Course: How to Overcome Presentation Anxiety and Nerves

There's no shortage of nervous blokes and sheilas in front of a room, but very few training programmes treat presentation anxiety with the nuance, structure and measurement rigour that actually moves the needle.

Course Title
Build Confidence: Overcoming Presentation Anxiety for Emerging Leaders

Target Audience (randomised)
Emerging leaders and frontline supervisors across corporate, not for profit and public sector teams, people newly promoted into roles that require frequent briefings, pitches or stakeholder updates. Suitable for participants with moderate prior presentation experience who want to move from "managing nerves" to "leading with presence".

Preferred Duration & Format (randomised)
6 week blended programme:
- Three live virtual workshops (2 hours each), interactive, cohort based.
- One half day face to face practice lab (in Sydney or Melbourne, cohort option).
- Self paced microlearning modules (3×20 minute e lessons) and guided reflection journals.
- Ongoing peer practice groups (optional) via a moderated Teams channel for 6 weeks.

Delivery Mode (randomised)
Hybrid delivery: two virtual workshops to build concepts and practice online; one in person lab to embed skills under pressure; self paced resources for consolidation. Facilitator led sessions with breakout rooms, live coaching, and recorded practice reviews.

High level Learning Outcomes (what changes)
By the end of the programme participants will:
- Recognise the physiological and cognitive signs of presentation anxiety and be able to read their own triggers in real time.
- Apply three evidence based in the moment techniques (breathing, grounding, reframing) to reduce physiological arousal and regain composure within 60 to 90 seconds.
- Structure short presentations (3 to 7 minutes) for clarity and ease of recall, reducing cognitive load and reliance on scripts.
- Use targeted rehearsal strategies, including video review and micro exposure, to convert anxiety into energised, purposeful presence.
- Integrate feedback loops (peer, manager, self observation) to accelerate confidence gains and measure progress against baseline metrics.

Why this programme, why now, my take
Most corporate "presentation skills" courses show people how to structure slides and hit the main points. That's fine. But the missing half is the body, the nervous system, and the messy psychology that wrecks otherwise great presenters. We've designed this as a behaviour change programme, not a one off "pop in, say something, leave" workshop. Because practice without measured exposure and feedback is just rehearsal theatre. Also, briefly controversial, I believe that organisations spend far too much on slick slide templates and too little on nervous system management. The slides don't shake.

Programme Structure, Module by module outline

Pre course (Week 0), Baseline & Prep (asynchronous)
- Pre course self assessment: a short questionnaire to capture current anxiety levels, frequency of presentations, contexts that trigger nerves, and participant goals. This creates a baseline for measurement.
- Short primer (15 mins): "What happens to your body when you speak", animated explainer on fight or flight physiology.
- Action task: record a 2 minute "baseline" presentation on mobile (private upload). We ask this so coaches can tailor feedback and participants can track progress.

Week 1, Foundations: Understanding the Anxiety Mechanism (Virtual 2 hours)
Learning aims:
- Demystify the physiology and cognitive distortions behind presentation nerves.
- Normalise the experience, and challenge the myth that nerves mean incompetence.
Session activities:
- 20 minute facilitated discussion: common myths and self mythology (participants anonymously submit worries via chat).
- Short lecturette: autonomic nervous system, arousal curves, Yerkes Dodson principle (why a little arousal helps).
- Micro practice: 90 second warm up breathing and grounding routine.
- Reflection breakouts: identify individual triggers and label them (cognitive, situational, physiological).

Practical outputs:
- Personal trigger map, one page, distilled.
- Individualised "In the moment toolkit" checklist to trial.

Week 2, Cognitive Work: Reframing, Self Talk and Mental Rehearsal (Virtual 2 hours)
Learning aims:
- Teach cognitive restructuring techniques to dismantle catastrophic thinking.
- Introduce positive visualisation as a performance tool (not "wishful thinking").
Session activities:
- Cognitive distortions workshop: recognise and reframe three common distortions (catastrophising, mind reading, overgeneralising).
- Guided mental rehearsal: two minute visualisation practice with sensory anchors.
- Paired roleplay: deliver a 3 minute segment and then swap immediate constructive feedback structured in "Observe, Impact, Suggest" format.

Practical outputs:
- Personalised affirmation script and a 60 second pre presentation routine (worded, practiced).

Week 3, Structure & Memory: Designing Presentations That Reduce Load (Virtual 2 hours)
Learning aims:
- Teach simple structures that reduce working memory burden and support retrieval under stress.
- Make slides a servant, not a crutch.
Session activities:
- Frameworks: "Tell them, show them, remind them" and a 3 part signposting template for short updates.
- Visual aid surgery: participants upload one slide and we critique for cognitive load and redundancy.
- Memory anchors: chunking exercises, retrieval cues, micro stories to support recall.

Practical outputs:
- A 3 to 5 minute micro presentation draft using the signposting template.
- Revised slide (one) optimised for recall and audience cognition.

Week 4, Embodied Practice: Voice, Presence and Movement (In person half day lab)
Learning aims:
- Translate cognitive shifts into observable presence and delivery improvements.
- Practice safe movement and voice techniques that support composure.
Session activities:
- Warm up: breath, posture, resonance exercises.
- Delivery drills: pacing, intentional pauses, use of hands, stance switching.
- Live circuits: three short presentations with focused feedback from coach and peers; immediate (and recorded) playback.
- Stress inoculation: surprise Q&A rounds to simulate "unexpected" pressure.

Practical outputs:
- Video of a live 3 to 5 minute presentation with coach annotations.
- Personal checklist of three physical cues to reset on stage (e.g., breathe plant pace).

Week 5, Under Pressure: Advanced Coping & Rehearsal (Virtual 2 hours)
Learning aims:
- Build resilience through controlled exposure and graded practice.
- Deepen skills for managing technical issues, hostile audience behaviours, and interruptions.
Session activities:
- Scenario labs: small groups rotate through simulations (tech fail, hostile questioner, time cut).
- Toolkit application: apply breathing, grounding, reframing under simulated stress.
- Peer coaching: practice delivering an impromptu 90 second summary of a complex topic.

Practical outputs:
- Stress handling playbook (customised per participant).
- Two minute "recovery script" for when a presentation goes off script.

Week 6, Consolidation & Measurement (Virtual 2 hours + 2 week follow up)
Learning aims:
- Cement gains and create a plan for ongoing practice.
- Measure change against baseline and set manager aligned goals.
Session activities:
- Final presentations: each participant delivers a 4 to 6 minute piece; video recorded.
- Structured feedback: coach rubric covering composure, clarity, structure, audience engagement.
- Data review: compare post course recordings and self assessments to pre course baselines.
- Individual action plans: 90 day confidence plan with micro exposure schedule.

Practical outputs:
- Side by side baseline vs final video and coach commentary.
- Manager report template to track application in Business settings.

Assessment & Measurement Strategy (randomised, practical)
- Pre/post self assessment: validated anxiety scale adapted for presentations (short form) measured at Week 0, Week 6, and 90 days.
- Behavioural rubric on recorded presentations, completed by facilitator at baseline and final; 5 dimensions scored 1 to 5.
- Manager observation checklist: one page tool managers use after two weeks to note observable changes in participant behaviours.
- Participation metric: attendance, practice uploads, peer practice engagements (minimum 3 uploads required).
- KPI suggestion for organisations: reduce meeting overruns due to unclear updates by X% (organisationally defined), qualitative at first, then measurable.

Practical constraints & logistics (randomised)
- Cost guidance (example): $795 + GST per person for blended cohort (min 10 pax, max 18). Travel costs extra for face to face labs outside Sydney/Melbourne. We can deliver in Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth with small venue surcharge.
- Platform: Microsoft Teams for virtual sessions; participants must upload practice videos to secure LMS (we provide instructions).
- Time zones: run Sydney sessions 9:30 to 11:30 to suit east coast business hours, with recorded catch ups for WA staff.
- Minimum lead time: 3 weeks for pre course diagnostics and participant prep.

Facilitator notes & trainer guidance
- Trainer ratio: one lead facilitator for 12 participants, with 1 coach per 6 participants during in person lab.
- Coach prep: review baseline videos before Week 1 to tailor breakout activities.
- Emphasis: create a psychologically safe environment, start with anonymity on worst fears. Grounded empathy; no forced confessions.
- Tools: simple props (stopwatch, bells, cue cards), smartphone recording setup instructions, timer cards for labs.

Learning activities & materials (practical)
- Pre reads: 3 short articles (neurobiology of stress; brief cognitive therapy primer; practical rehearsal checklist).
- Worksheets: trigger map, cognitive reframing template, signposting template, peer feedback rubric.
- Microlearning: short videos on breathing, grounding, and one specific memory technique.
- Job aids: one page "Reset in 90 seconds" laminated card for pocket or phone lock screen.

Group dynamics, psychology & culture
- Cohort building: start with trust exercises and a shared commitment statement, participants sign a "practice to learn" pact.
- Cultural adaptation: modules include examples from Australian workplace settings (client pitches, safety briefings, daily huddles) to ensure relevance.
- Inclusion: techniques adapted for neurodiverse presenters (e.g., sensory anchors, structured Q&A frameworks).

Coaching approach (how we support transfer)
- Video review: two rounds of coach annotations focusing on micro behaviours (voice modulation, breathing patterns).
- Buddy system: nominated peer partner for accountability and weekly micro practice.
- Manager involvement: short briefing for managers on how to support participants post programme, specific prompts and observation templates.

Evaluation & ROI (practical, realistic)
- Short term measures: change in self reported anxiety scores; recorded delivery rubric improvements; participation rate.
- Medium term measures (90 days): manager observation, number of presentations delivered, and qualitative improvements in meeting clarity.
- Business aligned ROI: estimate time savings from clearer updates (fewer follow up emails, fewer clarifying meetings). A rough model we use: if each clearer update saves 10 minutes per attendee and teams deliver X updates a month, the time saved scales quickly. Yes, it's a bit rough, but executives like numbers. We'll help you convert learning to time saved.

Risks & mitigation
- Risk: participants resist being recorded. Mitigation: make baseline upload private to coaches only; give clear consent and purpose.
- Risk: poor manager follow through. Mitigation: include manager briefing and a short stakeholder report template to prompt follow up.
- Risk: low application post course. Mitigation: peer practice groups and 90 day action plans; optional booster micro sessions.

Optional add ons (commercial)
- Executive micro coaching: three 30 minute 1:1 virtual coaching sessions for nominated high potential presenters.
- Custom sector scenarios: tailor roleplays to finance, legal, clinical, retail lines.
- Follow up booster: 90 minute group session at 8 weeks to refresh and consolidate.

Resources required
- Trainer(s): lead facilitator (presentation psychology background), assistant coach for labs.
- Venue: quiet room with AV for in person lab; chairs for circuits and a small stage area.
- Tech: stable internet, LMS for video uploads, standard videorecording guidance for participants' smartphones.

Behaviour change mechanisms built into the design
- Graded exposure: repeated, slightly escalated performance opportunities (2 minute to 3 to 5 minute to impromptu).
- Feedback loops: immediate coach/peer feedback followed by a deliberate practice cycle.
- Cognitive tools: reframing and visualisation to change appraisal of arousal.
- Somatic regulation: breathing and grounding to alter physiology.
- Reinforcement: recognition of small wins, badges for practice uploads, manager acknowledgements.

Two opinions some readers might disagree with
- Opinion 1: You don't need hundreds of slide templates. Good structure and nervous system control beat pretty slides every time.
- Opinion 2: Short, frequent exposure beats marathon rehearsals. Thirty minutes of focused, high quality practice three times a week will trump a single six hour cram.

Minimum viable materials to run in house (if client wants to DIY)
- Trainer script for six sessions, participant workbook, quick recording protocol, and a coach rubric. Run the lab as a scaled exercise using internal HR coaches with basic facilitator training (we provide train the trainer materials).

Follow up & sustainability
- 90 day check in: one hour group session to track progress and recalibrate.
- Continued practice: recommended micro practice schedule (3×15 minutes per week) and manager check ins at weeks 3 and 8.
- Long term: offer "refresher" 60 minute clinics for emerging leaders on special topics (difficult questions, investor pitches).

Quick sample session timing (Week 4 lab, half day)
- 09:00 to 09:20: Warm up and breathing.
- 09:20 to 10:10: Delivery drills (voice & movement).
- 10:10 to 10:30: Break & micro reflection.
- 10:30 to 11:30: Live circuits (rotating presentations with feedback).
- 11:30 to 12:00: Stress inoculation Q&A and planning next steps.

What success looks like
- Participants report lower average anxiety scores and greater frequency of voluntary presentation opportunities taken on.
- Managers observe clearer, shorter updates and fewer requests for follow up clarification.
- Organisation sees improved meeting efficiency and a modest reduction in time spent clarifying decisions.

Why we can deliver value
We have led dozens of blended cohorts across Sydney and Melbourne and have a clear method to convert nervous energy into presence. We design for sustainable behaviour change, not theatrical fixes. Feedback we've seen from similar programmes: participants deliver cleaner, shorter updates and volunteer more often for client facing roles. Worth the investment. Trust me, it's better than another slide workshop.

Appendix: sample participant journey (micro view)
- Week 0: Lily (new operations manager) uploads baseline 90 second clip, shaky voice, rushed pacing.
- Week 2: after cognitive reframing and a visualisation routine, Lily reports feeling "less out of control".
- Week 4: in the lab, recorded delivery shows slower pace, firmer breath, coach notes improvement in vocal resonance.
- Week 6: final recording shows marked composure; manager notes fewer clarifying emails after Lily's team huddles.