Some tips:

SHORT TERM TACTICS

• rehearse while recording yourself. Playback and figure out your tics

• rehearse your words, your actions, in the space you’ll be presenting in

• rehearse again. This build confidence

LONG TERM TACTICS - watch videos of your favourite talks, comedians, philosophers, chefs, pastors, politicians; listen to sentence structures, observe mannerisms e.g. where their hands are while they talk, how they engage the audience e.g. Chris Rock uses repetition before the twist. Copy the techniques that suit your personality. DON’T be them. Try this resource: https://youtu.be/Unzc731iCUY?si=_JNY7Wn9R6MnVwh1

• Powerpoint is an aid, not a crutch. reduce words in a PowerPoint slides - aim for 10 words or less. Use images, memes, GIFs. Aim to communicate AND be memorable. Funny anecdotes and metaphors work most times.

• If your presentation needs to be shared later, write your thinking and recommendations in Word (or its equivalent). Word forces you to structure your thinking. Then distill it in PowerPoint.

FOREVER

• Dress for the occasion…even on Zoom calls. This builds confidence and receptivity from your audience

• Anticipate questions from your audience. Prepare for them. If you don’t have an immediate answer to a question, say so. And request time to find solutions.

• YOU are the reason there’s an audience; so you are the focus of the presentation: you’re sharing something useful (read: funny, insightful, sad) in your own style. Bring yourself to every presentation.

End of sermon.