Don’t let the room or the
equipment control you.
Eliminate the “worries” by
being prepared.
Know where you are going to present. Know the equipment you are going to use and how to use it.
Get into the room ahead of time whenever possible. If it is too big, make it smaller by seating people close together. If it is too small and can’t be changed, eliminate as much non-essential equipment, furniture, and even team members as possible. Let the audience know that you are aware of the problem and will do everything you can to work around it. But don’t be too apologetic. Keep the focus on the presentation and not on the problem.
Practice with the equipment before you get in front of the audience. It is very distracting and greatly detracts from your effort when you are fumbling with the switch on an overhead projector or, trying to figure out how to turn on the computer, while you should be focusing on the audience. If problems develop, don’t panic. Ask for some time to get back on track. If the problem can’t be fixed, be prepared to work without the equipment. The show must go on!