Are You Afraid of Public Speaking? Answers to this and other common questions

There are a bunch of public speaking related questions I keep hearing during my training sessions or business consulting sessions.? I’ve been thinking lately about the most common questions people ask me, and I’m listing them here:

#1.? How Can I Be Better Prepared to Speak Off the Cuff in Meetings?? Instead of hoping you won’t get called on during meetings, prepare yourself for the unexpected opportunity to shine.? If a meeting agenda has been sent out ahead of time, look through it and jot down any questions or make notes on each topic.? Then during the meeting, take notes and listen carefully.?

I often get flustered when I’m caught off guard in meetings, so I’ve learned to take a deep breath before beginning my answer.? I set up comments to let people know what’s coming with either one of these: “I have one comment and one question,” or “I have three points to make.”? This gives me time to organize my thoughts.? Then present the thoughts from the notes you took as you prepared for the meeting.? In most meetings, we’re trying to solve problems, so I sometimes use a formula:? 1) re-state the problem; 2) present your idea for solving it, adding any research you’ve done; and 3) discuss how your idea will provide a return on investment or will move things forward.

#2.? How Do I Deal with Stage Fright?? Prepare, prepare, prepare.? Don’t memorize your speech though. If you do, you will put your audience to sleep.? Ask someone to videotape you and keeping practicing until you feel confident that you have it under control.

#3.? How Should I Prepare?? Before you even begin to prepare your presentation, think about the actual purpose of your speech. What do you want the audience to think, feel, or do as a result of your presentation?? What’s the key takeaway?? And then determine how you are going to make an emotional connection with your audience so that they will hear and understand what you are telling them.

#4.? How Can I Overcome My Shyness?? I get this question often.? My advice is to simply be yourself.? Bring your true, authentic self to the podium and make it the very best version of YOU.? Your audience will love you for doing that.

#5.? Are You Afraid of Public Speaking?? Yes!? I teach people how to present for a living and I often find myself in the dreaded position of having to speak publicly myself.? I believe that just because something makes you uncomfortable is not enough of a reason to avoid it.? In fact, when I prepare and then give a dynamic presentation, it builds my confidence even more. Many things scare me, but I do them anyway.

?At DynaComm, we empower business leaders like you to reach your fullest potential. Our strategic, personalized coaching and training programs give you the tools to effectively communicate your ideas and command the respect of EVERY room. We can't wait to hear from you: Contact Us - DynaComm LLC.