Improv(e) Your Presentation Skills

Public speaking [cue dramatic music that makes people nervous] is not something most people look forward to. Since we don’t look forward to it, we procrastinate until it’s too late, worry too much about WHAT we are going to say and not WHO we say it to, or HOW we say it, and then guess what? It doesn’t go as well as we want it to go, so we put another notch in the ‘I’m not a good public speaker’ post and the cycle repeats. Whatever your profession, chances are you’re going to have to do some public speaking – why not polish up those skills now?

This class is specifically designed for those people who want to polish up their public speaking skills – whether you are looking to hold a meeting, submit to a conference, give a presentation or just talk to two of your coworkers at once without feeling anxious. Through partner and small group activities, we’ll focus in on HOW you say what you say, specifically the polish on top of your personal style. The best speakers are authentic and connect with their audience, so we’ll help you find that best version of yourself and develop the ability to confidently stand in front of an audience. We’re not going to treat you all the same – because guess what? You all have different jobs, audiences, personalities, and those need to be considered in developing public speaking skills.

You’ll leave with warm-ups and a better idea of your personal style. Students also have the option (not required!) to bring a 90-second to 2-minute presentation they’ve been working on to workshop in class. Regardless if you bring something specific or everything general, you’ll receive individual feedback from our facilitators. We keep class size small on purpose, so expect to DO more than sit back and listen.