1

Presentation Skills and Confidence

Adam Sandelson

LSE Student Counselling Service

2

Aims

Look at confidence building measures to giving good presentations

Develop positive self talk Overcome physical anxiety Manage underlying feelings

3

CIRCLE OF CONFIDENCE

situation thoughts feelings behaviour

(self-talk) sensations

Negative Circle

4

CIRCLE OF CONFIDENCE

situation thoughts feelings behaviour

(self-talk) sensations

Positive Circle

5

Confidence for Presentations

Key Principles:

Sensible planning Positive Self talk Role Rehearsal Relaxation/ Stress Management

6

Presentation Planning

Clear simple structure Summarise:

what you’re going to say say it Tell them what you’ve said

Rehearse it out loud First two minutes – repeat practice

7

Developing Positive Self-Talk:

Where/when am I already confident?

What does that confidence feel like?

How is it different from feeling low? How did I build that confidence?

8

Role Rehearsal

What happens when I think about giving a presentation

3 desired ‘goals’ Work out matching behaviours Practice (in front of mirror) Fake it till you make it

9

How is our message received?

Tone & Inflection

38%

Words7%

Body Language

55%

10

Good practice tips

Positive self talk e.g. ‘good enough’ Vary vocal style – 3 P’s

Pace Power Pause Pitch

Less is More Focus on positive listeners

11

Anxiety Management

Anxiety = high level of bodily arousal+

negative self-defeating thoughts

Instead, learn: 1. Physical relaxation 2. Breathing 3. Mini-pause

12

Presentation Dynamics

Pastrelationships

Relationshipwith the

Presentationor talk…

Currentrelationships

13

Underlying dynamics

Trying to please others Wanting to be the best Being a perfectionist Family /historic context for being

successful Setting yourself impossible

targets

14

Keeping perfectionism in check

Set realistic and achievable goals Recognise your achievements Perfectionism is undesirable Experiment with standards for success Focus on the process not just the end result. Evaluate success –

What did you accomplish? Could you enjoy the task?

Imagine looking back – 2 hours/ 2 weeks later

15

Challenging negative thoughts

Imagine them being tested in Court

Identify the negative thought Eg, My presentation will be terrible

Ascertain the evidence For and Against Ask if you are making a ‘thinking error’ Propose a more reasonable alternative

thought

16

Thinking errors

All or nothing thinking Discounting the positive/ tunnel

vision only seeing the negative side of

things Overgeneralizing

because it happened in the past it will happen again in the future

Believing a catastrophe will happen

17

LSE Student Counselling Service – G507

Free and confidential Mainly short term counselling Book appointments in advance Urgent appointments (phone early in the

day) See Website for

Stress management handouts Self help resources on a wide range of student

issues (study – related and personal difficulties) Relaxation MP3’s

18

Final Thoughts

Any questions 1 or 2 things from today What else