There is hardly a business professional alive who would not say possessing excellent public speaking skills is crucial to their career advancement.

However, public speaking is one of the biggest frustrations in people’s lives.

This article explores three significant public speaking frustrations and their remedies.

Public Speaking Anxiety

Fear of public speaking has been said to be people’s number one fear. When delivering a presentation, some people feel nervous, lack confidence, and don’t know how to engage with their audience. Remedies to these frustrations are addressed below:

Nervousness –

• Frustration – The fear of speaking in public is a common frustration. Many individuals experience anxiety when delivering presentations, which can hinder their ability to communicate effectively.

• Remedy – Practice your presentation twenty to forty times in a mirror and before a live practice audience. How you deliver your presentation in practice is how you will deliver it in public. So practice is essential.

Lack of Confidence –

• Frustration – A lack of confidence in one’s public speaking abilities can lead to frustration. This can affect the overall delivery and impact of the presentation.

• Remedy – Know your content two to three levels below how you present it. As mentioned above, practice your presentation twenty to forty times.

Audience Engagement –

• Frustration – Keeping the audience engaged and attentive can be challenging. Failure to do so can lead to frustration, as it might feel like your message is not getting through.

• Remedy – Try the following ways to keep your audience engaged: (1) Ask your audience questions, (2) have someone not in the audience keep track of what people in the audience are talking about, and then ask questions of those who are not. Allow those who want to pass do so.

So, you now have a clear path to reduce your public speaking anxiety frustrations.

Design and content creation frustrations will be addressed next.

Design and Content Creation

Presentation design and content creation are other public speaking frustrations people have. It will take a lot of time to create an excellent presentation. This can be frustrating. Lack of design skills and determining the right content and organization can also be frustrating. Remedies to these frustrations are outlined below:

Time-Consuming –

• Frustration – Crafting a well-designed, informative presentation can be time-consuming. Many people find it frustrating to create slides, graphics, and content effectively conveying their message.

• Remedy – Creating and practicing a well-designed, informative presentation is time-consuming. There is no way around it. However, if your return on investment is high, it will justify the time. If the ROI is not high, you may want to question whether you should even present.

Lack of Design Skills –

• Frustration – Designing visually appealing slides can be challenging for those who lack graphic design skills. Frustration arises when individuals struggle to make their presentation look professional.

• Remedy – You don’t have to be a graphic artist to create suitable slides. Minimize the number of words on your slides. Everything you say in your delivery should not be on your slides. Use phrases, not complete sentences, on your slides. Finally, ensure you include at least one or, preferably, two relevant images on your slides.

Content Organization –

• Frustration – Determining the right content and structuring it logically and engagingly can be frustrating. Some people struggle with selecting the most relevant information and arranging it coherently.

• Remedy – First, determine your presentation’s general outline before creating the first slide. When you see your presentation organization as a whole, you can see whether it is logical. Illogical presentations turn off audiences. Second, ensure you know your audience’s knowledge and opinion of your subject. This will determine the depth and content of your presentation. Finally, creating and practicing multiple presentations will allow you to get better and ease your content organization frustrations.

So, you now have a clear path to reduce your public speaking anxiety, presentation design, and content frustrations.

Technology frustrations will be addressed next.

Technical Issues

In the last hundred years, technology has advanced so we can have a video call on demand with anyone else, no matter where they are. All both of you need are computers and an Internet connection. Amazing!

However, technology can be frustrating. Equipment problems, software challenges, and Internet connectivity can all be challenging.

Remedies to these frustrations are outlined below:

Equipment Problems –

• Frustration – Technical issues such as malfunctioning projectors, microphone problems, or incompatible file formats can be highly frustrating and disrupt the flow of a presentation.

• Remedy –You cannot prevent all technical issues from happening in your presentation, but you can create a “Plan B” if they occur. During your presentation preparation period, take the time to think of all the things that can go wrong (not only technical issues) and devise a “Plan B” for when they happen. Bonus points go to those who document their “Plan Bs.”

Software Challenges –

• Frustration – Learning and effectively using presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote) can be a source of frustration, especially for those who are not tech-savvy.

• Remedy – This may sound hard, but anyone at any age, whether you are twenty-five or sixty-five, can learn to use the basic technology they need for their presentation. Self-talk determines your future; saying you are not tech-savvy doesn’t help your situation. The key is not to use the next technology, “shiny object,” unless needed. Another option is to hire someone (e.g., www.fiverr.com) to teach you how to use your technology. This cost is lower than you might think.

Internet Connectivity –

• Frustration – For online presentations, issues with internet connectivity or platform glitches can be maddening, as they can disrupt the presentation’s delivery and audience engagement.

• Remedy – In the post-COVID-19 world, there is no excuse for you not to have the fastest and most reliable Internet possible. It is vital. WIFI is convenient, but if you are serious about reducing Internet disruptions, have your Internet hardwired to your computer. I hardwire my Internet connection from an extender in my basement office. Regarding other technology glitches, ensure you have a late-day computer that can handle the software you are running. Close all software not needed for your in-person or virtual presentation.

We have explored public speaking anxiety, design and content, and technology frustrations and their remedies.

To mitigate these frustrations, it’s helpful to invest time in preparation, practice, and potentially seek training or coaching in areas where you feel less confident, such as design or public speaking.

If you are a speaker and not a Toastmasters Club member, you are missing one of the most incredible opportunities to improve your public speaking ability.

Join a Toastmasters Club to reap enormous public speaking benefits. Toastmasters allows you to deliver presentations regularly with encouraging presentation evaluations. It is also cost-effective. Visit a Toastmasters Club near you soon.

There is an enormous storehouse of how to create and deliver presentations from books, blogs, YouTube, and many other sources to alleviate your public speaking frustrations.

Life is too short to be frustrated, especially when the knowledge to lessen your public speaking frustrations is readily available.

Never stop learning to improve your public speaking ability!

You won’t regret it!

Call to Action

• Reduce your public speaking anxiety by (1) practicing your presentation twenty to forty times, improving it each time, (2) knowing your content two to three levels below the way you will present it, and (3) engaging your audience with questions and exercises while ensuring the maximum number of audience members are called upon.

• Reduce your design and content creation frustrations by (1) reducing the amount of words on your slides while adding relevant graphics, (2) organizing your presentation in an easy-to-follow logical manner, and (3) creating a presentation outline before the first slide is created.

• Reduce your technology frustrations by (1) creating “Plan Bs” for specific things that might go awry in your presentation, (2) limiting your technology needs to what you need, and (3) seeking training in the software with which you are frustrated.

Frank DiBartolomeo is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and award-winning speaker, presentation and interview skills coach, and Professional Member of the National Speakers Association. He was awarded Toastmasters International’s highest individual award, Distinguished Toastmaster because of his outstanding work in public speaking and leadership.

Frank formed DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC (www.speakleadandsucceed.com) in 2007. The mission of DCI is to help technical professionals to inspire, motivate, and influence their colleagues and other technical professionals by improving their presentation skills, communication, and personal presence. Reach Frank at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com and (703) 509-4424.

Don’t miss Frank DiBartolomeo’s latest book!

“Speak Well and Prosper: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Better Presentations”

Available now at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com