HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide Series)

Manage Your Stage Fright

Before you present, does your heart speed up? Do you sweat? Does your mouth go dry and your breathing become erratic? That’s your fight-or-flight instinct kicking in. Your body is telling you to flee because your brain perceives the audience as a possible threat: People might judge, challenge, or resist you.

You may also fear the fact that presentation delivery can’t be undone. It’s live, and it’s final.

A little bit of fear can be a good thing. I actually do a better job of presenting when I’m mildly nervous—it’s like a shot of adrenaline. But don’t let it overwhelm you.

Here are a few ways to manage your stage fright before you present:

• Quiet your mind: Stop the self-critical internal chatter and think instead about ...