👉Dreading That Speech? Act Now!
How to speak (even when you hate it.)
Your heart beats fast, your palms sweat & your breathing is … wait, what’s breathing? You just realized you were holding your breath—& that is NOT going to help you speak well in front of this group.
How do you give that speech you HAVE to give when all you want to do is get out of it?
I easily imagine the woman in the image above, hiding in the supply closet, planning to “find the right conference room” just minutes after her colleagues finished their presentation without her. Have you done this?? (Or fantasized about doing it, but just called in sick instead?)
Here’s the help you need.
After 15 years as a Communications Coach—& a lifetime living as a shy person who still gets nervous to speak in public even as I now make my living as a professional communicator—here are the top challenges I’ve heard most commonly & the SOLUTIONS for overcoming your fears of public speaking.
PROBLEM #1 - You’re so nervous, you just cannot do it. Yes, that is the absolute #1 problem to speaking in public from the people who dread it the most.
SOLUTION = Practice. That sounds simple & it really is, even if it’s also hard. Find someone you trust & just practice. Typically, you’ll get a chance to practice your nerves, too. The mental hack is to remind yourself that nervousness means you want to do a good job & that when you feel the nerves, you know they will show up ‘onstage,’ as well (even if that stage is a conference room) & that—just like in your practice—you’ll manage to get to the end of your speech anyway. You can do it!
PROBLEM #2 - You forget your place. Whether it’s from nerves, from ADHD or something you can’t even pinpoint (but know you keep experiencing), losing track of where you are in your presentation can feel very embarrassing & even keep you stuck.
SOLUTION = Use notes, don’t memorize. Note cards are not the end of the world. PowerPoint slides that keep you on track are helpful for you & the audience. But no one likes to read along with your every word onscreen (or in your handouts). Keep your points simple. Write down the important data, dates or other info that you can’t keep in your head (including pronunciations if needed), & then only rely on recall for the essence of what you want to say. Hint: When you practice, that’s the part you’re practicing—how your message feels & lands when you say it. (Need a clarifying example? The purpose of your presentation may be to share the quarterly sales numbers. The goal of your pres, however, is to highlight the growth of your department, even if the numbers don’t show that growth by themselves.) If ADHD is your primary concern, consider using a mind map template to help you visually recall your place via connecting your thoughts.
PROBLEM #3 - You’re great during practice, but freeze up in the moment if there’s a microphone involved (or a camera, stage, no podium, you name it).
SOLUTION = Prepare to be prepared. Yep, the answer is more practice, once again. If you’re already aware of your triggers (like you know you have mic phobia, which is highly common), practice with props. Have someone record you, so that you can watch the playback. Practice holding or wearing various microphones. Imagine that your boss walks into the room mid-presentation or that one fool in the company starts to heckle you. How will you handle it? (Hint: Don’t forget to rate your anxiety on a scale of 0-10 before & after practice, so you can prove to your brain that you can successfully survive it.)
Want more help with building your public speaking skills? Let’s talk! Book a virtual coffee with Coach Kiki to speak your truth … with confidence! After all, when you are confident, focused & authentic with your message, you are a magnet to what (& who!) you wish to attract.