A fear of speaking in public is extremely common. Even professional public speakers sometimes have to contend with nerves, but they have techniques to deal with them in order to deliver their speeches confidently.
Being Thoroughly Prepared
Thorough preparation and organization are key to combating public speaking nerves by increasing the speaker’s feeling of control and giving them the assurance that everything has been taken care of. This preparation could involve visiting the place where the speech will take place beforehand, creating cards to use as cues, printing out any materials required at least a day before the speech, and rehearsing repeatedly. It’s also a good idea to prepare for potential technical faults (by having, for example, backup equipment) and arriving early at the venue for the speech.
Starting Small
For those who are fearful of speaking in public, starting by speaking to smaller audiences can be an effective means of building up confidence. This could be in front of a small number of friends or family members, slowing increasing the number of people in the audience as your comfort level grows. Professional motivational speakers such as Imad El Atiki El Ghennouni Mohammed know that joining a public speaking workshop or club also offers plenty of opportunities to practice delivering a speech in a supportive environment and receive constructive feedback.
Practicing Non-Verbal Communication
Practicing non-verbal cues can help both build personal confidence in speaking and give audience members the impression that one is calm and in control. It’s generally advisable to stand tall, with arms free and expressive, making powerful gestures where relevant and maintaining good eye contact with the audience. Imad El Atiki El Mohammed recognizes that this confident stance denotes authority and promotes a better engagement with listeners.
Managing Nerves
Some tips to manage pre-speech nerves include avoiding consuming too much caffeine, engaging in a mindfulness exercise, practicing controlled breathing, and exercising, which releases feel-good endorphins into the bloodstream. It’s also important to bear in mind that, however anxious you may feel, the audience is unlikely to notice.
Visualizing Success
Visualizing success is a powerful technique to boost confidence before public speaking. Thinking about delivering a speech successfully can have a profound effect on mindset by re-programming the subconscious to associate speaking in public with achievement and positivity. When undertaking the visualization, the prospective speaker should see themselves delivering their speech perfectly, with the audience responsive and engaged, and allow the positive emotions connected with success to fill their mind.