I used to be terrified of public speaking. As in - no sleep the night before and throwing up terrified. Here are some tips for dealing with FOPS (Fear of Public Speaking).
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(1) Don’t let imposter syndrome cripple you. NO ONE in the audience has exactly the same knowledge as you have.
(2) Be relevant. Think about WHO your audience ARE and tailor your talk to their needs. If you need help, talk to the organizers of the event you are speaking at.
(3) Practice, practice, practice. You should know your talk inside out. Make sure that your talk flows well. Practice in front of an empty room and then try a group of friends - get some friendly feedback.
(4) Get a friendly face in the audience. If possible, find a friend and ask them to sit in the audience - in a place that you can see them. Seeing a friendly face will help calm nerves.
(5) Take a good presentation technique course. Learn the tools of the trade. At #JavaZone we offer a free course to our Oslo based speakers, which has delivered great results!
(6) Don’t despair when things go wrong. Sometimes things don’t go your way. Take some time to reflect and learn. Next time WILL be better.
(7) The audience IS on your side. You are NOT testifying to the Supreme Court, but to a gathering of peers who want to hear what you have to say,
(8) Don’t be scared of questions. If someone asks a question you cannot answer, say something like “That’s a really great question! I don’t have an answer for you right now but I’ll look into it and get back to you.”
(9) Don’t be scared of a low turnout. Use the opportunity to connect with those who have turned up. If the talk is videoed, then perform for the camera. It could be that many more people will see the Video.
(10) Watch and learn from others. That speaker you really like? Try to adopt some of their tricks. The opposite for speakers you don't like.
(11) Find your own voice. Try to put your own unique spin on things. State your own opinions. Don't blindly rehash other peoples work.
(12) Tell your unique story. Your talk is about YOUR experience and knowledge.
(13) Avoid changing stuff right before your talk. This is cool when you have some experience, but it might trip you up when first getting started.
(14) Stuck? Breathe and take a sip of water. Collect yourself and then go on.
Good luck! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about conference speaking!
