then shared about how a similar organization started small 18 years ago, and how I was present. I finished by encouraging the attendees to be proud that they were with us at the beginning, too. Addressing the fact of the small gathering and attributing it to our small size and limited capability curbed gossip or criticism.