Presentation Skills: How to develop as a public speaker

SQL Server MVP and former Microsoft SQL Server team member Paul S. Randal has posted a great primer on public speaking and things to consider to develop your own speaking skills. It's a great read.

His primer's topics:

• Choosing a subject.
• Knowing the audience.
• Demos.
• Nervousness.
• Putting together a slide deck.
• Powerpoint.
• Using humor.
• Co-presenting.
• Why are you there?
• Self-promotion.
• Projection.
• Tech check.
• Dress code.
• Practice.
• Getting a mentor.
• Feedback.
• Take-aways.
• Writing an abstract.
• Tangents.
• Whiteboarding.
• Props.
• Clickers.
• Movement.
• Dealing with questions.
• Timing.
• Eye contact.
• Thinking of a word.
• Hesitation.
• Confidence. Passion. Enthusiasm.
• Honesty.
• Arrogance.
• Empathy.
• Total no-nos.

  In addition to the excellent suggestions Paul made, I'd like to offer another - don't let yourself get rattled. Things *will* go wrong - whether in demos, or with A/V systems, or slides, whatever. Topic knowledge, practice and creative thinking will help minimize that, but you'll never be completely free from presentation disasters.

  Don't be afraid to joke about it/yourself, or if necessary, call a break rather than fumble around while the clock's ticking or the attendees are watching.

  I had this happen just yesterday. Blame Friday 13th, or the moon or whatever, but I had demo after demo fail in a SQL DBA class, and I felt myself start to get rattled. As experienced speakers know, getting rattled can start to feed on itself: you'll make even more mistakes, which will make you even more rattled.

  I needed to call an extra 10 mins break to a) troubleshoot and fix, and b) take some deep breaths.

  When this happens, you should also show the audience (upon their return or the resumption of your presentation) what went wrong, what your troubleshooting process was (if relevant to the presentation's subject) and (when possible) that it's fixed. This will help restore your own confidence, help redeem you somewhat in their eyes, and may also help teach some in the audience some new troubleshooting technique or concept.

  Interested in developing your public speaking skills? Sign up with a local user group. For example, at the Denver SQL Server User Group, where I'm a member, we've started offering what we call "speaker training." Members have signed up to give short presentations (10-15 mins) on a topic of their choosing, and other members offer constructive criticism. It's a great way to get comfortable with what has been called the #1 fear: speaking in public.