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Description

Public Speaking: Preparing Your Talk, Managing Nerves and Handling Questions

Two days to prepare a professional presentation and deliver it without being overwhelmed by nerves

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

Presenting an update in a department meeting or defending a file before a committee creates lasting tension for many people: a sleepless night beforehand, a shaking voice, rushing through simply to get it over with. Carefully prepared content is then reduced to a hurried reading of notes.

This 14-hour programme covers the fundamentals of speaking in front of a professional audience. Participants learn to prepare a talk around a realistic outline, work on their breathing and pace, open and close cleanly, then handle questions. Exercises progress from a short speaking slot to a full ten-minute presentation.

Learning objectives

  • Prepare a talk based on an outline that fits on a single page
  • Use breathing to reduce the physical effects of nerves
  • Open a talk without apologising and close it without letting it fade out
  • Keep to an allotted speaking time without speeding up
  • Answer a question without justifying yourself or getting lost in detail

What makes this programme different

Speaking slots increase progressively from two to ten minutes across the two days
Dedicated work on the physical signs of nerves before and during a talk
A preparation sheet completed on a real topic brought by the participant

Programme

1Preparing Your Talk

Objective, outline and notes

  • Defining the objective of the talk and the core message
  • Building a simple and realistic outline
  • Moving from written text to notes usable while standing
  • Calibrating content to the time available

2Managing Nerves

Breathing, body and thoughts

  • Identifying your physical signals before speaking
  • Breathing and release exercises that can be applied on the spot
  • Addressing the thoughts that amplify tension
  • What to do if your mind goes blank

3Delivering Your Talk

Opening, pace and closing

  • First sentences and settling in front of the group
  • Adjusting pace and using silence
  • Maintaining eye contact throughout the talk
  • Building a clear conclusion

4Handling Questions

Discussion after the talk

  • Opening the question time and managing speaking turns
  • Reformulating before answering
  • Giving a short answer to a broad question
  • How to respond to a question you cannot answer

Who is it for

Anyone required to speak in meetings, before a committee or in front of a professional group, with no particular public speaking experience.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.