I thought I’d share this post I just put on Linkedin and link to this HBR article that really resonated with my experience:

Great points about overcoming public speaking challenges. Over the past couple of years I’ve had increasing experiences speaking in public, ranging from face-to-face audiences to online audiences to hybrid. Last fall I was asked to co-host a live, two-day youtube TV show for the IESE Global Alumni Reunion that completely took me out of my comfort zone, including constantly being “on”, frequent ad-libbing and the challenge of connecting with a live, online audience of thousands of people. And most recently I was the MC for a large event with BBVA with hundreds of people in person and online – and in Spanish. Apart from the points in this article, especially about preparation and connecting with the audience, I would also add that the time-old saying is true, everything gets better with practice!

https://hbr.org/2018/02/5-ways-to-get-over-your-fear-of-public-speaking

For me a key point has been to have a clear starting point to open up (yes, preparation is key!); then it’s key to connect with the audience and adjust the speech/plan as needed.