There goes the fear: Conquer public-speaking nerves in the workplace

If the thought of speaking in front of an audience in a work scenario fills you with dread, you’re not alone.

As many as three quarters of us feel daunted by the likes of leading a team meeting, addressing a large group of colleagues about a business update, making a sales presentation.

But, happily, there is a lot of simple things you can do to overcome your nerves. I’m the only UK PhD graduate in “public-speaking anxiety and performing under pressure”. I also created the Public Speaking Threats Inventory ®, a tool that gives you tailored insights into what holds them back.

Working with clients such as Computacenter, Arbor Education and ITV, I have helped everyone from product designers to IT specialists build their speaking confidence.

The following tips can be applied to almost any business sector or situation.

Give your fear a name —

Identifying the precise issue that makes you uneasy about public speaking is the first big step to overcoming it.

Really think about what it is that’s bothering you. Are you worried about being too quiet, perhaps, too boring or you’ve had speeches go wrong in the past? Almost any problem can be combatted with the suggestions below, along with practise and training around pitch, tempo and preparation.

Build up gradually —

Just like any skill, you need to build up your speaking confidence, bit by bit. You wouldn’t play St Andrews without having picked up a golf club before or take on Andy Murray in your first game of tennis.

Practice talking to one person, then two, then five and so on. Start with one sentence, then move on to paragraphs and full speeches. 

The power of the imagination —

Visualise mentally the perfect outcome of a speech or, if you prefer, do a drawing of it. See yourself giving a clear, authoritative, engaging talk, to generous applause and with great feedback.

One quick brain tick is to tell yourself your excited about speaking, not nervous.

Keep fed and watered —

Drink a third of a bottle of water before you speak and keep a glass or small bottle on stage with you. Nerves can give you a dry mouth and a tight throat.

Have a healthy snack, such as a muesli bar, fruit or a handful of nuts, an hour before you speak, and keep back up snacks close to hand. Hunger and low blood sugar can cause or increase light-headedness, trouble concentrating or shakiness. 

Keep moving —

Release pent up adrenalin and anxiety with a few star jumps, jogging on the spot or just wiggling your arms and legs.

Hit the right notes —

Play yourself calming music before you speak, be it Zara Larsson, Black Sabbath or Clair de Lune. Whatever works for you.

Big breaths and confident posture —

Before you start to talk, take a deep breath into your stomach. Inhale air for four seconds, hold it for four more, breath out for four, then hold for another four.

You can try nostril breathing. too. Inhale through one nostril, then exhale through the other, then repeat

Put your shoulders back stand with your chest open. It’ll make your look and feel assured.

No one else knows if you get the words wrong —

A big fear of many is accidentally departing from your script during a speech. But your audience probably aren’t aware of what you had written down. If you make a mistake, take a pause and a breath, then carry on.

The businesspeople or colleague listening to you don’t care if you are perfect. They just want to be informed, engaged and, perhaps, inspired.

Consider coaching —

Many businesses will provide this or you can approach a trainer yourself.

It’s key to have advice and practice sessions tailored to your individual concerns and needs – not a one-size-fits-all approach.

---