A 1973 survey found that people tend to fear public speaking more than death and it’s been accepted wisdom ever since. A follow up survey in 2012 put death in the top spot, closely followed by public speaking.
If you can relate, we can help! Here are some easy and effective ways to put your fears to rest that don’t require anti-anxiety medication or hours in a therapist’s office. Because once you are confident of your skills, you’ll quickly come to realize there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Building confidence does require an investment of your time, and with consistent practice and some polishing of delivery skills, almost anyone can become a relaxed, professional, and confident speaker. Here are some tips that will help you make that transformation.
It Starts with Your Mindset
If you’ve been invited to speak to an audience, then at least one person must think you have important information to share. Keep your focus on your audience, and the value your information will bring to them. It’s not about you, it’s about them – inspiring them, informing them or building collaboration through delivering knowledge that can take them in a new direction. Keeping your mind focused on helping others will work wonders for reducing your stress.
Preparation is Key
Your preparation should also start with your audience. Find out as much as you can about who will be there, why they are there, and what you think they hope to take away from your presentation. Check out this post for our recommendations on how best to do that.
Practice must be a part of preparation, and it’s best if you can video yourself on your phone, and/or practice in front of someone who will give you honest feedback.
There is one more technique you might want to practice before you present, because it will not only help you with your delivery, but will help you stay calm as well, and that is controlled breathing. This article gives you some basic techniques.
Hone your Delivery Skills
There are a number of delivery skills that are important for confidence, but three are critical:
- Eye connection: This is one of the most effective ways of connecting with your audience. We offer an in-depth look at the hows and whys of eye contact in this post on our website.
- Remember to pause: Stop speaking. Take a breath. Then continue. Remembering to pause is the best way to eliminate filler words (um, uh, you know) and to give your audience a chance to absorb the information. Just a few seconds can make a lot of difference in your delivery and your audience’s comprehension. Here’s a post on learning to pause and eliminate those annoying filler words.
- Posture: An open, non-threatening, but confident posture gives the impression of both authority and approachability. It also reduces your own stress. Keep your weight evenly on both feet with the weight towards the ball of your foot and feet 6 to 8 inches apart. Keep your shoulders back, and your head up.
It takes time and practice to become a fearless, confident speaker, but it is absolutely possible. One of the best and fastest ways to improve is to get professional feedback and practice in a safe and supportive environment. ProComm Ltd has been helping business people improve their communication skills for over 22 years. We use interactive, personalized, small group trainings that include video recording and private coaching. Intensive practice and feedback from experienced trainers are the best ways we have found to develop and enhance professional communication skills.
You can learn more about our programs here. If you’d like to discuss how we can help you meet your business goals by identifying needs and creating solutions that maximize every communication opportunity, contact us here.