Two things: 1) In your regular meetings (with team mates, with vendors, etc), always ask one or two questions early in the meeting. Two benefits: it makes you comfortable for the remainder of the meeting (at least you've said something); secondly, it makes everyone else used to your speaking manner. You don't have to ask complicated questions, even a passing comment is sufficient, but try to ask or mention something worthwhile. Avoid trying to be funny, stay relevant. Whatever you might be thinking is most likely what someone else is thinking as well .... that's another reason you ask questions early in the meeting: so you beat them to asking the same question. 2) If you ask to be excused from giving a presentation ... now, let's think this through ... everyone would wonder what makes you special such that you are never given a turn ... what then ... you would have to explain yourself over and over again. Again, be among the first to present. Observe the first two or three presentations to get a feeling of the format and content, then do yours. Keep your presentation short ... nobody cares, really ... at work, your team mates just want their meetings be over so they can have lunch or go home. Trust me on this.