What are the most effective ways to build confidence when delivering a public speech in a foreign language?

Be aware of the barriers but play up your strengths. For example you can acknowledge w your audience there are some barriers to communication but humor is a universal language.

Knowing your audience is of course key in setting the tone right when you're a native speaker, but as a non native I think it's more important to keep in mind that whoever your audience are, they're probably just grateful you're making the effort to speak in their language rather than them having to understand you in your native language. Also keep in mind that whatever their level, they are just people and they likely as not want you to succeed, not see you fail!

When speaking in a language that's not your own, cultural nuances can come into play as much as vocabulary and syntax. So, tailor your speech to their expectations and sensibilities. But there's another layer to this; sometimes, audiences are more forgiving when they know you're not a native speaker. Use that to your advantage. Don't aim for perfection; aim for connection. Reassure them early on that while the language may not be your first, your message transcends language barriers. Let them know that you've made an effort to understand their culture and speak their language, and you'll find that they'll make an extra effort to understand you. The confidence will come from that mutual understanding, not just your mastery of the language.

This is an excellent tip for any presentation and should be a part of every speech preparation imho. It helps to make sure you know the specific words and abbreviations of your topic or industry in the other language. And don’t be afraid to describe what you mean and ask the audience for help to find the right word. I’m often a non native speaker myself (fluent in English and German, native in Dutch) and there’s always a word or two that slips my mind in the heat of the moment. Keep the focus on what you want them to take away from your speech. And they will, even with a missing word or sentence.

Practice is of course important, from my experience working with people who have anxiety speaking with their peers in a foreign language the biggest help is being aware of and honest about their fear. Scripting a presentation and learning new phrases is of little help if the stress of the situation causes your mind to go blank. Rather than focussing all your attention on what you want to say, try focusing on the how you want to 'be' when speaking. One exercise to help with this is to think of a time where you felt the way you'd like to feel while speaking and then take steps to give yourself the biggest chance of being present in that way.

From my experience, I can't stress enough how vital practice and recording are. This practice takes on an even greater significance when dealing with a foreign language. By recording yourself, you're doing more than just polishing your pronunciation and pace; you're getting a glimpse of what your audience will experience. You catch linguistic mistakes and moments where you might be losing clarity or failing to emphasize crucial points.

I think it’s also important to emerge yourself in the language. Listen to music, watch movies and read books. Participate in groups on Facebook or LinkedIn, don’t solely focus on repeating and perfecting the speech. Personally, I wouldn’t record to identify and correct errors… that way, during the actual speech you are too much focused on yourself and the right words, that you’ll lose the connection with your audience. You’re too much in your head and if you make a mistake then you’ll worry about it and that can lead to more mistakes. The core thing is your message and the takeaway. The audience will get that even with a mistake, mispronunciation or misplaced word.

Visual aids can be a great prompt for you in your speech, but there's little worse than someone who just reads their speech or presentation direct from their slides. Also, be careful with humorous slides in a foreign language, jokes sometimes don't translate or worst case, cause offence.

Visual aids are integral to your presentation toolbox, especially when speaking in a foreign language. They offer a secondary communication channel that complements your words, adding a layer of reinforcement that can be particularly helpful when linguistic nuances might be lost. . More importantly, well-designed visuals can give you, the speaker, a lifeline. Nervousness or forgetfulness might creep in, especially when speaking a language you're uncomfortable with.

I can't overstate the power of mastering key phrases, especially when delivering a speech in a foreign language. These phrases are the cornerstone of your presentation; think of them as your safety net. They help you set the tone, engage the audience, and manage difficult moments, offering a sense of control and predictability in an otherwise unpredictable environment. But it's more than just rote memorization—you need to practice them in context until they become second nature, not just lines on a page. If you can throw in a colloquial phrase or two that resonates with the local audience, that's even better.

Many of my clients mention the most difficult part of speaking publicly as being getting started. So having the first sentence of each section of your talk can be a great help. Once you've started as long as you know your subject you can probably keep in the flow. Having an emergency recovery line is also helpful. Even if you never need it, knowing you have one can be supportive.

This is very personal, but being completely honest breathing techniques have never worked for me when I'm actually in a stressful situation. I find them supportive for general stress and wellbeing, but not for acute situations. Instead, I would recommend preparing yourself and your environment before the event to give yourself the biggest chance of success. Most important is to actually look at your fears surrounding the event. Pay attention to any thoughts, feelings, and images that come to mind when you think about upcoming (or past) speaking events. Get curious about what exactly is going on for you to make you feel anxious. Ideally, I'd recommend getting some help from a life coach to help find ways of overcoming your anxiety.

As much as it seems like a daunting task, it is going to be a rewarding endeavour. Try to enjoy the process and prepare without any hesitation. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. No one is perfect, and your audience will appreciate your vulnerable side. Plan but leave room for improvisation always.

There's a great quote I like to share with my clients from John. C. Maxwell "People may hear your words, but feel your attitude." The truth is that unless you are representing your company or country grammatical accuracy is over rated. People are generally more interested in the person themselves than any errors in they might make in their language. So, finding ways to enjoy sharing time with people in whatever language you're speaking is something to aim for.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Once you've identified your fears and concerns surrounding speaking in a foreign language the next step is to admit them to someone else. This can be both incredibly supportive and terrifying. If you're not ready to admit your concerns to a peer, start by saying them to yourself out loud, or better still telling your dog or cat. Don't have a pet? I hear that trees can be great listeners!

When I had my first talk in English I used British English, this is what I learned in school so I used that. Over the tears my English has become more American English but sometimes I fall back to British English. British English tend to stay on words a bit longer and don't say each letter. So for me I get a bit more time to think of the next thing, as well as I don't need to articulate as much.