Knock your next presentation out of the park with these
public speaking tips.
How successful we are at selling ourselves, our products and
our services depends on our ability to stand up and be heard. What often
prevents us from telling our story successfully is not our inability to
articulate what we do, or how strongly we believe in the value of what we
offer. Instead, it is simply the fear of speaking in front of an audience.
Being nervous while presenting can put a dint in your credibility and have an
adverse effect on achieving your business goals.
To manage the fear of speaking in public, you need to first
understand the root cause of the fear.
Understanding that our brain can't tell the difference
between a real threat (a pack of wolves about to attack you) and an imagined
threat (a group of your peers watching you present) is the first step to
overcoming the fear. This awareness can help you manage the "false
alarm" that happens in the absence of real danger. How so? As you feel
your heart racing when you first start your presentation, you can consciously
and deliberately interrupt the fear response with a quick deep breath and a
rational thought, "This is just a false alarm." The more you get into
the habit of interrupting the fear response as soon as you feel it happening,
the quicker you'll prevent it from being your default response every time you
present in front of a group. You must ingrain in your mind the thought that the
fear of public speaking is simply a misfiring of the caveman "fight or
flight" fear response, and that you can overcome this.
Here are 11 practical tips to help you manage performanceanxiety so you can focus on your key messages:
