Shifting the Focus
Here’s a great strategy to take the pressure off yourself and place it more correctly where it belongs… on your message. The next time you make a presentation have a quiet word with yourself before standing up and speaking. Tell yourself something like this: “These people are here to learn about what my company (product, research, etc.) can do for them”.
You could try a variety of ways of doing this: “These people need to know the facts about the project (last year’s results, opportunities etc), they’re not here to judge me, they’re here to gain the information”.
Sometimes it helps to visualise as well. Prior to your next presentation hold out one of your hands and cup your palm. Look at the cupped palm and place your message in your hand. Tell yourself, “These people are interested in this (the message in the palm of your hand), not me. So I’ll give them this message”.
Weird? Perhaps. But it shifts your subconscious mind’s focus off you and onto some innate item (as far as your subconscious mind goes, anything that isn’t you is innate, it isn’t interested in it).
Once you’ve shifted the focus off you and onto the message you may very well feel a whole lot better.