You're facing nerves before speaking to your boss. How can you conquer them with confidence?

This is so true! Preparation is the key to self confidence. As Richard Kline said, “Confidence is preparation. Everything else is beyond your control.” But the mistake most people make when it comes to presenting is they do all their preparation on paper. They constantly edit the words they are going to say rather than the delivery of those words. The bottom line is this - for 99% of presentations, working on the delivery will do more for your confidence than ANYTHING else you can do. It will also help you get great clarity on what you’re trying to say. Spend 25% of your prep creating your first draft and 75% experimenting with the delivery and your confidence level will be through the roof! Even more so if you video yourself and review.

When you are nervous about speaking to your boss, employ these strategies to conquer your nerves and bolster your confidence: 1. Take slow, deep breaths to calm your mind and body. 2. Envision a positive outcome for the conversation. 3. Prepare your main points in advance, but be flexible and open to discussion. 4. Maintain an upright posture, as it enhances your confidence and presence. 5. Make eye contact to convey assurance and attentiveness. 6. Recall your strengths and past achievements to reinforce your self-confidence and readiness for the conversation.

Be really well-prepared with all the facts. And depending on who the boss is, it may be good to prepare to talk about stuff which is not on the agenda too. Work out how to persuade your boss from past experience and prepare your line of argument and be able to contain it in three main points. Focus on your boss and not on yourself and think about what's important for him/her, but link it to what you want. Come up with things which will be high value to your boss but at low cost for yourself to offer. Prepare lots of open questions and listen intently to the answers. Be ready to go off script otherwise it may appear too rehearsed and unnatural.

Las conversaciones con los jefes o gerentes, no deben causarnos temor, sin embargo es un practica muy común cuando se tiene que dar un reporte, pedir algún ascenso o aumento, también pedir permiso o hablar de algún error. Sí bien, la confianza que debe haber con tu jefe debe darse en el día a día, cuando expones en público, esto muchas veces se va. Por ello te recomiendo prepararte, conocer el tema del que vas hablar, prepararte en oratoria y también saber generar la confianza con métodos y herramientas que te ayuden a "Creer en ti". Si quieres saber más, te invito a seguirme.

It's normal to feel nervous before speaking to your boss. Start by outlining the key takeaways you want to share with your boss. Next, provide clear examples that support the points you want to make. If it is appropriate, take some time to think of objections or reasons why your boss might not be receptive to the ideas you are discussing. Be ready to support your ideas, accept constructive criticism and feedback that can help you grow in your role. Be sure to ask if there any budget or time constraints that affect the delivery of items for which you are responsible so you can be prepared. Rehearse your conversation, practice your talking points, remember to listen more than you speak, and have slides ready to clarify points you make.

Visualizing a successful presentation is very powerful. Actually practicing it, even more so! The two together, best of all. But maybe try visualizing from THEIR perspective, not just your own. What is important to them? What are their constraints? What is their ideal outcome? What objections could they have to your proposal. Put yourself in their shoes, so that you can better understand how to present your ideas in a way that they will be most receptive to. By playing both sides of the conversation, you can identify common ground and avoid many misunderstandings. Effective communication is much more about them (the audience) than it is about us (the speaker). Remember, who decides if your communication attempt is successful? They do!

We hear of athletes and entertainers regularly taking the time to visualize success. This is an underappreciated skill and has a wonderful place as a part of preparation for public speaking. Allow yourself to really feel, see, hear, and experience what it is like to do a great job as a public speaker. Consider the impact what you say and share will have on others. Visualize the responses your audience will have to what you share. This primes your mind and spirit for a successful outcome and helps reduce performance anxiety. Immerse yourself in the experience you want to deliver and the experience your audience will receive. Do this daily; make it a habit. It can richly reward you and your audiences with great performances.

Consider visualizing not just the successes, but also the potential challenges. Imagine yourself handling tough questions or navigating unexpected turns in the conversation with grace and confidence. This dual approach not only prepares you for the best but also arms you against anxiety by removing the fear of the unknown. By expecting the unexpected and having a mental plan for potential hurdles, you equip yourself with a more robust readiness, turning potential surprises into just another step in your well-rehearsed dance.

Recent research has shown that breathing through the mouth is not as effective (in fact, may not be at all) as mouth breathing. Research the new science of breathing (Patrick McKeown / James Nestor) to learn the art of inhaling and exhaling through the nose. Be careful if you suffer from anxiety, it may not be right for you. When breathing, connect with your heart. Speak to it, feel its rhythm, repeat a mantra that you are safe, it's just a conversation, there is no danger. When breathing deeply, keep your shoulders and chest down. Let the breath reach your abdomen. Take in air slowly. We need less air than was originally thought to maintain a chemical balance. Light, slow and deep is the way to go.

Integrate subtle movement with your breath control. Small movements like gentle neck rolls or shoulder shrugs while breathing deeply can further help release physical tension, often overlooked in nervous situations. This combination not only calms the mind but also loosens the muscles, reinforcing a state of relaxation. By aligning your body's physical state with your calm breathing, you enhance the overall effect, walking into your meeting not just mentally prepared, but physically poised.

To conquer nerves before speaking to your boss, controlling your breathing is essential. One effective method is to practice deep, steady breathing to calm your mind and body. Additionally, maintaining a relaxed and composed demeanor will help boost your confidence and present yourself with poise. Remember, preparation and a positive mindset are key to overcoming anxiety. ????♂?

Positive self-talk is a great place to start. Be ready to quash any negative self-talk, including the whispers (or shouts) of doubt that pop up like weeds in your mind. Counter this negativity right away. Nip it in the bud by stating the opposite of what your inner critic might be saying. You can try making a game of this, noticing what situations tend to bring out your inner critic. If there is a trend, come up with 3 or 4 positive self-talk things to say to the inner critic. Over a period of time, this helps to mute the unhelpful negative self-talk and make it easier for the positive self-talk to take hold and grow.

Mirror scenes in movies are my favourite and the one from 'Luck by chance' by Farhan before the audition is amazing. I do that too, whenever I am getting into a planned crucial conversation, one of the most interesting thing about humans is that we seldom look in our own eyes and tell ourselves that its possible and you deserve this.

Remember that your boss is a human being with points of view,interests, preferences, and the talent to have achieved what he or she has. They have unsolved problems and perhaps you can contribute solutions.