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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 ...