One of the best things I can tell you is to control any damage - bulldozers, rambling topics (by you) or rambling questions (from the audience) - up top. I call this “Set Your Stage.”

Here are the books and online resources I recommend most often to clients, especially professional women. Amy Cuddy image via TED.com.

Do you see public speaking as a foreboding peak you can barely get over? Or something you can give some space to and maybe even enjoy?

“How do I stop saying ‘um’?” I get this question all the time. Good news: Start with some self-awareness. That’s half the battle!

When clients come to me with issues of nerves or anxiety around public speaking, I tell them, “I’m like a therapist for public speaking.”  This gets some raised eyebrows. But stick with me.

Unfortunately, we can’t copyedit our speeches as we give them, and we probably won’t be able to deliver presentations in sepia tone until 2028. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t have control over how audience perceive you.