5 Common Mistakes People Make When Giving a Presentation - Bridge Between

Bottom line, be prepared and know you topic. I've seen too many classes when an instructor simply read from the slides, word for word, nothing extra. Slides are good for graphics and key points but you have to be able to explain things beyond that and there is why you are presenting...you have more information than you audience. As a service school instructor I really learned a lot about presenting material through my own time as an instructor and watching my peers teach. As much as I learned from their good habits I also saw some bad ones that I made sure I didn't follow.

When I became an instructor in the Army, I probably had issues on each of these mistakes, some more than others. One of the ones I really had issues with was my speech in general, because my conversational skills were not solid at all. I found out the difference between talking to your platoon or section, and been on center stage speaking to a group of personnel from different military services. So, I had to incorporate my own experiences from out in the field into the classroom and lesson plans. And that's how I became more credible when you are standing in a room full of people. I got to the point where I didn't even stand behind the podium anymore, I walked around the room engaging the students. That's how I learned to be a good communicator, by finding an angle you're comfortable using your own experiences into the presentation. And be funny, funny helps to ease the tension.

Georgeann Carter
I would add, that if you really want to hone your skills in public speaking, join a Toastmasters club. It will greatly improve your presentations.