You're faced with impromptu public speaking at a team meeting. How will you conquer stage fright?

This is by far the most important thing to do as anything impromptu can mostly get you off guard. You may know your stuff but if you aren't calm enough you may not be able to articulate them properly. Doing quick breathes greatly helps to compose and recollect your thoughts so that once you start speaking there is a flow. As you do this believe that you are your confident, your contribution is valuable and should be heard.

The power of breathwork is so vital. When we focus on our breath, we take attention away from all the anxiety and fear. And by doing this, you can think through what you need to say. You can also hold onto an object and focus on its features intensely. Some speakers have been known to hold an object in their palm as they speak.

Try not to panic, take a deep breath and repeat the question. This will buy you some time while you collect your thoughts. Make a mental note of all of the items that pop into your head or note them down, this way you will cover all of your basis. Organise that mental list and work your way through it, and you will give a confident and comprehensive answer to the question. This is easier said than done, but with practice, impromptu speaking gets easier, so the worst thing you can do is try and avoid it.

Take a "mental" deep breath, too. Don't focus on how you feel, but on what you have to contribute to your team and to the discussion at hand. If you didn't have anything worthwhile to add to a team meeting, they wouldn't have asked you to speak.

C'est le plus important. Savoir respirer, ce qui signifie être en verticalité. Etre en verticalité, c'est être ancré au sol et sentir un fil hypothétique qui vous tire la tête vers le ciel. Vous dégagez la colonne d'air et vous ?tez du stresse en dégageant le plexus solaire

When in doubt, focus on your strengths. You do not need to know everything about a certain topic, you just have to bring your own perspective to it. If you can deliver your perspective well, then you will be fine. And all this can be encompassed in a story.

Conna?tre parfaitement son métier et avoir préparer un pitch permet de réponde à toutes questions de fa?ons impromptues. Cela va considérablement réduire l'impression d'anxiété et au contraire, de plus en plus, vous chercherez à ce qu'on vous donne la parole. Car vous des choses interressantes à partager, comme chacun d'entre nous

In this ‘newer’ environment of online interactions, it can be unnerving if everyone has turned off their videos, making it more difficult to make a connection. Request as many as possible to switch on their videos; ask a question or request contributions in the chat and bring your audience into the discussion. You were requested to make an impromptu speech because you are perceived to be the most knowledgeable on this particular aspect. Keep that in mind, breathe and speak about what you know best.

Engaging immediately gives the impression that you are on-point and have something useful to add. It also highlights the importance of paying attention in any meeting you are in! Sound like you believe that what you are saying is worth hearing, right from the start.

One way to put yourself at ease and to warm your listeners to you is to make eye contact. Yup, I know that can be weird or difficult, but an easy way out is to make eye contact with someone you know or get on well with in the team. If there’s more than one, all the better. More often than not, you’ll be met with an encouraging smile or a knowing nod, and that will help calm your nerves.

One thing I've found helpful is, speak slowly as you gather your thoughts, if you are too fast then it will be glaring that you are experiencing stage fright, as you speak slowly, the heart won't beat as fast as when your name was called, thereafter you will be a little more confident and even find that your words make sense to the listeners! Also remember to breath.

Fix your gaze on the people you are most familiar and comfortable with. That has always helped. Start with more general thoughts while you process the specific ideas and thoughts you want to convey.

I can easily 'benchmark' through a glass of red wine hahaha, joking...this can be resolved through continuous practice at home with family friends until you become perfect. I once listed to one of the leaders who heads a unicorn start-up, 'ask your 8 year old niece the most difficult question about yourself, present to her as if she's your executive and get her to judge your non verbal behaviour' you'll get the most honest constructive criticism without being offended, they give the truth for self improvement more than anyone could give you.

Here is the first thing you need to do. Remember that you do NOT need to start speaking immediately: give the audience time to look at you and figure out who you are, what you are wearing today, if you look happy or stressed .... Stand up, plant your feet firmly on the ground, and FEEL YOUR STRENGTH! Let the power run from that strong stance, up your legs, all through your body and take the time to FEEL good. Smile. A real smile: it will make you feel happy instead of panicked!! Other people in this forum have underlined the importance of deep breathing: they're right! So, in a nutshell, take your time! Use your body as your ally BEFORE you get to the words.

En tant que speaker, même de fa?on impromptue, la respiration est essentielle avant de prendre la parole. Cela permet de faire des silences, de ralentir le rythme de la parole, de fa?on que la pensée précède les mots et pas l'inverse. Cela signifie aussi être attentif à ce qui se dit avant, et donc d'effectuer ce qu'on appelle l'écoute active

I live by the motto I learnt as a girl guide (scouts)...always be prepared. I like to tell stories, coz that humanizes me and brings whatever concepts or ideas am talking about down to earth...and it's so much more fun that way. No fear or stage fright when I think of public speaking as storytelling, sharing, witnessing...even if there might be data involved.

The biggest preparation you will do for an impromptu speech is the lessons you take away from this one for the next time. You don’t have to beat yourself up for what went wrong or how it might have fallen flat at any point. Try to go over it with a positive lens, learn from the experience and hopefully, you will be armed with a trick or two to give a go the next time you’re called on to speak impromptu.

One thing I've found helpful is to take a deep breath and to remain calm in order to collect my thoughts and understand the subject in detail before speaking. Write down key points to serve as your talking points. If possible share a story to connect with the audience.