Most of us get nervous before speaking in public. That’s not only normal, it’s helpful. Those butterflies help “psyche us up” for a dynamic presentation. Without them, we might feel mellow and totally in control—and we'd almost certainly come across as boring.
Nervousness is also evidence of our desire to be good for our audience. In other words, we want to be giving listeners something valuable. That concern makes us personable and more focused on what we’re trying to achieve. Spend enough time and energy thinking about your audience’s needs, and you'll soon forget about your own public speaking jitters.
So don't fear your public speaking nervousness. Remind yourself that it's an essential part of preparing to do a good job. Turn your attention instead to what you need to say and do to convince this audience. Your listeners will not only see a more comfortable performer. They’ll hear a much more persuasive speech.
How to Look and Sound More Confident
Try this simple experiment: Stand up and expel all the air from your lungs. What did that do to your posture? You’ve probably just assumed a caved-in appearance. That can certainly make you look weak in terms of public speaking. Now, slowly fill your lungs to their full capacity.
Did that straighten you up? Sure it did. Do you feel more capable, prepared, and stronger as a potential speaker? I’ll bet you do—and I guarantee that’s how your audience will perceive you!
The lesson here is simple yet important: how you stand affects your standing with your audience. When you use good posture and your full breathing capacity, you look like a person of consequence. Just doing it will make you feel more confident. And your audience will certainly notice the difference.
Pauses and Silence Demonstrate Confidence
When it comes to public speaking fear, who isn’t familiar with the effects of adrenaline? That’s the “fight or flight hormone.” And in presenters, it almost always translates into speaking too rapidly.
This effect of adrenaline makes us sound like an out-of-control freight train when speaking: nothing will slow us down! Add to that the thought that “I wish this presentation were over,” and we’ll be pushed further in the direction of a hurried delivery.
To counter this level of public speaking anxiety, use the simple but effective public speaking tools of pauses and silence. Pauses are necessary for audiences to absorb important information. But they also convey another message: they tell your listeners that you’re confident. Silence gives audiences an important clue concerning how you feel about public speaking, that it’s something you enjoy, and don’t want to rush the experience.
At Public Speaking International, we’ll help you become a more confident and relaxed speaker who gets results. We use theater-based techniques to increase your effectiveness and enjoyment of public speaking.
Call us today at (781) 643-2095 or contact us. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
More Public Speaking Tips:
Public Speaking – Your Most Important Communication Tool
Using Your Voice
Mastering Nonverbal Communication
Persuading an Audience