Page 34 - TPGFBAO First Draft (5th Ed)

Overcoming Group discussion /Interview/

Presentation Nerves

• Knowledge/Competence. These aspects are related to each other and

help greatly in overcoming the nerves. Thus, improvement in knowledge

and competence, which lead to enhanced confidence, is vital.

• Visualisation and Practice. Visualise the event, entire seating

arrangement and audience, etc, in your mind clearly and also visualise

that you remain calm and confident and perform well. The more you re-

hearse mentally the more confident you become. The mental rehearsals

remove the novelty aspect and you feel that you have done it earlier and

nerves remain in control.

• Focus on Content. If you concentrate on the contents of what you have to

speak and immerse yourself totally in that, you will become oblivious to

the crowd and not experience nerves.

• Deep Breathing. A person who is calm takes slow and deep breaths,

while a nervous person breathes quick and shallow. By focusing on deep

and slow breathing the effect of confidence can be induced!

• Connect and Smile. Connect with the audience in a relaxed manner with

a smile. When you start to speak, first greet the audience and smile. Speak

more deliberately and clearly. Listening to your voice and pleasant reflec-

tion from the audience, induced by your smile, will have a calming influ-

ence and help control the nerves.

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