Presentation Skills Training for Anxious Presenters…
We often think audiences are like the picture above but most of us don't understand audiences at all
Presentation skills training may not be what you really want
Does the idea of giving a presentation fill you with dread? Do you hate all eyes on you? Do you get that rabbit-in-headlights feeling? Do you spend days beforehand wishing you could get out of it?
If so, you've probably already looked at courses like this - and wondered if they would actually help someone like you.
The truth is, most of the courses won't. Traditional presentation skills courses teach you how to structure slides, where to stand, how to project your voice. Useful enough if nerves aren't your problem. But if anxiety is what's holding you back, learning better technique just means practising being scared. In a strange way, you might be getting better at being scared. Unless you change your thinking around being the centre of attention and taking your space, very little will change. Any course that really wants to improve your presentation skills needs to start in a very different place. Getting to the fundamentals.
What people who come to me are actually looking for is something different:
To 'de-threat' audiences and rethink anxiety so it doesn't stop you in your tracks
To stop the mind going blank and losing the thread mid-presentation
To learn how to be at ease when you are the centre of attention
To be able to present to large groups without it overwhelming you beforehand
To move away from the idea of presentations being about performance and pressure - towards something more like a conversation, smaller and far more possible
I'm John Dawson, and for 26 years I've been teaching presentation confidence to people who really don't like presenting. The approach I use isn't about performance or polish - it's about helping you understand what's actually going on when anxiety takes over, and giving you a way to work with it rather than fight it. These skills aren't just about presenting - they tend to build confidence more broadly in life. And to rethink audiences, sometimes that’s where the real breakthroughs come.
I sometimes think I run a business where no one wants to come - because they hate presenting. And yet over 8,500 people have.
When we fight our anxiety, when we don't want it, oddly we make it far bigger. That shift - from fighting your nerves to understanding them - is what changes things. And the confidence you build for presentations tends to reach further than just presentations.
My two-day course for people who don’t like presenting
Over 26 years I've designed a two-day course for people who want to focus on changing how they feel about public speaking and presenting. I run my very different kind of presentation skills courses every month in Bristol, London and Manchester
Extremely worthwhile 2 days. Gained so much more than I had from reading books on presentations. This is different. Reaches all aspects of life, not just public speaking.
Sarah Norman
Anxious presenters review my courses in their own words
It's not about learning how to give a presentation in terms of content, or professionalism, it's about developing authentic confidence and overcoming our fear or being looked at. It's like no other presentation course I've ever been on and it's the only one that's actually helped me.So don't hesitate - it's so worth it.
Ella Tyler
I wish I had attended this training earlier in my career. I now view public speaking in a different, more positive way. The course helped me to focus more on the needs of the audience rather on my previous need to be seen as a ‘perfect’ presenter who does not make mistakes. I have since delivered 2 presentations and felt much more relaxed before, during and after making presentations. I have gained the ability to speak more confidently, while being genuine and authentic. I have received positive comments from colleagues on how comfortable I appear to be when speaking in front of a group.
Dave Edwards
John the facilitator is great and helps you feel at ease as soon as you walk in the room. He really works hard with everyone which allowed us to feel we could do this. He works at a pace everyone is comfortable with and whilst the course has structure, he was happy to adapt to ensure we got the best out of it.
Liz Pickering
Read hundreds more course reviews from the last seven years of teaching.
My approach to teaching presentation confidence
This course has been developed over 26 years. It works in small steps, at a pace the group sets, with strong ground rules that make it genuinely safe - no one is ever made to do anything they don't want to.
Conversation, group work and small experiential exercises
Lots of coaching and reflection after each exercise
I adapt to suit the group - every group is different, everyone gets looked after
The course can be supplemented by one-to-one coaching before or after
In this course you will learn how to
Feel more at ease being the centre of attention
Think on your feet and be authentically present while you present
Understand audiences differently - from threatening and judging to just listening faces. So you don’t face audiences like the image above!
Stop getting in your own way and focus on the purpose rather than yourself
Be yourself and connect authentically
For more background on me, John Dawson, take a look here.
The pace of the course was excellent, it was small steps which helped build the foundations and nothing felt too out of control – it was a very safe environment
Alison
Honestly I thought it (the course) was great, it is very clear you have dedicated serious time to developing your approach and working out the best ways to hold space for people.
Adam Telford
I learnt so much from coming on your course. You have an amazing ability of holding the space for people experiencing this fear. Your approach, experience and skills are second to none.
Claire
What i liked about the course: The small number of people really helped, I think everyone felt more comfortable speaking and each other as the course went on. The sense of progress and support from/for everyone. The rules you set up at the beginning, especially around confidentiality. This really helped with me with committing to the course
Tim
A note about presenting and public speaking
My definition of presenting includes public speaking - and my definition of public speaking is wide. For many people it means speaking up in meetings, getting more involved in conversations at work. For some people that might also include walking into the meeting and everyone turning to look at you. The skills you build on this course tend to help with all of it.
Reviews of the courses
Hundreds of in-depth reviews are listed here.