Public speaking is a key skill for any facilitator.
Whether you’re leading a small team workshop or presenting in front of a larger group, the way you communicate can make or break the success of your session.
Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, Barack Obama have mastered the art of public speaking. While you may not be delivering speeches to thousands, you’re likely presenting to your team, guiding discussions, or facilitating an important workshop.
In these situations, strong public speaking skills can help you connect with your audience, convey your message clearly, and keep everyone engaged. Below is a checklist that will help you prepare for your next workshop and ensure you deliver with confidence and impact.
Here are 19 tips to improve your public speaking as a facilitator
1. Know your audience
As a facilitator, it’s critical to understand who you’re speaking to. Tailor your content, tone, and activities to their needs, experience level, and expectations.
Knowing your audience will help you create a more engaging and relevant workshop.
Top tip: Research your participants beforehand. Ask questions about their backgrounds and roles to better connect your content to their interests.
2. Be clear on why this workshop is happening now
Clarity on the purpose of the workshop is essential.
Communicate this to your audience early on, so they understand the value of the session and why their participation matters. This sets the tone and builds engagement from the start.
Top tip: Begin the workshop by stating a clear objective and linking it directly to participants’ current projects or challenges. I talk more about this in my reflections on 9 activities to nail your workshop.
3. Consider your room arrangement
I prefer avoiding the classic classroom setup and opting for more open configurations.
I like to put people in circles and, when possible, get rid of tables. I also ensure there’s space for participants to stand, sit, and break into groups. This keeps the energy up and encourages better collaboration.
Top tip: If the room setup can’t be changed, find ways to adapt your facilitation style—move around, encourage group work, or use visual aids to keep participants engaged.
4. Ground yourself and own your space
Your body language speaks volumes. Keep your feet firmly planted, open your arms, and take ownership of the space around you. This will help you feel physically grounded, which boosts confidence and sends a message of authority and calmness to your participants. Whether you’re standing or moving around the room, own the space like it’s yours.
Top tip: Take a few deep breaths and plant your feet firmly before you start speaking—this small action helps you centre yourself and project calmness to your audience.
5. Convey a clear message
Clarity is essential to good communication. Whether you’re explaining a concept or leading an activity, ensure your message is simple and easy to follow. Avoid information overload and aim to summarise your key points in three main ideas or a concise story. Repetition of these points throughout the workshop reinforces understanding and retention.
Top tip: Use visual aids like diagrams or bullet points to help simplify complex information and reinforce your key messages.
6. Be confident
Confidence comes from preparation. The more you practice, the more assured you’ll feel when facilitating. Spend time rehearsing your key points, reviewing your materials, and anticipating any challenges. This preparation gives you the confidence to navigate the unexpected and stay in control.
Top tip: Record yourself practicing and play it back to evaluate your delivery. This helps you identify areas to improve and build your confidence.
7. Breathe
Effective facilitation requires a calm and steady presence. Deep, intentional breathing will help you stay composed, even during high-pressure moments or unexpected disruptions.
Top tip: If you feel nervous, try box breathing: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold again for 4. This technique calms your nerves.
8. Release tension
Tension tends to creep up into your shoulders, causing them to lift and tighten. Before the workshop begins, take a moment to consciously lower your shoulders and relax.
Loosening this tension helps you project to be more relaxed and approachable, which in turn keeps your audience at ease.
Top tip: Periodically check your body during the workshop. If your shoulders or neck feel tight, take a moment to relax them and reset.
9. Use your adrenaline to maintain energy
It’s normal to feel nervous or excited before facilitating a workshop. Use that adrenaline to energise your delivery and keep the session dynamic.
High energy is contagious—when you’re engaged and enthusiastic, your participants will be too. Keep checking in with yourself: are you delivering with energy, or do you need to pick it up?
Top tip: Channel your adrenaline by using open, expansive gestures and moving around the room to keep the energy up.
10. Use your voice
Your voice is one of the most powerful tools in facilitation. Subtle changes in volume, tone, and cadence can dramatically impact how your message is received.
Raising your voice can emphasise a critical point, while a softer tone can draw participants in for a moment of reflection. Pausing before a key point builds anticipation. These vocal tools help keep your audience engaged and ensure your message hits home.
Top tip: Practice varying your voice by reading your workshop script aloud. Focus on where to emphasise certain words or pause for effect.
11. Use an icebreaker
Icebreakers are a powerful way to break down social barriers and create a relaxed atmosphere at the start of your workshop. By asking engaging questions, you help participants shift their focus away from any social apprehension and onto the workshop itself.
Icebreakers making them feel more comfortable and encouraging them to participate more freely. This sets the tone for a collaborative and productive session.
Top tip: Use questions that not only break the ice but also subtly tie into the theme of your workshop. For example, if the focus is on creativity, ask, “What’s the most unusual problem you’ve solved recently?” or for a leadership workshop, “Who is someone you admire?”
Go deeper: Don’t let your workshop energy fall flat. Have a look at The Icebreaker Playbook that shares over 100 icebreakers and expert tips to encourage conversation and participation.
12. Slow down
When you’re facilitating, especially if you’re nervous, it’s easy to speak too quickly. Slow down to ensure your participants can follow along and fully grasp your points.
Top tip: If you notice yourself speeding up, consciously take a breath between sentences to reset your pace.
13. Shift the focus off yourself
Facilitation isn’t about you—it’s about your participants. If you’re feeling nervous, remember that your role is to guide them through the workshop experience, not to be the star of the show.
Focusing on the value you’re delivering to your audience helps reduce self-consciousness.
Top tip: When you feel nervous, shift your focus outward by asking your participants a question or encouraging group discussion.
14. Get rid of filler words
Avoid unnecessary fillers like “um,” “like,” or “you know.” These can distract from your message and make you appear less confident. Practice speaking clearly and concisely.
Top tip: Record yourself practicing and listen for filler words. Make a conscious effort to pause instead of filling gaps with unnecessary words.
15. Work on content and format
Facilitation isn’t just about what you say—it’s also about how you deliver it. Spend time perfecting both the content and the format of your workshop.
Practice your delivery to ensure smooth transitions between activities and discussions. Rehearsing your content not only refines your message but also builds the confidence you need to lead with ease. Practice builds confidence.
Top tip: Structure your content in clear, digestible segments. This helps your participants stay focused and engaged while allowing you to lead with confidence. It’s one of my top tips on how to run great workshops.
16. Find your fans
While facilitating, seek out the people in the room who are most engaged—those making eye contact, nodding along, taking notes, and actively participating.
These are your fans. Their interest will give you a confidence boost, and knowing that you’re connecting with part of your audience will motivate you to keep going strong.
Top tip: Quickly find the friendly faces who are the most engaged, and keep returning to them for support. This helps build momentum as you progressively connect with more participants.
17. Use the room
The physical space you’re in plays a huge role in how your workshop flows.
Move around the room to engage different parts of the audience, use available space to display materials or notes, and encourage participants to interact with the environment. This helps break up the monotony of sitting in one spot and keeps energy levels up.
Top tip: Use all available surfaces—walls, whiteboards, or screens—to display ideas, notes, or materials. This makes the space feel active and collaborative.
18. Reinforce key messages
Throughout your workshop, return to your main points.
Whether it’s through a quick recap or highlighting key insights after a group activity, repetition helps solidify the takeaways for your audience.
Top tip: Use repetition and visual reinforcement together. Sticky notes or posters with your key points make sure your participants see and hear the main ideas multiple times, helping them retain the information better.
19. Serve your audience
Ultimately, your goal as a facilitator is to serve your audience. Every decision you make—from how you speak to how you structure the day—should focus on delivering value to your participants.
When you approach facilitation as an act of service, you shift the focus from self-consciousness to creating an engaging, meaningful experience for others.
Top tip: Throughout the workshop, ask yourself, “How can I make this more valuable for my participants?” This mindset will keep you focused on their needs.
Always start your workshop on a high
You’ve been in workshops where the energy falls flat—don’t let that happen to yours.
The Icebreaker Playbook gives you the tools you need to spark energy, conversation, and participation.
With over 100 icebreakers and pro tips for using them right, you’ll have your participants engaged and excited to dive in.
Get the book and watch your workshops come to life—without the awkwardness.
Have a look at The Icebreaker Playbook here.