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Many
professionals will go to great lengths to avoid it. Careers can be cut short by it.
Practically everybody – from senior managers to entry-level
employees –sweats over it. It
may make you jittery too. In
fact, according to The Book of Lists, public speaking is among
America’s most feared pursuits. That’s
why the findings of a poll conducted by the National Speakers
Association on overcoming the fear of public speaking are invaluable for
anyone who finds their nerves frayed by a pending public speaking
engagement. Members
of the National Speakers Association, who are among the most successful
professional speakers in the world, responded to the survey and shed
light on the tricks of the professional speaking trade. “Just thinking about standing before an audience makes some people uncomfortable,” says Jim Rhode, a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and president of the National Speakers Association. “But the thing for novice speakers to remember is that they never look as foolish as they may feel.” Following
are the National Speakers Association’s top 10 strategies for
overcoming the fear of public speaking: 10. Accept the fear and make it work for you. Most
people cannot see or sense a speaker’s nervousness, so be sure not to
mention it, which will only draw attention to the fact that you’re not
totally calm, cool, and confident.
Instead, use your nervousness, which is really just an adrenaline
rush, to your advantage. Harness
your nervous energy and turn it into enthusiasm. 9.
Arrive to the speech location early. If
your presentation requires a microphone, overhead projector, or any
other technical equipment, make sure you arrive at the venue early
enough to test it before the audience arrives.
You should also make yourself comfortable with the room.
Canvass the stage and check out the vantage point from the
audience seating area. Getting
familiar with the room will help put you at ease. 8.
Do deep breathing exercises. This
is the old standby for any tense situation and professional speakers
swear by its effectiveness. Take
a deep breath, hold it for three or four seconds, and exhale.
Repeat four or five times. You’ll
feel remarkably more at ease. 7. Speak on something you are passionate about. A
passion for your subject will help to dissipate your nerves in the
moments before you speak. The
audience will sense your passion and focus on your message – not your
mistakes. 6. Speak as often as possible. Nothing
kills a case of the nerves like experience.
The more you speak and the more you stand in front of an
audience, the more comfortable you’ll be. 5. Know your topic and material. Being
unfamiliar with your topic and material is a sure-fire way to pump up
your level of nervousness. People
unfamiliar with their material also tend to memorize the text of their
speech, which can lead to catastrophe if your stage fight is great
enough to impact your memory. 4. Mingle with the audience before the speech. If
it’s possible, try to meet people in the audience before you speak.
A simple chat with a few people in the audience will increase
your familiarity with the audience and improve your comfort level. 3. Know your audience. Members
of the National Speakers Association swear by the value of doing your
homework. Professional
speakers make a substantial effort to research the company or
organization hosting their speech.
Knowing the sensitivities of your audience will allow you to hit
their hot buttons and avoid failed attempts at humor. 2. Forget yourself and focus on the audience. You’re
speaking because you have valuable information to share.
Recognize that your true goal is to help the audience and make
them understand your message. 1. Prepare and rehearse. Nothing
beats practicing for a speech. The
more you practice, the better you will do.
Try practicing in front of family and friends or colleagues.
If that isn’t possible, stand in front of a mirror and read
your speech aloud. This
will also put you in tune with your natural hand gestures and facial
expressions. The National Speakers Association offers a variety of tools and resources for people who want to learn more about professional speaking. Log on to www.nsaspeaker.org to find out more about NSA meetings, chapter meetings open to the public, Professional Speaker magazine, and more. The National Speakers Association (NSA)
is the leading organization for experts who speak professionally. NSA's
4,000 members include experts in a variety of industries and
disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists,
motivators, consultants, authors, and more. Since 1973, NSA has provided
resources and education designed to advance the skills, integrity and
value of its members and speaking profession.
Visit NSA's Web site at www.nsaspeaker.org.
NSA: The Voice of the Speaking Profession.® To contact
Marsh Mardock, phone (480) 221-2240 or email Marsha@nsaspeaker.org. Published in Networking Today, January 2003. |
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