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, says
Lenny Laskowski, a professional speaker and President of LJL Seminars.
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"
For more specific techniques on handling
nervousness, order our booklet, "Techniques to Handle Nervousness"
or our 60 minute audiotape, "Overcoming Speaking Anxiety"
from one of Lenny's "live" seminars. This guide will provide
you with both physical and mental techniques you can use immediately
to help you reduce your anxiety. You can order either one of these products
through our convenient on-line
catalog.