Creating effective business presentations/Developing business presentations/Public speaking myths and realities

All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.

This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that it's natural to feel nervous about public speaking. In fact, many people say public speaking is the thing they are most afraid of in the world! What's important to remember is that everyone can improve with practice. One great example is David Nottage from New Zealand. As a young manager of a supermarket, David said he "couldn't string two words together" if he was in front of four people. He chose to do something about it, worked on his speaking skills, and in 1996 he beat 30,000 others to become a world champion speaker!

We don't all need to be world champion contenders, but there are many resources available, both on the internet and/or in your local library, on developing your skills as a speaker. There are also different organisations that you can join, such as Toastmasters International, or perhaps local classes that you can attend for free. Find out if there are any in your area!