We communicate with others pretty much on a daily basis, but for some reason, communicating with a group of people — that is public speaking — makes people nervous. Here are some tips to overcome and harness those nerves so they don’t trip us up:
Work on your self confidence and self esteem
At the root of the fear of public speaking is a fear of being judged or evaluated. When you bolster your self esteem and self confidence, this fear is reduced. Remember: not everyone is going to like what you have to say, and that’s O.K. It doesn’t necessarily say anything about you as a person. So get over it.
Practice your presentation
I used to be terrified of impromptu speeches, but after enough practice I grew to love it. If you practice your presentation, you’ll reduce the nerves caused by not knowing what you are about to say.
Focus on what you want for your speech
It’s kind of like my favorite song from the beginning of The King and I:
Whenever I feel afraid I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect I’m afraid.
When you get up in-front of a group to speak, pretend you aren’t nervous. Concentrate on your speech and an image of you presenting it perfectly. And, before you know it, you’ll begin to look forward giving presentations.
Want to see an example of me doing just that? Visit my Public Speaking Super Powers blog on Friday for a critique of my latest speech at my Toastmasters club.
Join the Public Speaking Superhero community and keep up on when my new book, Public Speaking Super Powers, comes out. Using super powers as a metaphor, this book will help you learn the key skills you need to be successful in public speaking.
Now taking preorders!
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