Public speaking comes with the job. That is a simple sentence.

But a whole world is behind it.

Of course some things you knew beforehand yes, when you become a manager you’re expected to manage employees. And you anticipated being in more meetings.

But what about ….. public speaking?

Not many managers think of public speaking as something that comes with the job. However, presenting is part of your job as a manager.

Yep, you don’t love it. Yep, you try to avoid it.

But … it is unavoidable.

Just think about something that comes back every year like a New Year’s gathering. Someone needs to say a few words about the past year, and then something inspiring for the future. Guess what? Everybody is looking at you.

And of course the all-staff meetings! Addressing your employees in an engaging way comes with the job.

You might try to avoid speaking but you can’t.

Here are a few tips to make it more fun:

 – Short and simple works best

How often have you attended a presentation and thought at the end, “I wished the presenter wasn’t done yet?” If you’re lucky, you thought that once or twice. So, keep it short and sweet. Nobody minds that it is short.

 – Don’t wing it.

Think what you want to say in advance. And write down some key points. Even if your whole presentation will only last a few minutes.

 – Tell jokes only when…

You don’t resemble me. Are you a natural at telling jokes? Then go ahead. If you’re like me – I always forget the punch line – then DON’T. Use funny cartoons, photos, or videos instead.

 – Involve your audience

Think beforehand how you can involve people in the room. A little quiz can make a huge difference.

 – Practice

Practice. While washing the dishes, taking a shower or driving in your car, practice.

 – Concentrate on your opening and closing

Do you know that your audience is most attentive at the beginning and the end of your talk? You’ve probably noticed that. So, concentrate on those.

And of course:

 – Breathe, breathe, breathe

Keep on breathing. Concentrate more than normal on breathing. During times of stress – and presenting is stressful – your breathe becomes tense and shallow.

If you have a great tip that you would share with the LeadershipBeyond Ezine readers, let me know. Let’s learn from each other.