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Overcoming Speaking Anxiety in Meetings & Presentations
by Lenny Laskowski
Do your knees feel like Gumby's when you have to get up and speak in front
of a group?
Do you feel like the next words out of your mouth are going to be the
dumbest words ever uttered by a human?
If you said yes to either of the questions above, be advised, you have a
full-blown case of stage fright.
According to the book of lists, the fear of speaking in public is the #1
fear of all fears. The fear of dying is #7! Over 41% of people have some
fear or anxiety dealing with speaking in front of groups. People who have
this fear can experience all kinds of symptoms: Sweaty palms, accelerated
heart rate, memory loss and even difficulty in breathing.
Some of the world's most famous presenters have freely admitted to
nervousness and stage fright. Mark Twain said it best, "There are two types
of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars".
Everyone, even experienced speakers, has some anxiety when speaking in front
of a group of people. This is perfectly normal. The best way to deal with
this anxiety is to first acknowledge that this fear is perfectly normal and
you are not alone. To reduce your fear, you need to make sure you properly
and thoroughly prepare yourself before you speak. Proper preparation and
rehearsal can help to reduce this fear by about 75%. Proper breathing
techniques can further reduce this fear by another 15%. Your mental state
accounts for the remaining 10%.
Below are just a few suggestions you should use to overcome your speaking
anxiety. The first and most important of all is preparation. I like to think
of it as the 9 P's:
Prior Proper Preparation
Prevents Poor Performance
of the
Person Putting on the Presentation.
Nothing will relax you more than to know you are properly prepared. Below
are 10 steps you can take to reduce your speech anxiety.
Know the room - become familiar with the place in which you will speak.
Arrive early and walk around the room including the speaking area. Stand at
the lectern, speak into the microphone. Walk around where the audience will
be seated. Walk from where you will be seated to the place where you will be
speaking.
Know the Audience - If possible, greet some of the audience as they arrive
and chat with them. It is easier to speak to a group of friends than to a
group of strangers.
Know Your Material - If you are not familiar with your material or are
uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech
or presentation and revise it until you can present it with ease.
Learn How to Relax - You can ease tension by doing exercises. Sit
comfortable with your back straight. Breathe in slowly, hold your breath for
4 to 5 seconds, then slowly exhale. To relax your facial muscles, open your
mouth and eyes wide, then close them tightly.
Visualize Yourself Speaking - Imagine yourself walking confidently to the
lectern as the audience applauds. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice
loud, clear and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will
be successful.
Realize People Want You To Succeed - All audiences want speakers to be
interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They want you to
succeed - not fail.
Don't apologize For Being Nervous - Most of the time your nervousness does
not show at all. If you don't say anything about it, nobody will notice. If
you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you
have with your speech, you'll only be calling attention to it. Had you
remained silent, your listeners may not have noticed at all.
Concentrate on Your Message - not the medium - Your nervous feelings will
dissipate if you focus your attention away from your anxieties and
concentrate on your message and your audience, not yourself.
Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy - the same nervous energy that causes
stage fright can be an asset to you. Harness it, and transform it into
vitality and enthusiasm.
Gain Experience - Experience builds confidence, which is the key to
effective speaking. Most beginning speakers find their anxieties decrease
after each speech they give.
If the fear of public speaking causes you to prepare more, then the fear of
speaking serves as it's own best antidote.
Remember, "He who fails to prepare is preparing for failure - so Prepare,
Prepare, Prepare"
Lenny Laskowski is an international professional speaker and President of
LJL Seminars (tm), in Newington, CT. He can be reached at (860) 666-4855 or
by email at President@LJLSeminars.com.
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