On the flip of this. For those getting started at their first speaking things, don't freak out when you look over the audience and feel like zero people are registering that you are even using real words :) . I've been on stage a lot: speaking, improv, plays, stuff. And there are countless times you'll actually be able to make some eye contact with the audiecnce if there aren't too bright of a stage light, and you will just see stone cold expressions staring back at you. And you will wonder if words are still coming out of your mouth. :) It happens. The human connection you get with a one on one encounter that your body kind of expects when you talk. Them nodding, or any expression whatsoever often goes completely absent in a speakers setting.

That's why "open with a joke" is so useful. It's not really for them! It's for you!. If you can hear a laugh from your audience, YOU start to chill out. Your body is like "ah. the mic is actually on, and I'm not having a stroke".

Another useful tip, if the scenario allows, try to hang out by the front row before your talk and chat someone up. That's who you want to then make eye contact with often during your talk. Their expression will be or at least seem to be warmer to you. And you'll feel some more calm looking at them than the random heads everywhere else.

I used to have a colleague that would always nod to things in meetings, and make a humming/agreeing ("mhm") sound once in a while. I used to find it a bit weird, he probably didn't even notice it himself. But then I held a presentation once with him in the room, and started to love that little quirk of his. Could always just find him in the crowd and feel some encouragement.

As for telling speakers you liked their talks, another higher up in the company used to send me a DM and thank/praise me. My guess is he did it for everyone, but still it felt very validating as a junior, both to be seen and also encouraged. It's a bit like with kids, tell them they're good at something (even if not), and they'll try to be, heh.

But I've tried to take that with me, and send DMs to people, where it maybe normally wouldn't feel natural for me. But after a while it does. And it can be even for small things, like "I like how well prepared you were for that meeting, any questions they had you could answer". You'll bet that person is well prepared the next time we have a meeting as well.

I have a huge problem with WFH speaking that I otherwise don't in a regular setting - I work at a fully remote, cameras off company and it is very difficult for me to talk in a meeting for longer than a minute without getting that feeling. Just me, in my room, talking to myself. I have no idea if anyone is listening or what they are thinking.

The audience is usually my internal team but I've never once seen their faces in the years I've worked at the company which definitely makes it more unnatural. It's the strangest feeling and I still haven't gotten used to it, but I think you just nailed why I feel like that!

Another trick is to arrive early and try to talk to as many people before hand as possible. They’re your allies during the talk—they’ll stick around and root for the person they met.