Five Ways to Beat Your Fear of Public Speaking

No matter what position or office we hold, standing up and giving a speech or presentation is something we all have to do at some stage in our lives.

This is a fact of life - and something none of us can really get away from.

It might be giving a Powerpoint demonstration to a roomful of work colleagues, or the ‘Father of the Bride’ speech at your daughter’s wedding.

Whatever the occasion, it makes good sense to take the time to learn the skills necessary to cope with such occasions.

In a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, US business and leadership expert Mark Bonchek explains how being a successful public speaker does not need to be difficult.

We all have nerves and worries before giving a speech, but it is the way you handle them that makes the difference.

Indeed, Bonchek asserts having fear is normal – it is just a matter of dealing with it correctly.

With this in mind, here are five useful pointers to help beat your fear of public speaking:

1. Always prepare well

This may sound obvious but believe me, when you get up in front of 20 or 30 people, it really helps reduce the stress if you do adequate preparation. One good way to prepare is to go through the material closely beforehand, and make a checklist of key points to tick off before you stand up. It also helps to ensure your equipment is properly set up and working properly beforehand

2. Be real and focused

As human beings we have a tendency to think the worst and even ‘catastrophise’ certain things. Therefore it is important to approach your public speaking with calmness and confidence. Bonchek recommends making three columns on a piece of paper and writing your biggest fear in the first one. Then, in the second column, write the worst thing that could happen if that fear came true, and in the third write the best thing that could happen if the fear came true. This helps negate yours fears and also makes you more realistic and confident about what you are doing

3. Be human

Connecting with an audience is more than just standing up and speaking like an automaton! You need to come across as a bit ‘vulnerable’ - and show you are human. For example, if you open up a little and share some of your personal insights, it can be a great way for an audience to get to know you better. And don’t forget, they are looking to get as much out of your speech as much as you are, so they want you to do well

4. Be present

When you get up in front of an audience they will soon work out if you are really ‘present’ or not. Therefore, in order to fully engage with them authentically, try not to appear distracted or disinterested in either them, or what you are saying. The key to this is to be fully present before you get up on stage and to remain completely ‘grounded’ for the entire time you are up there. To help with this, I recommend joining a public speaking group like Rostrum or Toastmasters to hone your skills

5. ‘Fake it till you make it’

The beauty of being a bit nervous before (or even during) a speech is that in most cases, hardly anyone realises it. You may feel as ‘skittish as a lamb’ before your speech, but once you get up on the big stage those nerves usually disappear, leaving most of the audience blissfully unaware of any fears and doubts. Not easy at first, but like everything, practice makes perfect!