I am actually a very shy person.
Standing in front of a room full of people to give a presentation?
If you knew me personally growing up, you would know that younger me would absolutely cringe at the idea.
But sometimes in life, presenting is necessary.
Sometimes you need to explain your ideas.
Sometimes you need to defend your work.
Sometimes you need to stand in front of a room and own it.
So if you’re someone who is naturally shy, this one is for you.
Take notes.
The Problem With Being Nervous
As I’ve grown older, I’ve had to present many times, in rooms, meetings, research discussions, and professional settings.
And one thing I’ve learned is this:
Nervousness shows.
It shows in the way you rush your slides.
It shows when you skip important points.
It shows when you try to finish as quickly as possible just to escape the room.
So over time, I developed a few rules that help me present confidently even when I’m nervous inside.
Here are five things I always do before presenting.
1. Prepare Like It’s an Exam
Preparation is everything.
If I know I have a presentation in two weeks, I prepare every single day.
I go over my slides again and again.
I think about the message I want people to take away.
My goal is simple:
I want my presentation to be so clear that if someone wants to question me, they have to think deeply first.
Preparation gives you confidence.
When you know your material, you stop fearing the room.
2. Don’t Crowd Your Slides
This is a big one.
I never put all my talking points on my slides.
At most, I use pointers.
Your slides are not meant to replace you.
They are there to support the story you are telling, not to become the story themselves.
Yes, PowerPoint allows you to add notes.
But even then, I try not to rely on them.
The goal is to talk to the room, not to read from the screen.
3. Find Your Anchor Person
Whenever I present, I do something very simple.
I look for the person in the room who is nodding.
There is always one.
The person who is clearly following your point.
The person who is agreeing with what you’re saying.
That person becomes my anchor.
At first, I speak mostly to them.
Then slowly, I expand my gaze to include other people who are also engaged.
Before you know it, you’re no longer afraid of the room.
Because the room now feels like a conversation.
4. Speak So People Understand You
Let me confess something.
Sometimes I use very big grammar when I talk.
I don’t know why I do that nonsense but I do.
And I constantly have to remind myself not to.
Because here’s the truth:
If people need a dictionary to understand your presentation, you have failed as a presenter.
Your job is not to sound intelligent.
Your job is to communicate clearly.
If someone from a completely different field can understand what you’re saying, then you’ve done it right.
5. Speak Confidence Into Existence
This is the most personal rule for me.
If you know me well, you know that faith and scripture are part of my daily life.
And one principle I believe strongly in is this:
Call things as though they were.
So even when I’m nervous, shaking inside, you will rarely hear it in my words.
If someone asks me:
“Are you ready?”
I won’t say, “I’m terrified.”
Instead I’ll say something like:
“Of course. I’m ready.”
Not because I’m pretending.
But because I believe that what you speak begins to shape your reality.
Confidence is sometimes something you grow into mid-sentence.
Final Thoughts
Owning a room doesn’t mean you’re not scared.
It means you prepared.
It means you connected.
It means you communicated clearly.
And sometimes, it means you simply chose to speak confidence into existence.
Even if the younger version of you was once the girl staring at her shoes during a debate.
And trust me, if that girl can grow into someone who stands in front of rooms today…
So can you.
With Love,
Women in Stem (Ayo)
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