I’m a bit of a mild fan of Prof Tanya Byron. I dont rush around looking at everything she produces (hell, Im a fan, not a stalker!) but if I come across something Ill give it a glance that Id not necessarily give to other popular scientists.
Enter my wife’s copy of Novembers Good Housekeeping with Prof Byron’s page ‘Problem shared’ on page 124….. Taking up a third of the page is a letter starting “I’ve just landed a promotion” in which the issue is that this promotion means giving presentations and – guess what – presentations are top of this person’s ‘things to do before Im 30’ list.
Its a common story of a red face and a shaking voice – and a pounding heart.
Prof Byron’s advice is sound – though with one huge glitch.
First things first, allow yourself not to be magically a great presenter – you need training just like everyone else. Why should you be expected to automatically become a good presenter just because your paycheck has changed?
Secondly, hit the businessballs.com website.
Thirdly, try the anxietyuk.org website for some techniques for handling anxiety (you know the ones, the ones I’ve had scattered all over this blog for years!) Note that the site isn’t there yet. All there is is a holding page with links to commercial sites. Really, Good Housekeeping and Prof Byron! You couldn’t have hit the site before you published? Shame on you!
Fourthly, don;t allow yourself to believe you can’t do it. Threat this as just another challenge.
Sound stuff. Of course I’d have been happier if she’d pointed the reader to me, but hey! I’ll live! :) In the absence of anything useful from anxietyuk.org, maybe a video of mine on YouTube will help.
you should post more often great read, also like the look of the blog.