Nervous About Presenting at Work? Start With a Subject You Care About

If the prospect of giving a presentation at work fills you with dread, choosing a subject that genuinely interests you may make speaking feel easier.

Bain recommends looking for opportunities to talk about things you care about. Rather than waiting for an invitation, she also suggests creating those opportunities yourself.

“Choosing a topic you feel truly passionate about will always make it easier,” she says.

The advice puts the focus on what you want to share, rather than simply on the pressure of standing up to speak. For a workplace presentation, that could mean finding an angle within the subject that holds your interest.

Before your next meeting, consider which part of your presentation you most want to discuss. Even when the agenda is already set, that connection offers a starting point for putting Bain’s advice into practice.