Get Rid of Your Notes, and Present more Confidently

Get Rid of Your Notes!

One of the first tips that we give to participants who go through our Fearless Presentations® program is to Get Rid of Your Notes and you’ll be shocked at how much more confidently that you will present. Most people believe that having notes in front of you will help you speak more confidently or help you remember all of the fantastic details that your audience really wants to hear. Both of these conclusions are false. In fact, making notes either on paper or in your PowerPoint slideshow is one of the fastest ways to make you more nervous!

Here's what happens. When you design a presentation that has too much data, all of those points can get confusing and difficult to deliver. You are also likely to sound boring and have a difficult time connecting with the audience. When all of those things happen at one time, nervousness will shoot through the roof.

So, what can you do about it? First, change the way that you design your presentations. Most people sit down with paper or PowerPoint and begin to catalogue everything that they know about the subject. Next, we alter the slides or notes by cutting out all the stuff that doesn't fit the particular time frame. The less time that we have to speak, the more of the material that we cut. What happens when we use this technique is that we end up with a Swiss cheese presentation that is difficult to remember and more difficult to deliver.

Now when you speak, you only have to remember a few key points. Everything else in your presentation is just evidence of your previous statements. If you forget a little of your evidence, no big deal, because you will have still been able to prove the point. Also, no one really knew exactly what you were going to say anyway. However, if you are delivering a long list of data points and you forget something, everyone will know.

Follow these key steps in designing your presentation and free yourself from the notes!

Step #1: Start with just a few key points to cover. Figure out what the absolute most important points that you need to cover are, and limit your presentation to just those key concepts. For most presentations, three, four, or five points is about as many as you want to cover in one sitting.

Step #2: Add stories, examples, analogies, and other proof of your key points instead of just adding more data. These types of evidence are more interesting and easier to remember when you deliver your presentation. (They will also make you feel more comfortable when you speak.)

Step #3: Practice a couple of times without notes with a friend or coworker. Once you can present to a friend without notes, your confidence will grow, and it will be easier to present in front of your real audience as well.

Design your presentations a little differently, and you'll be able to reduce your nervousness and not have to refer to notes!


Doug Staneart, doug@leaderinstitute.com, is CEO of The Leaders institute® (www.leadersinstitute.com). His Fearless Presentations® class focuses on overcoming the fear of public speaking, building confident and autonomous leaders, and improving employee morale. He can be reached toll-free at 1-800-872-7830.