How to get over extreme nervousness during meeting introductions?
365742
What is it that causes these nerves? You know you can do it, you know that after a few mins in front of them you will be fine, in fact it sounds like you are quite brilliant. Try not talking about your topic in the first few mins, chat to somewone in the front row about their weekend and use that time to set yourself up. ppl will give you a couple of mins to set up and showing an interest in a person will add cudos to your presence. You will know you are out front, ppl will be looking at you but your nerves will only be visible if at all to the person you are talking to.  Or have a piece of info that is relevant to the group and read it out. take refuge in the words.  It may be a little boring to have a presenter read however if you can then use that info in the presentation they will forget how it was delivered and focus on what you are now doing.
113472
What I do, is just focus on someone I know, and talk directly to them.  dont read off a paper or anything and remember to shift your eyes around the room while still focusing on that person when u feel nervous.
628526
I can relate with you as even I am an introvert but I try my best to step out of the comfort zone. Make a conscious effort everyday to say Hi to everyone you know. That would improve your confidence with the people you know. Once you realise you are being accepted by them, you will slowly gain confidence and then you can try the same with meeting new people. A casual talk on the weather or the surrounding is the perfect ice-breaker. Its all in the mind, and once you conquer it no one can stop you from being an extrovert.
564223
First, get a big club.  Walk around the office with it.  People will start to fear you.  Thats a key component of being a leader.  Next, Do not speak unless all are hushed and at attention.  This shows that you respect yourself, and will make others respect you.  If a few of your coworkers begin having a side conversation during your speech, club them.  Strike them quickly and without remorse.  Also, always ask for input when you are thru with your presentation, this gives your coworkers the idea that you care what they think, whether or not you actually do.
152821
Body language is key! \n\nStudies have shown that people start judging a presentation from the moment the person is called up from their seat. So while sitting and  anticipating the moment, sit straight with a feeling of optimism, not with that of dread. When called upon, never schlep up front as though a sheep led to slaughter. Stand and walk with confidence with deliberate steps. Turn to your audience and talk "with" them....not "at" them. When I'm presenting, I often believe I'm only talking to 3 or 4 people vs. 200. It helps make your audience feel you are personalizing your topic just especially for them. If you "disconnect" yourself by speaking about a topic instead of pulling your audience INTO the presentation, you will lose your audience. Involve them......make them feel they are as integral a part of the presentation as you are! Gestures, proximity to your audience, facial expressions, laughter and smiles all are part of a positive presentation that will leave your audience clamoring for more! Good luck......and let us know how it goes!
675619
A lot of people are afraid of speaking in front of a group, you're not alone.  This is a good chance for you to get used to it in front of your classmates.  Remember they are as scared as you are when its their turn.\n\nStudy your presentation so you know it well and give it your best shot.  If you mess up, just smile, pick up where you left off and keep going.  You'll be a good example to everyone else who follows you.
306050
Rejection, nervousness, worried about saying something wrong.
1114681
FIrst off, make sure the speech is something you could say off the cuff so you are comfrortable speaking on the subject.  It's hard to talk about something if you're familiar with it and could wing it if necessary. \nPractice in front of a mirror, make sure you aren't fidgeting ro making unnecessary hand gestures.  \nPractice in front of family or friends.  If  you can laugh with them while giving the speech, it'll help break up the jitters.\nTHe more you speak it out loud, the better.  In the end remember, you may think you'[re there to impress people, but in the end they're just people who were just as bervous as you at one time.\nBREATH!!!  You can do some deep breathing exercises before you go up to speak.  Try not to focus on one person, but don't sweep the room either. I've never had a problem speaking in front of people, not because i'm oujtgoing as it is, but because I jsut remember that it's just people and I'm up there doing my best.\nTHis is my experience, but the link below could help as well.
216404
Just relax and breathe...tell him your nervous and he will probably admit to the same.  Just both of you knowing that will probably help and be a conversation starter also.
724573
Start with something interesting or a joke. Keep everyone interested and end with "thank you for coming". Look at the audience in the eyes. If you're nervous, look at a single person. Try someone you know, otherwise it'll be awkward, staring at a complete stranger. If you forget something, don't panic. I forgot my line in something I was supposed to do in a performance, but my friend saved me by fast-forwarding to her line.
249646
Gather you courage and grace together and go directly to and through the business opening day's activities. You'll (most likely) not die and when it's over you will be impressed with yourself and so will others. And if nerves cause you to slip up some how (Names escape you or the like) just smile and say "Excuse me, I'm so excited about this opening my brain is a bit overloaded!" and move along. One can't always be unafraid, but we are all capable of being brave.
354403
I had to do this and was terrified. This worked, and I actually relaxed enough to enjoy doing the presentation! Got compliments. So:\n\nKnow your subject inside and out. Develop a passion for it. Start really wanting to get this info you are presenting out to others--feel a need for them to know and understand it.\n\nPractice, practice, practice! To a mirror for a little while, then to everyone you know. Over and over. Eventually, you'll be so familiar with your presentation you won't feel totally dependent on your notes, you'll just roll. Take the criticisms offered by those you practice to, and use them.\n\nAfter you know your stuff inside and out, you can start concentrating on the audience, as in making eye contact, smiling, what words to emphasize. Practice all of that too. Over and over.\n\nTime each trial run if that's at issue. After a while, know within 30sec. of how long you need. That erases worries during the actual presentation of watching a clock.\n\nKnow your audience. Will there be someone there whom you know well? Who might have been one of your practice audience and knows the drill? Who might give you nods and smiles during?\n\nThat day, wear a favorite outfit that you know looks great and is comfortable. Look your best. Get there incredibly earlier than need be. Walk around the room, know where things are, begin to feel at home. If there's chitchat in the room before things start, mingle. If you're talking to a stranger about the day, if it feels right you might mention that you are a presenter, and a little new at this. Any sympathy drummed up ahead of time from the audience helps, as they sort of send warm vibes to you while you're speaking. And it helps you to feel that they are more understanding of your position. (Just don't whine.)\n\nWhen you know it all inside and out, go practice about 25 more times! Be able to do it in your sleep! Be so bored with the whole thing by the time you get there that you just want to do it, get your warm fuzzies, and move on. Just don't, after awhile, let monotony creep into your voice.\n\nGood luck! Have fun with this, it's actually an amazing growth and confidence-building exercise.I hope my suggestions help a little.
204399
calm down! it will be ok. i hate presenting too and i get really nervous and get the sweaty palms and everything. but i usually concentrate on what i have to say and hoping that i dont screw it up.hope i helped!
383412
The first thing to do is make sure your know all the materials you presenting, be confident since they are your peers whom you speak to at work every day, just think that you are teaching them how to do (what the presentation is all about) and do not give too much eye contact on one person, just look around the room often and do not look at the ceiling or the floor because that will give it away that you are nervous. Bottom line look at it as if you are teaching your peers your favorite subject.
750233
There's nervous, and there's scared.  "Scared" means you don't know what you're doing; "nervous" just means you're a little apprehensive about the presentation because there's always a little risk in standing up in front of people.  "Nervous" is good, because it means you care about what you're doing.  I think you're nervous, because you woudln't have asked for help if you didn't care.\n\nSome ways to cope with the nervousness: practice your presentation out loud, with your visual aids, PowerPoint, or whatever visuals you'll have.  Get a friend or colleague whom you trust to watch and time the presentation, and give you pointers on presentation style.  If you use printed speaker's notes, make the font LARGE so it's easy to find your place on the page.  Talk loud; enthusiasm covers a lot of your nervousness. \n\n Remember that at this point you know more about the topic than anyone else in the room; you're the expert.  \n\nAnticipate possible questions (have your friend help you with this), and have answers to some of them worked out before you speak.  Proofread your presentation line by line (use a ruler to keep your eyes focused on one line at a time), today, before you go home for the day.  "Pre-flight" the room you'll give the presentation in at least a half-hour before the presentation, to make sure the computer/projector/sound system/lights all work, and the room is set up properly.  Good luck!
1049768
1. Practice your material until it's second nature\n2. Dress in comfortable clothing\n3. Look at things that do not cause you anxiety\n4. If you make a mistake do not dwell upon it ... move on confidently\n5. Pre-live the event ... running scenarios such as you forget your lines and recover or you do a great job.  This will get you shifted and ready for any eventuality.\n6. Know that people admire your ability to speak publicly and mistakes are understood and overlooked.
863559
Oh, I have the same problem, ever since I could remember. I guess it's the general thing of wanting to be liked but being afraid of rejection.\n\nYou don't have to splurge out absolutely everything about yourself in a first meeting, just smile and be polite (you can never go wrong with a smile) ask general questions like how are you, where are you from, do you have any family, what are your hobbies, what kind of music do you like...etc. and in return answer the person's questions. \n\nYou may not relate your deepest darkest secret but you can share general things, no one is going to condemn you for liking a particular band or the colour green.\n\nI've tried it and I think it works out pretty well, the key is to smile a lot ^^ (that way they can't tell if you're freaking out internally)\n\nsure it will be a tad bit uncomfy at first but as conversation progresses, you should naturally ease up and things should flow from there...\n\nGood luck for future endeavours ^^ I'm rootin' for ya!