12 Ways to Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking
Forget the old folk wisdom about overcoming your fear of public speaking by picturing the audience naked. Even if it does make the audience seem less threatening, it’s more than a little creepy. (Plus, it could backfire in ways we won’t discuss here.) Fortunately for all of us who become petrified at the podium, far more effective techniques exist for taming our terror. And “terror” truly isn’t too strong a word for what we feel.
Another widely held belief is that people report their fear of speaking in public (or, glossophobia) as being the No. 1 thing they’re afraid of – with death taking second place. But would people really rather die than speak in front of an audience? Closely examined, public speaking was the most commonly cited fear, but not the top-ranked fear. That honor, indeed, goes to the Grim Reaper, though still only by a slim slice of the scythe.
The point is: When it comes to talking to a large crowd of your fellow humans, all eyes on you, it may well put the proverbial fear of death in you. But it doesn’t have to. Not when there’s something you can do about it.
Here are a dozen things to do to overcome your fear of public speaking:
Presentation Preparation
1. Know What You’re Talking About
The greatest trick for looking like you know what you’re talking about is – ready for this? – knowing what you’re talking about. Thorough knowledge of the subject is the best defense against getting off track during your presentation. It’ll also help you get back on track if you do get lost for a moment, calming your fears of drawing a blank. Ingestion, absorption, and repetition of the information are your best friends.
The Mayo Clinic recommends boosting your preparedness by thinking of up to five questions the audience may ask and having your answers ready.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice
It’s the famously and humorously unhelpful answer to the question, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Unhelpful or not, when it comes to coming off without a hitch at that big presentation to the company muckety-mucks, practice is the only way to go.
“Take the time to go over your notes several times,” public speaking consultant Marjorie North states. “Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice – a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.”
3. Speak, Don’t Recite
Why bother reciting your speech word for word when you could just put it up on the display screen and let the audience read it themselves? They don’t need you for that. The very purpose of giving a speech is to make a human connection with those you’re presenting to. That won’t happen if you just stand up there and regurgitate every syllable of your memorized speech. Plus, striving for that level of perfectionism is a recipe for stress.
Professional speaker and Toastmasters member Lesley Stephenson stresses “connection over perfection.” She recommends writing out your whole speech, but memorizing only the beginning and end.
“When you try to remember your speech word for word, it reduces the conversational tone, which in turn increases disconnection with the audience,” Stephenson warns.
4. Plan for Problems
Before the start of the new semester, maybe you walked the campus according to your course schedule, ensuring you knew where you were going on the first day. Anticipating issues – like your mind suddenly going blank – and preparing your response will give you confidence when crunch time comes.
“If we know what to do in the worst-case scenario (and practice it), we’ll have confidence in our ability to handle it,” the National Social Anxiety Center states.
Mental Readiness
5. Normalize Nervousness
If public speaking were a pharmaceutical product sold on a late-night TV commercial, the rapidly recited disclaimer would read as follows. “Side effects may include: increased heart rate, dry mouth, sweating, shaky voice, panic attacks, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, trembling, difficulty speaking, negative thoughts like ‘What if they don’t like me?’ or triggering of the body’s fight-or-flight response.”
But you don’t need to talk to your doctor to find out whether public speaking is right for you. You just need to stop fighting it. Embrace the stage fright. According to Harvard, everyone has some physiological reaction when speaking to a crowd. The trick is to avoid associating these feelings with fear of failure. Instead, link them to the adrenaline rush that makes you alert and ready to rock.
Toastmasters’ Stephenson calls it “a lovely sort of buzz of excitement.”
6. Ask Yourself, “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?”
The greatest fear is the unknown. That’s why the so-called “devil you know” is always so much more appealing than some demon you don’t. Imagine all the things likely to go wrong in your presentation. Think through the worst-case scenario. Put those probable consequences in perspective and find ways to avoid them.
Moxie Institute states that anxiety-inducing thoughts elicit physiological reactions. You must shift your thoughts to change your body’s response. Observe negative thought patterns when they occur. Develop standard responses to those thoughts and catalog them in your mind so you can deploy them confidently in future situations.
7. Remember, It’s Not About You
Americans steeped in individualist culture may find this concept hard to grasp. But, when you’re speaking in front of a group, it’s not about you. It’s about what you’re saying and how it informs or interests them. No slight to the cleverness of your wordplay, but audiences tend to pay attention to new information as opposed to how it’s presented to them.
If you’re nervous, they’re likely not even picking up on it. “If audience members do notice that you’re nervous,” the Mayo Clinic notes, “they may root for you and want your speech to be a success.”
8. Visualize Victory!
Imagining yourself slaying your presentation makes it seem possible. Once it seems possible, you can start to believe it will be.
Moxie recommends mentally constructing the space in vivid detail. Think about room layout, lighting and your position relative to the crowd. Mentally rehearse in that space from entrance to exit and envision a positive audience response.
Physical Presence
9. Just Breathe
Scientists, scholars, and religious figures (not to mention Mr. Miyagi, perhaps encompassing the finest of all three) all agree that focusing on a “basic of life,” breathing, is a vital coping mechanism in our toughest moments.
The National Social Anxiety Center states that simply changing our breathing can help manage anxiety. That’s easier said than done. Try these tips:
- Take slow breaths.
- Exhale even slower.
- Pause between breaths.
- Practice mindful breathing during low-stress times to prepare for high-stress moments.
10. Enjoy the Silence
The natural tendency is to speed-run. This gets it over with quicker. But even a brief pause can feel to the speaker like an extended moment of awkward silence. Actually, well-placed pauses can help you reflect on what you’ve said and organize your thoughts on what comes next, as well as keep the audience primed for what you’re going to say next.
“If you’ve ever been worried about not talking long enough during a presentation for school, prevent the feeling of hurriedness by taking your time,” according to Florida National University.
11. Focus on Friendlies
Whether you’re speaking to someone one-on-one or from the podium of a packed room, eye contact is a must. The American Psychological Association recommends making eye contact with multiple people around the room to build and maintain a human connection. Pay special attention to the friendliest faces in the crowd.
“This helps you see the audience as individuals and not a massive entity,” the APA states. “Notice what they’re wearing and what they laugh at. Some may smile at you or nod at you, which can be a confidence booster.”
After the Applause
12. Get Your Reps In
According to Southern New Hampshire University, the more you expose yourself to this giant among human horrors, the better at it you’ll become and the more desensitized you’ll get to the anxieties. So, as soon as you step off the stage, you should be looking for your next opportunity to do it all over again.
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About the Author
McKonly & Asbury is a leading Mid-Atlantic accounting and business advisory services firm that serves as a trusted advisor and valued business partner to many of the region’s most prominent organizations.
