Nerves when presenting: lessons from Waldorf and Statler

Do you know Waldorf and Statler? The two old men from the Muppets who comment on everything happening on stage from the balcony. They’re rarely enthusiastic, and they’re always the first to pass judgement.

In training sessions, I often used them as an image for the part of your brain that makes you self-conscious. That part watches your own behaviour. As soon as you feel uncomfortable, for example when you’re standing in front of a group, Waldorf and Statler start talking even louder.

• I hope I don’t forget anything.
• I hope they don’t see that I’m nervous.
• I hope they find it interesting.
• I wish I’d worn something else.
• Everyone’s looking at me.

It’s in your head, not the audience’s

Those thoughts can really get in your way. They draw your attention away from your story and from the people in front of you. It helps enormously to realise that they exist only in your own head.

The audience is thinking about something completely different. Your story, their own day, what they’ll get out of it. Most people in a room want you to do well. They have a stake in it too, because they’re there after all.

The common mistake: trying to silence the old men

Many speakers try to push the voices away. Don’t think about it, just carry on. That rarely works, because the harder you try to ignore something, the more space it takes up. Another mistake is trying to hide your nerves behind an exaggeratedly confident manner. The audience sees a performance.

The aim isn’t to make the old men be quiet. The aim is to know they’re there, and that they’re not in charge.

What helps

• Become aware of the thoughts. Seek out situations where you feel slightly uncomfortable, and notice what’s going through your mind.
• Check whether they’re true. Can everyone really see you shaking? Usually not. Ask someone in the audience afterwards.
• Practise in a safe setting. An exercise such as the Speaking Circle, where you stand in front of a small group without having to perform, lets you experience that the audience is much more welcoming than the old men on the balcony.

An approach for the day itself

1. Know your first two minutes well. That’s when the nerves are strongest, and a good start helps you feel calm.
2. When you arrive, look for a few friendly faces in the audience.
3. Focus your attention on what you want to give the audience, not on how you come across.
4. If you notice Waldorf and Statler starting up, simply call them by name in your head. That gives you some distance.

What this means for the organiser

Even experienced speakers are often nervous. You can do a lot with small things. A quiet place to prepare, a technical check well in advance, and a chair who introduces the speaker well. A warm introduction prepares the audience to listen, and the speaker notices it straight away. Read the article about the roles to find out what you can ask of a chair.

For those just starting out as a speaker

As a less well-known speaker, you may have spent less time on stage. That’s no reason to wait until the nerves go away, because for most people they never disappear completely. Every time you notice that the audience is welcoming, the balcony gets a little quieter.

And remember: in the end, Waldorf and Statler are only there for the show too.