You've stumbled during a public speech. How do you regain your composure without losing your poise?

Normally if it’s not noticeable I just carry on as the audience doesn’t know the speech or presentation and so wouldn’t know what’s coming next anyway. There are certain words I struggle to say/pronounce so I always give a heads up before I say it so they know and prepared. Allows me to flow easily over the word into my next and the audience is forgiving as I’ve already prepared them If it’s a big stumble them I apologise, make light heart of it and carry on. My big tip is though practise practise practise and visualise how the speech/presentation will go. That way when delivered your prepared and already have a rhythm that sounds familiar to you.

i find it is ok to say ‘i have lost my thread, give me a moment’ works well. people like it when you are human and even more if you keep it real and even light hearted. humans not robots!

To err is human. However, recovering from a stumble in a public speech is not easy. Remember to do this. 1. Take a little pause and look at ur watch and move 2 steps on either of ur sides. This will show audience that you have taken the pause to watch time, but u actually are regaining ur energy. 2. Now start with a very slow pace, (not volume) so that audience can feel it. 3. Gain momentum and built the pace as per ur convenience. 4. Remember that All's well that ends well, so try to give a compelling finish.

While delivering a Tech speech, I completely blanked on a crucial statistic. Rather than freezing up, I decided to address it with a touch of humor. I paused, smiled, and said, 'You know, I had this amazing statistic prepared, and it seems my brain has decided to play hide and seek with it. Let's move on, and I promise to circle back once it decides to reappear.' This light acknowledgment earned a chuckle from the audience and dissipated the tension I was feeling. Sure enough, the number came back to me a few minutes later, and I smoothly integrated it into a later point. The audience appreciated the authenticity, and several attendees mentioned afterwards that this moment made the talk more relatable.

Humor is necessary in tensed situation as this. Use it to poke fun on what just happened, this makes you seem confident and fit to handle any situation.

I used to tell people that your audience doesn’t know your speech. So unless you acknowledge it how would they know you made a mistake or lost your place? I do find that at times it does add some comic relief to lightly make a nod to the mistake and then move on. It just buys time to allow you to reset and calm your nerves, to get the audience laughing with you.

It’s not about you. Refocus your attention on your message. You should always have the audience in mind when you are presenting. By focusing on the correct goals, it reframes your thinking so that you can look towards where you are heading for.

During a pitch to potential investors, I stumbled over some key financial projections. Instead of letting anxiety take over, I channeled that surge of adrenaline into renewed enthusiasm. I took a quick, deep breath and visualized my energy flowing from my core to my voice and gestures. Then, I launched into the next point with heightened passion, using more dynamic body language and vocal variety. This shift in energy not only helped me regain my composure but also seemed to captivate the audience more than before. One investor later commented that my 'infectious energy' was a key factor in their decision to back the project. This experience taught me that a momentary stumble can be an opportunity to elevate your presentation's impact.

If you stumble during a public speech, you can regain your composure by using your notes wisely. For example, if you lose your train of thought, take a brief pause, glance at your notes, and smoothly pick up from the last clear point. An example might be, "Let me just refer back to my notes to ensure I'm giving you the most accurate information." This approach allows you to refocus, maintain your poise, and continue delivering your message confidently, showing the audience that you're in control even in moments of uncertainty.

Make it Interactive. Use this opportunity to interact with your audience by asking them open ended questions and getting response from them. This make them feel comfortable with you and help douse the tension.

During a keynote speech at a tech conference, I lost my train of thought mid-sentence. Instead of panicking, I took a deep breath and turned it into an opportunity for audience engagement. I smiled and said, 'You know what? Let's make this interactive. Where do you think this point is leading?' This not only gave me a moment to collect my thoughts, but it also energized the room. The audience's responses helped me reconnect with my message and continue with renewed confidence. This experience taught me that involving the audience can transform a potential misstep into a memorable moment of connection.

Audience interaction makes for some of the most dynamic speeches in my opinion. So using this as a technique to regain your composure and timing can be a benefit.

When something goes wrong mid-speech, don't call attention to it. You're very likely to experience a distorted perception that makes the stumble seem deafening and bizarre, while to your listeners it's just a momentary break in fluency. It might also seem as though time slows to a crawl, and any pause while you get going again lasts a minute or more but this is actually one of the best times to have a video of yourself, because then you can see afterward that what you thought was interminable was actually just a few seconds. If you don't call attention to the stumble, often they barely notice, and if you compose yourself and continue with confidence, they quickly forget. Don't comment, don't apologize: just go silent, fix it, and continue.