if you're nervous to present your speech you should

The Throughline Blog

Practical Media Training and Public Speaking Tips

Should I Tell The Audience That I’m Nervous?

Most people get nervous when they deliver a presentation. As Mark Twain famously said, “There are two types of speakers: those who get nervous and those who are liars.”

Still, most public speaking experts advise presenters to never admit to an audience that they’re nervous. Here’s a sampling of advice:

In his excellent book Presentation Zen , Garr Reynolds writes that a “confession that you are nervous may seem honest and transparent, but it is too self-focused at a time when you are supposed to be focused on the audience and their needs and feelings.” Dorothy Leeds, the author of Power Speak , writes something similar: “You don’t have to reveal your nervousness; you can keep it to yourself. You gain nothing by letting others know you’re worried.” A Toastmasters article called “ 10 Tips for Public Speaking ” dispenses the same advice: “Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem—the audience probably never noticed it..”

The advice to not admit nervousness also often suggests that by mentioning your nervousness, you’re giving the audience a reason to look for it. And if they look for it, the argument goes, they’re likely to find it. Worse, while they’re looking for it, they won’t be paying attention to very much of what you’re saying.

Annette Simmons, the author of The Story Factor , disagrees with that line of thinking:

“If you get nervous…the best strategy is to admit it. If you say something, like “I’m nervous” or a humorous “Is it hot in here to you?” the admission releases your mind from the work of pretending to be something you are not.”

Who’s right?

I generally agree that it’s best not to disclose your nervousness to the audience. While it might comfort you to acknowledge your anxiety, doing so doesn’t help the audience understand and act upon the main point(s) of your speech any better—which, after all, is the primary goal of most presentations.

Plus, your goal is to present yourself as a confident and competent speaker. An admission of nervousness can undercut that perception—which may be completely unnecessary, since the audience may not have otherwise even known that you were nervous (here are seven ways to reduce your fear of public speaking) .

But I do think the advice is often over-stated. The declarative sentences and the “ never admit nervousness! ” tone is probably hyperbolic. Yes, it’s a good idea to avoid such admissions, but no, it’s probably not going to have a devastating impact on your speech if you do it anyway (assuming, of course, you do most of the big things right).

As to Ms. Simmons’ point, I agree with her in more limited circumstances. When a powerful person admits nervousness before an audience of lower status—a president speaking to college students, for example—an admission of anxiety can come across as charming. That might be conveyed through a genuine admission of nervousness or a device intended to express humility (“I have to admit that I’m nervous to speak before such a fine group of scholars. As you might remember, my college grades weren’t exactly stellar.”)

[poll id=”33″]

• Annette Simmons
• Dorothy Leeds
• Garr Reynolds
• Power Speak
• presentation training
• Presentation Zen
• public speaking
• public speaking tips
• The Story Factor
• Toastmasters

Share this article

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Email

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE THROUGHLINE NEWSLETTER

Join the thousands of professionals who receive our email newsletter. Improve your public speaking and media interviewing skills—and enhance your career— by signing up.

Public Speaking Skills Training

Since 2004, we have helped speakers prepare for the world’s biggest stages, including TED, the World Economic Forum, and a presidential announcement speech. We’re committed to your long-term growth, and we’ll be with you every step of the way.

Comments (3)

I would add that all of the disclaimers at the beginning of a speech have become incredibly cliche, and in any instance make you appear amateurish. During a toast at a wedding I attended last weekend, the best man began by saying, “This is going to be short, because I hate speaking in public.” I can’t tell you how many business presentations I attend where the speaker says something akin to, “Please bear with me, because I’m not used to speaking in front of an audience.” And, of course, there are the endless, “I apologize if my voice is a little scratchy–I’m just getting over a cold.” What all of these admissions are really telling the audience is, “If this presentation sucks, it’s not my fault.” I think that if you’re going to give a speech–even if you are pressed into it–you’ve got to go into it as if you’ve been born to it. We’re there to listen to you talk. Our time is valuable. Implying that you’re going to be boring or otherwise disappointing is the wrong message to relay. Now maybe you might bore us and disappoint us–that’s another topic. But there’s no reason to set yourself up for failure right at the outset.

I’ve done a lot of public speaking over my career. Rather than call attention to nervousness, I take a deep breath, smile and channel the energy into the presentation. Once you get started, the nervousness dissipates and you are on a roll. Don’t hold papers — it may call attention to trembling hands; but then, your notes are always best laid out (with two pages showing) on the lectern so you can “turn pages” by sliding them over unobtrusively at a comfortable time in your presentation.

Hi! Very nice article. Thank you for sharing, it really helps people who is not confident at speaking in front of many audiences. I remember when i was still a student i was so nervous whenever we have report or presentation in front of the class. I was shaking and mental block when they ask me questions. During the years i get used to it i try to make my self comfortable, take deep breath and yes i let the audience know that i was nervous then the conversation will be lighter. You will be more comfortable and confident when you are open in your audience.

More from the throughline blog

In Presentation Training How to Hide a Lavalier Mic Wire

In Presentation Training Are Your Stories Making You Appear Inauthentic?

In Presentation Training Why You Should Have Three Speech Opens

This website or its third party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy . If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the privacy policy. By closing this banner or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to the use of cookies.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter Twenty – Dealing with Nervousness and Practicing the Speech

Now that you have learned what it takes to prepare and deliver a well-crafted speech, it’s finally time to deliver your speech!  Read the following to help as you practice your speech delivery and deal with potential nervousness on your speech day.

Reducing Communication Apprehension

Freddie Pena –  Nervous?  – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Experiencing some nervousness about public speaking is normal. The energy created by this physiological response can be functional if you harness it as a resource for more effective public speaking. In this chapter, we suggest a number of steps that you can take to channel your stage fright into excitement and animation. We will begin with specific speech-related considerations and then briefly examine some of the more general anxiety management options available.

Speech-Related Considerations

Communication apprehension does not necessarily remain constant throughout all the stages of speech preparation and delivery. One group of researchers studied the ebb and flow of anxiety levels at four stages in the delivery of a speech. They compared indicators of physiological stress at different milestones in the process:

• anticipation (the minute prior to starting the speech),
• confrontation (the first minute of the speech),
• adaptation (the last minute of the speech), and
• release (the minute immediately following the end of the speech) (Witt, et. al., 2006).

These researchers found that anxiety typically peaked at the anticipatory stage. In other words, we are likely to be most anxious right before we get up to speak. As we progress through our speech, our level of anxiety is likely to decline. Planning your speech to incorporate techniques for managing your nervousness at different times will help you decrease the overall level of stress you experience. We also offer a number of suggestions for managing your reactions while you are delivering your speech.

Enjoy this TED talk on the science of stage fright!

Think Positively

As we mentioned earlier, communication apprehension begins in the mind as a psychological response. This underscores the importance of a speaker’s psychological attitude toward speaking. To prepare yourself mentally for a successful speaking experience, we recommend using a technique called cognitive restructuring . Cognitive restructuring is simply changing how you label the physiological responses you will experience. Rather than thinking of public speaking as a dreaded obligation, make a conscious decision to consider it an exciting opportunity. The first audience member that you have to convince is yourself, by deliberately replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. If you say something to yourself often enough, you will gradually come to believe it.

We also suggest practicing what communication scholars Metcalfe, Beebe, and Beebe call positive self-talk rather than negative self-talk (Metcalfe, 1994; Beebe, 2000). If you find yourself thinking, “I’m going to forget everything when I get to the front of the room,” turn that negative message around to a positive one. Tell yourself, “I have notes to remind me what comes next, and the audience won’t know if I don’t cover everything in the order I planned.” The idea is to dispute your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, even if you think you are “conning” yourself. By monitoring how you talk about yourself, you can unlearn old patterns and change the ways you think about things that produce anxiety.

Reducing Anxiety through Preparation

As we have said previously, uncertainty makes for greater anxiety. Nothing is more frightening than facing the unknown. Although no one can see into the future and predict everything that will happen during a speech, every speaker can and should prepare so that the “unknowns” of the speech event are kept to a minimum. You can do this by gaining as much knowledge as possible about whom you will be addressing, what you will say, how you will say it, and where the speech will take place.

Analyze Your Audience

The audience that we imagine in our minds is almost always more threatening than the reality of the people sitting in front of us. The more information you have about the characteristics of your audience, the more you will be able to craft an effective message. Since your stage fright is likely to be at its highest in the beginning of your speech, it is helpful to open the speech with a technique to prompt an audience response. You might try posing a question, asking for a show of hands, or sharing a story that you know is relevant to your listeners’ experience. When you see the audience responding to you by nodding, smiling, or answering questions, you will have directed the focus of attention from yourself to the audience. Such responses indicate success; they are positively reinforcing, and thus reduce your nervousness.

Clearly Organize Your Ideas

Being prepared as a speaker means knowing the main points of your message so well that you can remember them even when you are feeling highly anxious, and the best way to learn those points is to create an outline for your speech. With a clear outline to follow, you will find it much easier to move from one point to the next without stumbling or getting lost.

A note of caution is in order: you do not want to react to the stress of speaking by writing and memorizing a manuscript. Your audience will usually be able to tell that you wrote your speech out verbatim, and they will tune out very quickly. You are setting yourself up for disaster if you try to memorize a written text because the pressure of having to remember all those particulars will be tremendous. Moreover, if you have a momentary memory lapse during a memorized speech, you may have a lot of trouble continuing without starting over at the beginning.

You should prepare a simple outline that reminds you of the progression of ideas in your speech. What is important is the order of your points, not the specifics of each sentence. It is perfectly fine if your speech varies in terms of specific language or examples each time you practice it. (Remember, that is the essence of  extemporaneous  speaking.)

It may be a good idea to reinforce this organization through visual aids. When it comes to managing anxiety, visual aids have the added benefit of taking attention off the speaker.

Adapt Your Language to the Oral Mode

Another reason not to write out your speech as a manuscript is that to speak effectively you want your language to be adapted to the oral, not the written, mode. You will find your speaking anxiety more manageable if you speak in the oral mode because it will help you to feel like you are having a conversation with friends rather than delivering a formal proclamation.

Appropriate oral style is more concrete and vivid than written style. Effective speaking relies on verbs rather than nouns, and the language is less complex. Long sentences may work well for novelists such as William Faulkner or James Joyce, where readers can go back and reread passages two, three, or even seven or eight times. Your listeners, though, cannot “rewind” you in order to catch ideas they miss the first time through.

Don’t be afraid to use personal pronouns freely, frequently saying “I” and “me”—or better yet, “us” and “we.” Personal pronouns are much more effective in speaking than language constructions, such as the following “this author,” because they help you to build a connection with your audience. Another oral technique is to build audience questions into your speech. Rhetorical questions, questions that do not require a verbal answer, invite the audience to participate with your material by thinking about the implications of the question and how it might be answered. If you are graphic and concrete in your language selection, your audience is more likely to listen attentively. You will be able to see the audience listening, and this feedback will help to reduce your anxiety.

Watch What You Eat

The butterflies in your stomach are likely to be more noticeable if you skip normal meals. While you should eat normally, you should avoid caffeinated drinks because they can make your shaking hands worse. Carbohydrates operate as natural sedatives, so you may want to eat carbohydrates to help slow down your metabolism and to avoid fried or very spicy foods that may upset your stomach. Especially if you are speaking in the morning, be sure to have breakfast. If you haven’t had anything to eat or drink since dinner the night before, dizziness and light-headedness are very real possibilities.

Practice in Conditions Similar to Those You Will Face When Speaking

It is not enough to practice your speech silently in your head. To reduce anxiety and increase the likelihood of a successful performance, you need to practice out loud in a situation similar to the one you will face when actually performing your speech. Practice delivering your speech out loud while standing on your feet. If you make a mistake, do not stop to correct it but continue all the way through your speech; that is what you will have to do when you are in front of the audience.

If possible, practice in the actual room where you will be giving your speech. Not only will you have a better sense of what it will feel like to actually speak, but you may also have the chance to practice using presentation aids and potentially avoid distractions and glitches like incompatible computers, blown projector bulbs, or sunlight glaring in your eyes.

Two very useful tools for anxiety-reducing practice are a clock and a mirror. Use the clock to time your speech, being aware that most novice speakers speak too fast, not too slowly. By ensuring that you are within the time guidelines, you will eliminate the embarrassment of having to cut your remarks short because you’ve run out of time or of not having enough to say to fulfill the assignment. Use the mirror to gauge how well you are maintaining eye contact with your audience; it will allow you to check that you are looking up from your notes. It will also help you build the habit of using appropriate facial expressions to convey the emotions in your speech. While you might feel a little absurd practicing your speech out loud in front of a mirror, the practice that you do before your speech can make you much less anxious when it comes time to face the audience.

Some acting coaches (and speech teachers) encourage their students to practice in front of mirrors, so that they can watch themselves perform and evaluate how they move. In acting, this can be very useful; but in speaking, it is less so. When you practice your presentation, the most important element is expressiveness. You want to become more familiar with the volume of material, the order in which you plan to present it, and the phrasing you think would be most effective to express it. Watching yourself perform in a mirror will focus your attention on your appearance first—and on what you express second. This makes using a mirror during practice a distraction from what the practice ought to achieve.

Plus, consider what you are seeing in the mirror as you practice. Obviously, it is you! But more to the point, what you see in the mirror (your reflection) will not resemble, in any way, the audience that you would see while delivering your presentation. Just as you want to visualize success in yourself as part of your preparation; you also want to visualize success in your audience—which means that you want to imagine the members of your audience reacting positively to your presentation, paying close attention and nodding their heads as you make your points.

Techniques for Building Confidence

Prepare well.

The correlation between preparation and nervousness is consistent. More practice results in less nervousness. The best, most consistent and direct way to minimize the level of nervousness you feel is through effective preparation. This is always true. Importantly, the best sort of practice is the kind that prepares you properly.

Michael Jordan was once asked the best way to learn how to shoot free throws. He said that you cannot learn to shoot free throws by walking into a gym with a ball, walking up to the line, and shooting. Instead, he described how the first step in learning to shoot free throws is to run sprints. Most importantly, his advice was to run until your body was under the same stress as it would be in a game when you needed to make those free throws—because only under those conditions would your practice become truly productive.  Only then  do you pick up the ball and shoot. And when you managed to catch your breath? All types of preparation and practice yield some benefits, but there is a significant difference between practice that is merely  helpful  and practice that is  sufficient .

There is a difference between “knowing what you are talking about,” and “knowing what you are going to say.” Thinking about your presentation can be helpful, but that sort of preparation will not give you a sense of what you are actually going to say. Athletes know that the best practices will re-create game conditions and test their abilities to perform in real-life scenarios. Studying a playbook? This is helpful, but not sufficient. Going over a speech in your mind? Again, it is helpful, but not sufficient.

Many students do not practice effectively, and this can result in the wrong idea that practice isn’t helpful. Unfortunately, these same students usually have had little, if any, training in how one might prepare for a presentation, and so they employ the scholastic training they are most familiar with—how to write a paper. This is not the same activity as presenting, and so the lack of proper preparation only contributes to the lack of confidence. Let’s look at a few elements of effective practice.

Visualize Success

Athletes and performers are often coached to visualize what they are trying to do as a way to perform correctly. Baseball players need to anticipate what they will do if the ball is hit their way so that they are ready to perform without having to make split-second choices. Football and basketball players must envision how each member of the team will move during a particular play because team success depends on speedy and flawless coordination between individuals. Dancers and divers are trained to visualize the form and positioning of their bodies as they execute their moves. Golfers are coached to visualize the flight and arc of the shot they are about to attempt. Engaging the imagination in this way can be beneficial to performance.

Speakers too, should visualize success. As you practice, visualize yourself presenting with confidence to a receptive audience. “See” your relaxed facial expressions and “hear” your confident vocal tone. Imagine yourself moving gracefully, complementing what you say with expressive gestures. Imagine the audience reacting appropriately — nodding appreciatively and giving thoughtful consideration to your points. Imagine the gratification of watching the audience really “get it.” When you can honestly envision yourself performing at this level, you are taking an important step toward achieving that goal.

Avoid Gimmicks

Some acting coaches (and speech teachers) encourage their students to practice in front of mirrors, so that they can watch themselves perform and evaluate how they move. In acting, this can be very useful; but in speaking, it is less so. When you practice your presentation, the most important element is expressiveness. You want to become more familiar with the volume of material, the order in which you plan to present it, and the phrasing you think would be most effective to express it. Watching yourself perform in a mirror will focus your attention on your appearance first – and on what you express second. This makes using a mirror during practice a distraction from what the practice ought to achieve.

Plus, consider what you are seeing in the mirror as you practice. Obviously, it is you! But more to the point, what you see in the mirror (your reflection) will not resemble, in any way, the audience that you would see while delivering your presentation. Just as you want to visualize success in yourself as part of your preparation; you also want to visualize success in your audience – which means that you want to imagine the members of your audience reacting positively to your presentation, paying close attention and nodding their heads as you make your points.

For some reason, the myth persists that imagining your audience in their pajamas—or something similarly silly—is an effective way to make standing in front of them seem less scary. Many of my students have discussed hearing “tips” like imagining the audience wearing pink bunny-ears as a way to make them less intimidating. These sorts of gimmicks don’t work! In fact, concentrating on anything other than what you are doing is distracting and not beneficial at all. Do your best to avoid such advice. Visualize success!

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. – Oprah Winfrey

Breathe and Release

One type of pre-presentation exercise that might be helpful is based on a therapeutic idea called  systematic de-sensitization , which is a multi-stage regimen to help patients deal with phobias through coping mechanisms. Going through both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of systematic desensitization often requires weeks of concerted effort to overcome the body’s involuntary reactions to stress. That sort of psychological therapy involves gradual exposure to what produces the anxiety, long-term self-reflection, and mental discipline. Here, we will discuss a shortened version called “ breathe and release .” This is a short-cut relaxation technique that could be useful for nervous speakers—especially those who are concerned with the physical manifestations of nervousness, such as shaky hands or knees. The key to “breathe and release” is to understand that when nervous tension results in minor trembling, the effort of trying to keep one’s hands from shaking can contribute to the whole situation—that is, trying to stop literally can make it worse!

Therefore, the best approach is through relaxation.

• Imagine the nervousness within your body. Imagine that energy bubbling inside you, like liquid being cooked.
• Draw that energy to a high point within your body with a deep, cleansing breath. Imagine this cleansing breath to be acting like a vacuum—drawing up all of the bubbling liquid.
• Release the energy by deliberately relaxing the entirety of your upper extremities—not just your hands, or even your hands and arms—but all the way from your fingertips to the bottom edges of your shoulder blades. Imagine how keeping any part of your upper extremities tense would result in a “kink” in the release valve, and so complete relaxation is the key to success. Remember: Relax  everything  from the fingertips to the very bottom edges of your shoulder blades.

“Breathe and Release” is something that can be done even as one walks to the front of the classroom or boardroom to begin speaking. Many speakers, especially those who are concerned about the physical manifestations of nervousness, have used this relaxation technique effectively.

I’ve a grand memory for forgetting. – Robert Louis Stevenson

Minimize What You Memorize

One important hint for speech preparation involves avoiding the writing of an entirely scripted version of the presentation. Many people have the impression that writing a script of the entire speech is the necessary first step in preparation; that practicing can only happen after you are done writing the entire speech. Unfortunately, this common impression is mistaken. Remember that lunch with your friends? When you were describing the movie plot, you were being  conversant  in a prepared way. This means that you knew what you were describing, but you were not concerned with the specific words you were using. Being  conversant is  the condition of being prepared to discuss an issue intelligently . Fans of sports are conversant about their favorite teams. Experts are conversant in their fields. A well-prepared speaker is conversant  with regard to her topic. Consider how being  conversant  in this manner allows freer, more fluid communication, with no stress associated with your ability to remember what words you wanted to use. Being conversant also gives the speaker the best chance to recognize and react to audience feedback. If you are completely focused on the integrity of scripted comments, then you will be unable to read and react to your audience in any meaningful way. Imagine how frustrating it would be for your friends at that lunch if you would not respond to any of their questions until you were finished reading a few descriptive paragraphs about the movie. They would probably just wait until you were done reading and then try to engage you in a conversation!

If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered . – Edgar Allan Poe

Many people have had experience being in a stage play or some other type of performance that involved memorized recitation of a script. Many of us might recall moments during rehearsals when our minds would “freeze” and we might need just a quick reminder—the next word or phrase, the next few notes—to get back on track. This is because people do not memorize in units, but in phrases or chunks. The mind attaches to a rhythm—not to each individual unit, word, or note. This is why it is best to minimize what you memorize. Prepare your opening carefully so that you start smoothly. Prepare your closing comments so that you can end sharply and with style. But avoid preparing and then memorizing an entire script.

Preparing for a speech by memorizing a written script engages your mind at a different level from that of a  conversant  speaker. Concentrating on remembering words is different from paying attention to how one’s audience is reacting. The pressure that arises from trying to remember the next word can be considerable, yet that pressure is entirely avoidable. The goal of public speaking should never be about loyal recreation of a script—it is about getting the appropriate response from your audience. Trying to remember an entirely scripted speech can result in the rather ironic situation of a person being able confidently and smoothly to discuss the topic in casual conversation, but still quite stressed about their ability to remember their scripted comments.

Many students forget their lines while discussing topics like their families and hometowns. Of course, they knew what they were talking about, but their minds were focused on the task of remembering specific words—a task different from effective speaking. So, should you write any prepared comments at all? Yes, of course you should. Specifically, the feedback you should be most concerned with will happen during the body of the speech—when you are discussing the substance of your presentation. It is during the body of the speech when you especially need the ability to adjust to audience feedback. Thus, memorizing your entire speech is ultimately detrimental to your ability to react to your audience. However, during the introduction and conclusion of your speech, the primary concerns are about connecting with your audience personally, which is something best assured through consistent eye contact. So, carefully preparing the introduction and the conclusion of your speech is a smart strategy—but don’t make the mistake of scripting everything that you plan to say. The best rule here: Minimize what you memorize—familiarize instead!

If I don’t train enough, of course I’m nervous. – Haile Gebrselassie

Preparing Notes

Once you have created a comprehensive outline and have thought through your speech, you should be able to create your note cards or whatever you might be using (notes or an iPad for instance). Every speaker is a bit different, and different speech topics and organizational patterns may require different notation techniques.

“Best man’s speech notes”  by stacey shintani.  CC-BY-NC-SA .

Your note cards (or cue sheets) must have enough information on them to be able to deliver the speech without missing details and organized in the precise order that you have planned. A common technique is to print the outline in a font that is large enough to be read from a distance.

You should be able to glance at the cards, get your bearings, and look back at the audience. If you are reading the cards word-for-word, there are too many words on them, unless it is an extended exact quote, or group of statistics that must be delivered precisely.

If you have multiple note cards, be sure your notes or cards are numbered (e.g., boldly in the upper right-hand corner), so you can keep them organized. Color-coding is often done to easily distinguish the cards at a glance. Losing your place can be very stressful to you and distracting to the audience.

Rehearse your speech using the notes that you will bring to the podium. Be sure you can glance at the notes, get your information, and look up to have eye contact with the audience.

All the real work is done in the rehearsal period. – Donald Pleasence

Practice Out Loud

Remember the very first time you tried to do anything—a game, a sport, an activity, anything at all. How good were you out of the gate? Perhaps you had talent or were gifted with a “feel” for what you were doing. But even then, didn’t you get better with more experience? Nobody does anything the very best they can on their very first attempt, and everyone—even the most talented among us—will benefit from effective practice.

Speaking in public is no different from any other activity in this way. To maximize the chance that your presentation will come out smooth and polished, you will need to hear it all the way through. By practicing out loud, from the beginning to the ending, you will be able to listen to your whole speech and properly gauge the flow of your entire presentation. Additionally, without at least one complete  out-loud practice , there will be no way to accurately estimate the length of your speech and your preparation will remain insufficient. When dealing with communication apprehension, the last thing you want is to leave some questions unanswered in your own mind! The out-loud “dress rehearsal” is the single, most important element to your preparation. Without it, you will be delivering your presentation in full for the first time when it counts the most. Putting yourself at that sort of disadvantage isn’t wise and is easily avoided.

Consider your current method of preparing a public presentation. At some point, you will have gathered notes and information together. That represents an opportune moment for your first out-loud practice. You might even consider trying that initial practice without the benefit of any notes. Stand up; start speaking; see what comes out! Such a practice can serve as an “oral first draft” in the same vein as any written first draft of a paper, and can answer a number of questions for you:

• Where, during your presentation, are you most—and least—conversant?
• Where, during your presentation, are you most in need of supportive notes?
• What do your notes need to contain?

Prepare for your public presentation by speaking and listening to yourself, rather than by writing, editing, and rewriting. Remember that when you are having a conversation, you never use the same sort of language and syntax as you do when you are writing a formal paper. Practice with the goal of becoming  conversant  in your topic, not fluent with a script.

You can’t hire someone to practice for you . – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Stress is an important dragon to slay — or at least tame — in your life. – Marilu Henner

Reducing Nervousness during Delivery

Anticipate the reactions of your body.

There are a number of steps you can take to counteract the negative physiological effects of stress on the body. Deep breathing will help to counteract the effects of excess adrenaline. You can place symbols in your notes, like “slow down” or ☺, that remind you to pause and breathe during points in your speech. It is also a good idea to pause a moment before you get started to set an appropriate pace from the onset. Look at your audience and smile. It is a reflex for some of your audience members to smile back. Those smiles will reassure you that your audience members are friendly.

Physical movement helps to channel some of the excess energy that your body produces in response to anxiety. If at all possible, move around the front of the room rather than remaining imprisoned behind the lectern or gripping it for dear life (avoid pacing nervously from side to side, however). Move closer to the audience and then stop for a moment. If you are afraid that moving away from the lectern will reveal your shaking hands, use note cards rather than a sheet of paper for your outline. Note cards do not quiver like paper, and they provide you with something to do with your hands.

Vocal warm-ups are also important before speaking. Just as athletes warm up before practice or competition and musicians warm up before playing, speakers need to get their voices ready to speak. Talking with others before your speech or quietly humming to yourself can get your voice ready for your presentation. You can even sing or practice a bit of your speech out loud while you’re in the shower (just don’t wake the neighbors), where the warm, moist air is beneficial for your vocal mechanism. Gently yawning a few times is also an excellent way to stretch the key muscle groups involved in speaking.

Immediately before you speak, you can relax the muscles of your neck and shoulders, rolling your head gently from side to side. Allow your arms to hang down your sides and stretch out your shoulders. Isometric exercises that involve momentarily tensing and then relaxing specific muscle groups are an effective way to keep your muscles from becoming stiff.

Focus on the Audience, Not on Yourself

During your speech, make a point of establishing direct eye contact with your audience members. By looking at individuals, you establish a series of one-to-one contacts similar to interpersonal communication. An audience becomes much less threatening when you think of them not as an anonymous mass but as a collection of individuals.

A colleague once shared his worst speaking experience when he reached the front of the room and forgot everything he was supposed to say. When I asked what he saw when he was in the front of the room, he looked at me like I was crazy. He responded, “I didn’t see anything. All I remember is a mental image of me up there in the front of the room blowing it.” Speaking anxiety becomes more intense if you focus on yourself rather than concentrating on your audience and your material.

Maintain Your Sense of Humor

No matter how well we plan, unexpected things happen. That fact is what makes the public speaking situation so interesting. When the unexpected happens to you, do not let it rattle you. At the end of a class period late in the afternoon of a long day, a student raised her hand and asked me if I knew that I was wearing two different colored shoes, one black and one blue. I looked down and saw that she was right; my shoes did not match. I laughed at myself, complimented the student on her observational abilities and moved on with the important thing, the material I had to deliver.

Stress Management Techniques

As William Ball noted in his book for actors and directors,  A Sense of Direction , getting in front of a group and speaking is people’s greatest fear (greater than fear of death). Fear and stress result in psychological and physical manifestations that can affect a speech. Even when we employ positive thinking and are well prepared, some of us still feel a great deal of anxiety about public speaking. When that is the case, it can be more helpful to use stress management than to try to make the anxiety go away.

One general technique for managing stress is positive visualization.  Visualization is the process of seeing something in your mind’s eye; essentially it is a form of self-hypnosis. Frequently used in sports training, positive visualization involves using the imagination to create images of relaxation or ultimate success. Essentially, you imagine in great detail the goal for which you are striving, say, a rousing round of applause after you give your speech. You mentally picture yourself standing at the front of the room, delivering your introduction, moving through the body of your speech, highlighting your presentation aids, and sharing a memorable conclusion. If you imagine a positive outcome, your body will respond to it as through it were real. Such mind-body techniques create the psychological grounds for us to achieve the goals we have imagined. As we discussed earlier, communication apprehension has a psychological basis, so mind-body techniques such as visualization can be important to reducing anxiety. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that visualization does not mean you can skip practicing your speech out loud. Just as an athlete still needs to work out and practice the sport, you need to practice your speech in order to achieve the positive results you visualize.

Stress physically also causes muscles to tighten, often including vocal cords. This raises, and often limits, the vocal pitch of the speaker under stress. The tempo of the speech may also be affected. Novice speakers tend to rush as though to be anxious to “get it over with.” It is a factor to remember in a corporate or business meeting: the speaker should speak slowly enough because what he has to say is important, and the audience should listen. Remember, as noted above, rushing gives the impression that the speaker thinks the message is not worth the time. Stress can also make the mouth and throat feel dry. Sipping water is a simple solution.

Simultaneously while exercising the body, it is a good idea to warm up the voice. The vocal cords are muscles, which should not be jump-started. Physical exercises will likely help relaxing for better posture and hand and body gestures. As part of the relaxation process, actors “warm up” physically before performances and often do relaxation exercises to help concentration and relieve stress.

You may find this TED talk especially helpful when preparing to deliver your speech, as it encourages awareness of your body:

If her TED talk resonates with you, read Cuddy’s book, Presence  (2015) for even more empowering approaches to challenges.

Delivering the Speech

You have taken all of the right steps before stepping up to the podium or lectern. You have selected a good topic. You have researched the topic. You have organized the best information in a compelling way. You have rehearsed your speech. You have received feedback on your rehearsal from an objective listener. You have carefully constructed your notes and practiced with them. You have planned and practiced your speech introduction and conclusion verbatim. You have checked out the room and the equipment. You did something to reduce your stress before your speech. You did vocal warm-ups. You chose the perfect outfit to wear. You made sure your gum was discarded and your hair pulled back. You arrived at least 15 minutes before your speech. You leapt to the podium with great enthusiasm when introduced.

Now you must deliver. If you look up the word “deliver,” you will find it means more than to just “give.” To “give” is a willingness to offer something without obligation or the expectation of something in return. To “give” also implies a pre-determined responsibility. You have a responsibility as a speaker to “deliver” information that will help your audience or enlighten them in some way. Speeches are delivered.

• Beebe, S.A., & Beebe, S. J. (2000). Public speaking: An audience centered approach . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
• Carnegie, D. (1955). Public speaking and influencing men in business . New York, NY: American Book Stratford Press, Inc.
• McCroskey, J. C. (1972). The implementation of a large-scale program of systematic desensitization for communication apprehension. The Speech Teacher ,  21 , 255–264.
• Cho, M. (2013)  The science of stage fright and how to overcome it. [Video] TEDEd Conference. https://www.ted.com/talks/mikael_cho_the_science_of_stage_fright_and_how_to_overcome_it
• Metcalfe, S. (1994). Building a speech . New York, NY: The Harcourt Press.
• Witt, P. L., Brown, K. C., Roberts, J. B., Weisel, J., Sawyer, C., & Behnke, R. (2006, March). Somatic anxiety patterns before, during and after giving a public speech. Southern Communication Journal ,  71 , 89.
• Cuddy, A. (2012)  Your body language may shape who you are.  [Video] TEDGlobal Conference. https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are
• Cuddy, A. (2015).  Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges. New York, NY: Little, Brown Spark.
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-talking-using-microphone-in-the-conference-room-8345978/
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-multiethnic-people-gathering-around-female-speaker-in-studio-3856027/
• https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-sitting-on-chairs-inside-a-room-3719037/

LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS

Cc licensed content, shared previously.

• Chapter 11 Techniques for Building Confidence.  Authored by : Alyssa G. Millner, Ph.D. and Rachel D. Price, Ph.D..  Provided by : University of Central Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Little Rock & University of Kentucky and Southern Illinois University & University of Kentucky.  Located at :  http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html .  Project : Public Speaking Project.  License :  CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• Kellee Santiago – Game Developers Conference 2010 – Day 1.  Authored by : Official GDC.  Located at :  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kellee_Santiago_-_Game_Developers_Conference_2010_-_Day_1.jpg .  License :  CC BY: Attribution
• Jordan by Lipofsky.  Authored by : Steve Lipofsky.  Located at :  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jordan_by_Lipofsky_16577.jpg .  License :  CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike .  License Terms : Lipofski Basketballphoto.com
• Middle age.  Authored by : Mu00e5ns Sandstru00f6m.  Located at :  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Middle_age.jpg .  License :  CC BY: Attribution
• NGF ’08 Rita Levi-Montalcini.  Authored by : audrey_sel.  Located at :  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NGF_%2708_Rita_Levi-Montalcini.jpg .  License :  CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Chapter 12 Preparation, Practice, and Delivery.  Authored by : Victor Capecce, M.F.A..  Provided by : Millersville University, Millersville, PA.  Located at :  http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html .  Project : The Public Speaking Project.  License :  CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• best man’s speech notes.  Authored by : stacey shintani.  Located at :  https://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketlass/5020282015/ .  License :  CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Principles of Public Speaking Copyright © 2022 by Katie Gruber is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

10 Simple Public Speaking Tips for the Nervous Presenter

November 25, 2019

by Mary Clare Novak

We’ve all been told to imagine an audience in their underwear when feeling nervous for a speech.

If only it were that easy. It’s said over and over, but we all know it's not the best advice. No matter how hard we try to picture audience members like that, which is strange to begin with, it doesn’t negate the fact that we are still terrified to present information in front of a group of people and that public speaking is a key factor of professional development . 

So here we are. Square one. No need to worry - we’ve compiled some tips that don’t involve nudity.

10 public speaking tips

To help relieve the jitters before and during your speech, we compiled a list of the ten best public speaking tips and even asked some experts how they overcome the fear of the dreaded public speaking experience.

How do you deal with public speaking anxiety?

• Know your material
• Become familiar with your audience
• Get there early
• Test the equipment
• Pay attention to body language
• Be authentic
• Engage with your audience
• Nail your style
• Focus on your speed

Let's dive deeper into each of these tips. 

1. Practice, practice, practice

This one has been said time and time again, but it’s more effective than picturing the audience in their underwear.

To reach peak preparation, practice as much as you can. Get a good final outline or draft of your speech and review it every day for at least a week before you present. Arguably the best thing about practicing a speech is that you can do it from just about anywhere - in the car, on the treadmill, or while waiting in line at the grocery store.

Practice in front of coworkers and friends, and even record yourself presenting your speech. Vlad Calus of Planable, a social media software management company, takes recording a step further.  

“One thing that helped me a lot was shooting multiple LinkedIn videos. I started to be super active on LinkedIn and have published dozens of videos speaking on multiple topics. It helped me a lot with the way I speak, behave, and organize my talks.”

If you want to test your knowledge of the topic, try practicing with distractions. Turn the TV on or read over your speech in a noisy area. This way, distractions on stage won’t even matter.

2. Know your material

This one might seem obvious, but some people tend to dwell on other things like what they are going to wear and who is going to be in the audience. However, having a deep and thorough understanding of your material is the best way to deliver a memorable and informative speech that feels natural for the presenter. Should you stumble and lose your place in your speech, recovery is no problem.

3. Become familiar with your audience

The fear of public speaking usually stems from the audience factor. To conquer this fear, do your best to understand them. Know who they are, why they are watching you speak, and what they are hoping to take away. Adjust the messaging and delivery depending on who you are speaking to. If you are a guest speaker at a professional conference , inspire them. If you are speaking in front of a group of friends, entertain them.

4. Get there early

Arriving to the venue early will not only give you more time to get comfortable with the environment, but it also allows you to interact with audience members.

“If you learn their name and role, it makes it easy to include someone in your talk when you need an example or volunteer,” says Connection Strategist Michelle Ngome .

Also, simply becoming acquainted with the audience members will help you envision them as someone you are comfortable speaking with, alleviating the nerves of presenting to a group of strangers.

5. Test the equipment

Alright. You know your speech like the back of your hand, you feel confident, and everybody is ready to listen. The last thing you want is to get up there and realize the microphone doesn’t work. It’ll ruin your mojo and keep everyone waiting.

Before you get up there, double and triple-check that the equipment is working and setting you up to deliver a killer presentation.

6. Pay attention to body language

The way he handle ourselves physically affects our message delivery almost as much as the words we speak. Krystal Covington , a Global Business Strategist, learned how important it is to pay close attention to the way we walk, stand, and speak.

“I learned to be attentive to my presence, which made me appear confident and polished, even when I felt less than great about my overall preparation level,” Covington admits.

This also includes making eye contact. Looking at audience members in the eye gives the presentation a conversational feel, making you and the audience feel more at ease.

7. Be authentic

We are all human, and humans have feelings. Get a good feel for the subject you are speaking on, and find room for emotion or humor (without making anyone feel uncomfortable). Making the audience feel something will leave more of an impact than informing them.

Also, don’t freeze if you stumble a bit. Robbin Block, a Creative Marketing Strategist at Blockbeta Marketing , stresses the importance of authenticity when speaking publicly.

8. Engage with the audience

Engaging with your audience will benefit its members and the presenter. Kristin Twiford of Libris points out the advantage engagement can provide and how to execute it.

“When I give talks at conferences, I always start with a question for the audience. It helps them feel engaged right from the start and helps me feel like we are having a conversation, and gives me a sense of who I am talking to,” she says.

9. Nail your style

Everyone has their own style of talking, and it is important to be true to it while making a speech. However, what is even more important is adapting that style to the topic at hand and the environment. Different events will require different tones and approaches, and having an adaptable delivery style will only make you a better public speaker.

10. Focus on your speed

When feeling nervous in front of a large audience, it is easy to start rambling and speaking fast. And you might not even notice. Talking too fast when making a speech shows how nervous you are and can result in the audience missing important information. Focus on your speed, more specifically talking slowly.

Nerves be gone

Still feeling a bit nervous after reading these tips? Good - that means you care about your speech, the information you are presenting, and the audience members listening. Eliminating pre-speech jitters altogether is no easy feat, but these tips will help you execute your presentation as close to perfect as possible.

Nervous about how you’ll look more than how you’ll sound? Learn more about nonverbal communication to look and sound your best while presenting.

Mary Clare Novak is a Content Marketing Specialist at G2 based in Burlington, Vermont, where she is currently exploring topics related to sales and customer relationship management. In her free time, you can find her doing a crossword puzzle, listening to cover bands, or eating fish tacos. (she/her/hers)

Recommended Articles

How the Central Hudson Test Influenced Commercial Speech

We do everything we can to avoid advertisements, but whether we like it or not, they’re...

by Deirdre O'Donoghue

What Types of Speech Are Not Protected by the First Amendment?

Americans like to claim that they can say anything because they are protected by their First...

What Is the FCC (+Federal Communications Commission)?

Why are all expletives beeped out at award ceremonies?

Never miss a post.

Subscribe to keep your fingers on the tech pulse.

By submitting this form, you are agreeing to receive marketing communications from G2.

How to Deal with Nerves Before a Presentation

Stop telling yourself to calm down..

Posted February 26, 2019

There are a lot of situations that produce anxiety , but giving a presentation is quite possibly the most nerve-wracking of the professional workplace. it could be a presentation in a small meeting, or a pitch to the board, or an address to the whole company or a keynote speech at a conference. Whatever it is, standing in front of others and hoping you don’t forget your lines…or say them wrong…is a recipe for a high level of anxiety.

I get asked about nerves often because, well, most of my job is giving speeches . So, inevitably while I’m waiting backstage someone will ask, “Are you nervous? Do you still get nervous?” Or some variation of that question. And I reply the exact same thing every time.

I say no: I’m excited.

It’s not boastful; it’s actually me trying to hack my own psychology. Sure I get butterflies in my stomach, but I learned how to reframe them. A recent study by Alison Woods Burns of the Harvard Business School that looked at anxiety-producing situations and the best strategies to deal with them. Burns divided study participants into two groups and then exposed them to an anxiety-producing situation. She used a range of different situations, from singing karaoke to giving a presentation.

To the first group, she asked them to repeat the affirmation “I am calm” to try and soothe the participants' anxiety. She gave an affirmation to the second group, but it was very different: I am excited.

When she checked in after the fact, the “I am excited” group dramatically outperformed the “I am calm” group. They appeared to have a better experience. They actually felt like some of their anxiety lifted. And they gave a better presentation or sung better karaoke.

The theory behind why this works is that when you’re nervous, you feel a certain way. There are butterflies in your stomach. There’s a little shake to your hands. And if you try and calm yourself or lie to yourself and say you are calm, it's obvious that the affirmation doesn’t match your feelings. But nervousness and excitement feel very similar: Same butterflies. Same shake. Just a different way of understanding what your body is feeling. So you can re-frame the same sensation not as anxiety but as excitement. Excitement to get your message out into the world.

To push it even further, let’s be frank: If you knew you were going to give a terrible presentation then you wouldn’t be feeling nervousness, anyway. You’d be feeling dread. So the fact that you’re feeling nervousness means that there is a potential positive outcome. And that positive outcome is what you should focus on.

You’re not nervous that you won’t get that positive outcome, you’re excited because you can.

David Burkus is an assistant professor of management at the College of Business at Oral Roberts University.

• Find Counselling
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United Kingdom
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

• Coronavirus Disease 2019
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

MindxMaster

Develop your skills & gain knowledge.

How to Prepare for a Presentation, even if You’re Nervous

It is natural to have anxiety before giving a presentation. Being anxious is neither a virtue nor a flaw; you need to manage your nervous energy correctly. On the other hand, overconfidence and lack of nervousness can be a weakness! Presentations are frequently a source of anxiety for many professionals. While conversing with coworkers one-on-one is a normal occurrence in the workplace, giving a speech or presentation may be an anxiety-inducing circumstance for many.

Fortunately, several time-tested tactics and approaches for controlling your anxiety and focusing on providing an excellent and entertaining presentation. The following ideas can assist you in calming your anxieties and conquering your fear of public speaking . Consider the following factors.

Create A Thesis Statement.

Once you’ve chosen a topic, formulate the presentation’s purpose in a single short phrase. The aim should state precisely whatever you want the audience to grasp from your presentation. Determine the purpose and degree of material based on the amount of time available for the presentation and the audience’s prior knowledge. Utilize this statement to assist you in remaining focused as you conduct research and construct the presentation.

Consider The Audience’s Level of Knowledge While Structuring the Presentation.

The first stage in creating a presentation is to understand better the audience to which you will talk. It’s a good idea to gather knowledge about your audience’s histories, values, and interests so that you can anticipate what they might want from your presentation. Consider the audience’s degree of understanding while structuring the presentation. Knowing who you’ll be addressing in your presentation enables you to understand better what to anticipate in terms of audience. The more acquainted you are with the audience, the more specific you will feel throughout your presentation.

Avoid Overdoing Your Presentation with Examples Or Facts.

What is the primary concern in today’s presentations? Audiences describe it as information overload. Presenters offer an excessive amount of material in their presentations, including many examples or facts, which overwhelms and confuses the listeners. Presenters frequently believe that more information is preferable when, in fact, what the audience wants to hear is the outcome, conclusion, or overview of your study. As a result, the best course of action is to minimize information overload during presentations. Remove everything unnecessary.

Rehearse With the Technology.

Rehearse your presentation; do it in front of family, friends, the act of a mirror. Take note of any feedback. Verify your timings, talk gently, and consider the sorts of questions your audience could have. Ascertain your familiarity with the delivery technologies and, if you have advanced permission to the presentation site, load and test the presentation using the selected technologies. PowerPoint may be used for this purpose; PowerPoint enables you to record and time a presentation before delivering it to an audience.

Practice your whole presentation multiple times. Conduct it for a few individuals with whom you are comfortable and solicit feedback. Additionally, it may be beneficial to practice with a few individuals with whom you are unfamiliar. Prepare the material you wish to offer in advance, as well as any props, audio, and visual aids. The more organized you are, the less scared you’ll be. Keep track of your progress by creating an outline on a bit of a card.

Arrive Early.

Allow lots of time before your discussion to settle in. Additional time assures that you will not be late and provides the opportunity for you to become accustomed to your presenting environment. Arriving early at the location of your presentation allows you to acquire a sense of the setting. Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before and take a position in the place where you will be presenting. Consider the individuals in the seats and how you will address a large group.

Add A CTA, If Applicable.

Calls to action are critical to include in internal and external presentations since these are the important moments for persuading decision-makers to act in favor of your argument. Without a solid call to action at the end, your results may fall well short of their ability. With outcall to action (CTA), a presentation is incomplete. It leaves you wondering and prompts the question, “Is that it?” You’re uncertain what to do with the knowledge you’ve just got.

Be Realistic About Public Speaking Nerves.

Public speaking anxiety is a very prevalent type of anxiety. It might range from mild apprehension to crippling terror and panic. Many persons who suffer from this anxiety either avoid public speaking altogether or suffer over them with trembling hands and a trembling voice. However, with some preparation and effort, you can conquer your fear. Nervousness and exhilaration frequently have the same physical sensations. Therefore, if you’re particularly worried before a presentation, channel your worry into enthusiasm by pumping yourself up.

Concentrate on being thrilled about giving the presentation and convincing yourself that the anxiety you’re experiencing is positive energy associated with the prospect of sharing your expertise with others. Instead of fighting any fear that has been shown to you, consider embracing it as a natural part of life. While rejecting or combating anxiety frequently exacerbates it, acknowledging it and deciding to act helps develop confidence.

Increase Your Pauses.

When you’re worried, it’s natural to speed up your speaking, which results in you running out of breath, being tense, and panicking! Ahh! Do not be scared to speak slowly and with pauses. Pausing may be utilized to underline key points and to give your speech a more conversational tone. If you begin to lose control of your pace, take a good stop, and maintain your composure.

We hope you liked our article on how to prepare for a presentation when you feel nervous. The above tips will surely be useful to you. If you have any questions about presentations, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to assist you. Moreover, if you are looking for presentation templates , we highly recommend you visit MasterBundles.

MasterBundles provide many professional templates which will surely make your presentation look unique from others.

Related Articles

5 Tips for Writing Better Therapy Progress Notes as a Counselor

Therapy progress notes are a vital component of counseling practice. They include a thorough account of client sessions, interventions, and advancement toward treatment objectives. Effective progress report writing is crucial…

Which Planet Is Responsible For Government Job In Astrology?

Astrology is an extensive field of study that holds that the positions of the planets affect our careers and other areas of our lives, shaping our futures. The position of…

Some Stylish and Comfy Maternity Outfits You’ll Actually Want to Wear

Embracing the journey of motherhood is a beautiful experience, but it doesn’t mean sacrificing style and comfort. Maternity fashion has evolved dramatically over the years, offering a plethora of options…

Guiding Legacies: Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Trusted Probate Lawyers

Navigating the intricate legal terrain of probate law demands not only expertise but also compassion and understanding. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, probate matters are delicate affairs that require adept guidance from…

Scholarship Opportunities for Indian Students at Best Medical Universities in the USA

Scholarships for an education in medicine are essential for some students, especially when they are located internationally. In countries like the United States of America, the cost of education and…

What are the Best Ways to Use Eucalyptus Essential Oil for Hair?

Today, the trend of using organic and naturally derived items is quite in. Speaking about essential oils, they have been here for the last several years. However, they have recently…

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Delivery Techniques →

Nervous? How to Calm Down Before a Presentation

Speaking in front of an audience may be a challenge to many, as it may make them nervous or induce anxiety. In fact, the term glossophobia was coined to describe the fear of speaking in public, and many experts believe that up to 73% of the world’s population is affected by this phobia! 

The good news is, there are various ways you can use to calm your nerves before going on stage to give a speech or presentation.

However, while these ways may help in the short run, a good way to completely rid yourself of the jitters would be to get to the root cause of exactly why you get nervous or anxious every time you are about to give a presentation .

Why do We Get Nervous Before Presenting?

The National Social Anxiety Center states that the fear of public speaking is an even more common phobia than the fear of spiders, death or heights. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that roughly 73% of individuals have a fear of public speaking, so it may be a bit comforting to know that you aren’t alone in this.

Research has shown that the most common factor that contributes to this phobia is the fear of negative judgement from others. This would explain why sometimes, you may go in front of an audience and forget what you were going to talk about. This is often caused by the rising level of stress, which may sometimes shut down your brain’s frontal lobe that is partially in charge of retrieving information from your memory.

Many speculate that these nervous jitters may also be influenced biologically and psychologically.

Now that we’ve looked at what may make you nervous before a presentation, we can proceed to:

What NOT to Do Before Your Presentation

Right before you are scheduled to give your presentation, there are a few things you should avoid doing. These include:

Drinking any stimulants

This refers to drinks like coffee, which may make you sweat, make your hands shake or increase the rate of your heart beat. Sweating too much or visibly shaking may give your audience the idea that you are nervous, even when you aren’t.

Therefore, you should avoid caffeine and instead settle for a substitute such as tea, which will ensure you feel as relaxed and as calm as possible before your presentation.

Arriving late

Getting to the venue of your presentation early affords you some time to get a feel for the environment you will be presenting in.

Arriving 15 to 20 minutes earlier will give you the opportunity to stand where you will stand when presenting and visualize the audience in their seats.

Avoid arriving late because disheveled, late and nervous is not a way any one wants to start their presentation . Not only will starting late put off your audience but it may not give you time to lay out any materials you may have in a way that’ll make it easier for you to access them.

Do This Instead…

17 Ways to Help You Calm Down Before a Presentation

Below are some suggestions of the different ways that can help you remain calm during your presentation and reduce any nervous jitters that you may have.

1. Note how other speakers act during their presentations

Before your presentation, it may do you good to research and see what other speakers do when giving speeches or presentations.

This would be a great way to boost confidence while also taking note of:

• how often they pause
• how long they speak for
• where they place their hands during the presentation

These minor details will give you an idea of what to do when presenting.

2. Practice your presentation

Practicing your presentation in front of a family member, friend or any other trustworthy individual may help ensure that you are well prepared while also boosting your confidence .

This step is also important as it allows you to get feedback on what you may not be doing correctly or what you can improve upon.

This ensures that by the time your presentation comes around, you’ll be satisfied with how you will be presenting and are able to do so with complete confidence in yourself.

Joining a Toastmasters club gives you the practice you need.

You might also like:  How to Prepare for a Speech

3. Learn your audience

Knowing the people you will be presenting to allows you to familiarize yourself with what the audience may expect, with regard to your presentation.

The more familiar you are with your audience, the more confident you will feel when giving your presentation since you will be in position to customize that speech just for them.

4. Develop an outline for your presentation

Having an outline for your presentation provides you with a simple guide that you can follow when you feel a little bit anxious.

To develop a structure for your presentation , write down the order in which you would like to discuss every topic in your presentation.

This will make it easier for you to trace back to what you were talking about if you lose your place because you were feeling jittery or anxious.

5. Do not over exert yourself by setting unreasonable expectations

While it may be easy to accept nothing less than perfect from ourselves, setting reasonable expectations will keep you from being upset or feeling disappointed if you make a mistake while presenting.

Keeping in mind that no one will judge you for not giving a perfect presentation and everyone makes a mistake will also relieve some of the pressure, which may make it easy for you to calm down, thus allowing you to continue with your presentation without worry.

6. Try to be more enthusiastic

It is quite normal to feel both excited and nervous, especially before giving a presentation. Turning the nervous energy into enthusiasm would be a good way to psych yourself up.

Pro-Tip: Telling yourself that you feel excited, even when you don’t, may trick your brain into actually feeling excited; try it sometime.

7. Practice confident body language

Your body language may be the first thing the audience notices about you, even before you speak. Therefore, you should try to stand up straight with your shoulders back when giving your presentation.

Additionally, you can also try to smile and relax your facial muscles.

Pro-Tip: The more confident you look, the more confident you may feel. In this case, what you are portraying on the outside will influence how you feel inside so that there is congruence/harmony in you.

8. Exercise before your presentation

Exercising is a great way to get your blood flowing and reduce any nervous tension.

Additionally, exercise allows you to work through any anxiety or stress you may be feeling. That way, you get to the venue feeling calmer and refreshed.

9. Accept your fear

While we should never let fear get the better of us, it is important to acknowledge that it is a normal part of life.

Accepting your fear will not only take away its power but also help you build confidence in spite of it.

10. Talk with people

A small meet-and-greet with your audience before you begin presenting affords you the opportunity to make connections , which may alleviate any nervous jitters you have.

Additionally, it will give your audience the chance to know you, even if it’s just a few facts about yourself, which may encourage more support from them while you’re presenting.

11. Take deep breaths

Deep breathing is a good way to reduce anxiety and stress. It also helps regulate adrenalin, which is normally activated when an individual feels afraid.

Additionally, deep breaths help circulate oxygen within your brain, which will allow you to think more clearly.

Smiling when you’re feeling anxious or nervous helps release endorphins that make you feel more confident.

Additionally, smiling shows that you are excited and confident, which may help the audience be more open toward the message you will be conveying.

13. Don’t overthink if you experience a brain freeze

It’s completely normal to sometimes forget what you were going to say when giving a presentation.

While it may feel like a big deal when it happens, the probability that the audience noticed is next to nil and even if they do, they may just as quickly forget it.

So, instead of dwelling on it, you should get over the lapse in your memory and continue with your presentation in a professional manner. This is easier to do if you have brief notes to guide you on the next steps in your presentation.

14. Ensure you make eye contact

When giving a presentation, it is important that you make eye contact with your audience. You don’t have to make eye contact with everyone, but you should at least pick a few friendly faces to help engage your audience .

Eye contact also affords your audience the chance to show interest in what you’re talking about.

Pro-Tip: Refrain from staring off into space, staring at the floor or at your notes when presenting as it may portray that you are unsure of yourself or are feeling nervous.

15. Use your notes

Always feel free to use any short notes on your presentation as a guide to prevent you from going off topic.

Unless you are told not to use notes, you can also use them as a visual cue to help you when you are feeling anxious or are stuck on a particular point.

16. Try speaking slowly

Speaking slowly helps ensure your audience can hear you while also calming your nerves. Before your presentation, you should practice speaking slowly as you may end up speaking quickly if you are anxious or nervous.

Related: How to Speak Slower in Public Speaking

17. Drink water

I don’t mean gallons of water when I say this, just a few sips per drink will do. Anxiety may sometimes cause your mouth to be dry. Keeping a bottle of water near you during your presentation may allow you to stay hydrated throughout your presentation, thus preventing dry mouth.

Keep in mind though that as long as you are confident , well prepared and well versed in the topics you will be presenting, then you should not let your fear hold you back. With time, staying calm will become second nature to you as a speaker.

If none of these work, you might want to try out hypnosis for public speaking .

22 Ways to Calm Your Nerves Before a Speech or Presentation

by Janice Tomich

• Fear of Public Speaking

So, you have a big presentation coming up. Maybe you’ve been invited to pitch an idea to your boss or deliver a presentation to an industry association. Maybe you’re even giving the keynote .

Your first reaction is to jump at the opportunity. Then, as the day gets closer your pre-presentation nerves start getting the better of you.

As your public speaking anxiety ramps up, you can hear the sound of your heart thumping in your ears. Your clothes are sticking to your skin. Nights before the big day you toss and turn in bed.

Thankfully there are lots of ways to manage your presentation jitters.

Notice the emphasis on the word “manage.”

Nervousness isn’t something you can entirely get rid of. But when you increase your skills—by learning these anxiety management techniques—you can begin to quiet the feelings that fuel the unhelpful stories that take up far too much time in your head.

These are some of the tried-and-true tips I give to my public speaking coaching clients, many of whom struggle with nervousness when they have a presentation looming.

Table of Contents

How to Calm Down Before a Speech or Presentation: 22 Techniques

1. understand fight or flight.

Almost everyone feels some degree of nervousness when they need to present. Thanks to our Neanderthal ancestors, the body’s response to your amygdala getting hijacked and going into fight or flight is a deeply embedded, primal reaction.

Public speaking, however, is not the same as being attacked by a sabre toothed tiger.

The best way to manage this innate response is simply to realize that it’s part of your DNA, hardwired into what it means to be human. This awareness will help tamp down your public speaking nerves and put them in context.

2. Nerves and Anxiety Are a Habit

Behaviours follows triggers. For many people, the fear of public speaking fuels overthinking and worrying, which then results in them feeling more anxious. According to Dr. Judd Brewer , this creates an anxiety loop in which we convince ourselves that we are being constructive and solving a problem.

When you feel your heart racing or your monkey brain telling you doomsday stories, notice where it feels tight or uncomfortable in your body. One way to begin managing your anxiety is to notice where in your body you’re feeling it from. As with the fight-or-flight response, simply knowing about the anxiety loop gives you insight can helps it to stop progressing.

​​​​Sucheta Misra Associate VP Inclusion & Diversity and Social Impact Leader

3. Take a Deep Breath

Breathing sounds easy!

Actually it’s not.

When you get anxious you’ll find yourself taking rapid breaths, restricted to the upper half of your chest. Physiologically, shallow breathing fuels nervous reactions. Instead, consciously take a few deep breaths. This will naturally regulate your heightened emotions. Your heart rate and you will instantly feel more relaxed.

If you have a Fitbit, Apple Watch or other device that monitors your heart rate you’ll be amazed to see how quickly your heart rate will drop by simply taking in a series of deep breaths. Try it!

4. Transform Your Nervous Energy Into Excitement

Anxiety and excitement are similar emotions. Both are high states of arousal accompanied by things such as a rapid heart rate, dry mouth, sweaty palms and sometimes a feeling or sensation of being “outside” of your body.

Typically, we view anxiety as negative and excitement as positive. Anxiety is uncomfortable. We’d much rather feel excitement than anxiety.

Because both are heightened states of arousal, however, you can actually trick your brain into feeling excited instead of anxious by using awareness and reframing techniques. Positive thinking and using affirming self-talk can flip the switch from anxiety to excitement.

Try it. The next time you feel anxiety bubbling up, simply say “I feel excited.” Yes, say it out loud!

Using this simple tip, it’s possible to change a negative mindset to a positive one. You’ve set yourself up nicely for your next presentation.

If you’re lost and unsure about how to make your presentation compelling, I can help.

5. Smile, Even if You’re Feeling Anxious

Smiling helps lower your stress level by releasing endorphins, which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure.

Yes, as easy as smiling!

6. Use Relaxation Exercises

Meditation is the simple act of being aware of what’s in front of us … no yoga mat or meditation cushion required. Meditation can subdue the nervous tension that comes with delivering presentations.

Recently, a client shared with me his rather surprising meditative process. It’s slightly unusual (and had me laughing).

Before every presentation, he goes to a fast food restaurant and orders a cheeseburger. Then, he consciously watches as he orders his food, receives his order, and then eats it. Apparently this meditative ritual works for him every time.

A more common approach (than the cheeseburger routine) is to simply be observant of your environment while you’re walking, or consciously feel the sensation of water falling on your body when you take your morning shower.

Meditation techniques lower your anxiety because you won’t cycle through all worrying “what if’s”. Instead, simply be present.

7. Burn Off Energy by Doing Some Cardio

Moving your body and getting your heart pumping also releases endorphins which can help quell any pre-presentation anxiety .

I’ve been known to do a few fast-walking laps around a conference centre to reduce the stress I feel before I deliver a speech or presentation.

Going for a quick run or cycle before your event are terrific anxiety-busters too!

8. Use Visualization Techniques

Did you know you can strengthen muscles without even moving them ?

Elite athletes, such as golfers, practice watching (in their mind’s eye) their ball land on the green or in the cup. The visualization exercise builds muscle memory to help hit the ball successfully, so it lands where the golfer intended.

Public speakers can use visualization techniques to manage anxiety, too.

As your presentation day nears, take your mind on a walking tour. Imagine every detail – in your mind’s eye walk onto the stage, deliver your speech, listen to the applause, and then leave the stage. Do the visualization with a positive outlook to set yourself for an anxiety-free delivery.

9. Be Prepared

Preparing in the content of your presentation in the ‘theatre of your mind’ is a trap. Practicing this way lulls you into thinking that all is well as you run through your presentation self correcting.

Only practicing your actual words will prepare you for the live event. You’ll establish exactly what you want to say, and how to say it, which will boost your confidence and soothe any nervousness.

10. Practice, Practice, and Then Practice Some More

I have never had a client tell me they wished they’d practiced less.

My advice for how to practice delivering a speech or presentation is to practice until you are tired of hearing yourself, which typically clocks in at 30 hours of practice for a one-hour presentation .

Pro Tip: Once you have practiced your entire presentation a few times, you only practice the parts which are tripping you up. There’s no value in practicing from start to finish when you’re only challenged by specific sections.

11. Drink Water to Stay Hydrated During Your Presentation

Having a dry mouth can cause you to trip over your words, which will rev up even more nervous tension. Beginning a few days before you’re scheduled to deliver your speech, increase your water intake so your words will flow easily.

Pro Tip: Pop one of these lozenges in your mouth a few minutes before you go on stage. They work wonders to coat your mouth and throat.

12. Prepare an Excellent Opening to Your Presentation

I don’t recommend memorizing your entire presentation or speech. But I do recommend memorizing the open and close.

Anxiety often ramps up in the first 30 seconds of your presentation. By committing to memory the beginning (and the close) you’ll prevent yourself from having a rocky start or lacklustre finish.

13. Employ the Power of the Pause

You likely talk too fast when you’re nervous. With the rapid fire of your words comes an increase in your stress level.

Pauses are a brilliant technique slow down your speech, and avoid talking too quickly.

Look through your presentation and find the most important points you want your audience to take back to the office. Place a pause in the front and back end of these sections.

Not only do pauses help your audience understand the important points, it gives you some breathing room and slows down your rate of speaking.

14. Before You Present, Test the Technology

There’s nothing like technology not working to rattle your nerves — even for seasoned presenters.

Whether you’re online or in person, make sure you’re comfortable with the technology you’ll be using.

If you’re delivering online ask a friend or colleague to do a technology run-through.

If you’re delivering live on stage most event planners invite their presenters for a pre-presentation tech check.

Take advantage of the time to test the technology so you can deliver without having to worry about which button to click or where to stand.

15. Arrive Early, Before You’re Scheduled to Present

Whether online or in person, arrive 20 to 30 minutes before you’re scheduled to present.

Give yourself lots of time to settle in and feel comfortable in your surroundings. Arriving early will give you the opportunity to check out where everything is situated, which will stop any last minute scrambling that could leave you unsettled.

16. Walk Around. Own Your Space.

When you walk into a space cold — not having been on-site before — it’s challenging to know how much space you can take advantage of.

Take the time to walk around the presentation space (This applies to both live events and online ones.)

There is comfort in knowing how much “real estate” you have to move through. Feel your feet on the floor.

17. Attend Your Colleagues’ Presentations

Likewise, take the time to get comfortable in the event itself. Stop in and listen to your colleagues’ presentations, and encourage them to attend yours.

Building a sense of camaraderie helps you feel supported by your peers, which helps release the nervous energy soothe your pre-presentation jitters.

18. Meet Your Audience Before Your Presentation

When I deliver a presentation I arrive well in advance of when I’m scheduled to deliver so I can meet the people who will be attending my talk.

It’s a good investment. Meeting your audience beforehand “warms” the room (makes you and them feel more comfortable). This allows you to better connect with your audience.

19. Connect Through Good Eye Contact

During your presentation, connect with the audience using effective eye contact. Make this an easy win by following tip #19 and reading my article with five tips for making eye contact .

20. Use Powerful Body Language

Try slumping over. How do you feel? Low on energy?

Now stand tall with your shoulders back and your head held high. How do you feel now? I suspect you feel high energy/confident.

Your posture affects how you feel. The small shift from slumped to taking up lots of space makes a big difference to your level of confidence .

21. Avoid Alcohol & Caffeine in the Lead-Up to the Event

We all know the effects of excessive alcohol and caffeine. One will leave you too relaxed, and the other too jittery.

Save the drinks until after your presentation, and limit yourself to one cup of coffee or tea before you present to deliver your speech as the best version of yourself.

22. Sleep Well the Night Before

A day or two before you are scheduled to deliver your speech plan to have your slides completed and confident you know your content inside out.

Don’t spend the night before adjusting slides and practicing. Trying to create a perfect presentation at the last minute will only ramp up your anxiety.

Schedule lots of time to prepare in the weeks leading up to the event, so can feel refreshed to meet your audience.

If you’re struggling with presentation nerves choose a few of the techniques which resonated with you. Give them a try. It’s though practice and increasing your public speaking skills that you’ll get a handle on your nerves.

Watching my clients build their communication & public speaking confidence is my sweet spot. Reach out to discover how we might work together so you can manage any presentation anxiety you might be experiencing.

Share this post:

Related Posts

Why Do Women Shy Away from Public Speaking Engagements?

In recent years, movements such as the #metoo movement have sought to disarm patriarchal institutions from ‘owning it all’. North America is at something of a tipping point, with equitable societies seemingly within reach. The

Manage Presentation Anxiety to Become Confident Public Speaker

I’m a public speaking coach, and I know that for a lot of people (including those you think look cool and composed on stage) the thought of public speaking creates a surge in anxiety levels.

Strategies for Becoming a Confident Public Speaker

Lack of public speaking confidence, whether with peers or strangers, is considered a social anxiety disorder. More people don’t want to be front and centre than do. Across the spectrum, glossophobia (fear of public speaking) touches

Janice Tomich Site Map

Testimonials

Social Media

© 2023 Janice Tomich. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Use

Give the keynote. Without the nerves.

What methods can you use to Control Speech Anxiety? 15 Effective Fear of Public Speaking Coping Methods

When you’re giving a speech in front of a large audience, your entire body tenses up. Your palms get sweaty and your heart begins to race. But, what methods can you use to control speech anxiety (glossophobia)? What should have been an easy task suddenly feels like the hardest thing you’ve ever done.

That’s because speaking in public is one of the most difficult things anyone can do—and everyone knows it. It’s also something that almost everyone experiences at some point in their lives. Let’s take a look at why so many people feel this way about speaking and how we can manage it more effectively when we need to speak in front of others.

Fear of public speaking is commonly regarded as one of the most universal fears among human beings. In fact, surveys indicate that most people would rather be stuck in an elevator or get immunized than give a speech!

Even the thought of speaking in front of other people can create a feeling of panic and dread for many. However, this doesn’t need to be the case for you. There are plenty of ways to overcome your fear and become comfortable giving speeches when necessary.

If you find yourself feeling nervous about giving a speech at work or school, read on to discover some useful strategies for managing your anxiety

Ways of managing public speaking anxiety

Before the speech.

Practicing time and time again is the best way to prepare for a speech. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to public speaking. When you practice, you can identify your weaknesses and work on improving them.

You can also determine if you need any aids, like slides or notes, to help get through your speech. Additionally, you should always read the speech aloud in front of someone. You’ll notice some problems that will change the flow of your words or ideas if they’re not clearly communicated.

Finally, select a topic of interest to you – one that excites and motivates you. If you find what you are talking about interesting, it will be more likely for your audience to be interested as well!

Breathing Exercises

One way you can manage your anxiety before giving a speech is by practicing deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing slows your heart rate and helps you relax.

Breathing exercises also provide oxygen to your brain, which can help you concentrate on what you are going to say next.

If you are feeling anxious or nervous about giving a speech, try taking a few deep breaths. This will help calm your nerves and allow you to focus on the topic at hand. You’ll be surprised at how much of an impact this simple exercise has.

Physical Activities

One of the most effective ways to control your anxiety is to focus your attention on physical activity. Doing anything that requires movement and keeps you active will help divert your attention from the anxiety you’re feeling.

For example, dancing, doing yoga, or running are all good options. If you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, try jumping up and down for a minute or two before starting your day. Your heart rate will rise and you’ll start to feel more awake and energized.

Furthermore, if it’s just too cold outside or if you’re too tired to go for a run, try getting up and doing some push-ups or sit-ups instead. These types of activities will make you feel more accomplished while also distracting your mind from dwelling on the speech that’s coming up soon.

Develop a Script and Practice Your Speech Out Loud

One of the best ways to get over your fear of public speaking is to create a script for yourself and practice giving your speech out loud as much as possible. When you speak on the fly, you may find yourself forgetting what you want to say or feeling like you are constantly insecure about what to say next.

Developing a script beforehand will help take this level of pressure off of you and allow you to focus on delivering your message in a confident manner. Practicing your speech out loud can also be an effective technique for banishing nerves before your big day.

Speaking aloud will also help ensure that you have all the necessary information upfront and that there’s nothing new that could throw you off during the actual event. This will make it easier for you to feel prepared heading into your speech, so it won’t be such a big deal if things don’t go according to plan.

Focus on your content and not the audience

If you find yourself feeling nervous about giving a speech at work or school, remember to focus on your content and not the audience. When you think about why you’re giving the speech, then your mind will focus on what you want to convey.

If you are thinking too much about how many people are in the room or how they might react, then it will be difficult for you to feel confident when presenting.

It’s important to remember that no matter how many people are in the room, they are there because they want to hear what you have to say. They want to find out something new from you and listen to your ideas. Treating your audience with respect is an important part of speaking confidently.

Visualization

One of the best ways to control your anxiety is through visualization. Take a few minutes before your speech starts to visualize yourself giving the presentation flawlessly. This technique has been shown to reduce anxiety levels by up to 73 percent in just six weeks.

Visualization might sound like a good idea, but it takes a lot of practice to master. You must practice at least once a day for 15 minutes, and do this every day for six weeks. The more you practice, the easier it will be to find success during your speech.

Another thing you can do is talk out loud to yourself as if you were speaking in front of people. This exercise enables you to get used to how it would feel if you were actually presenting live and practicing being in front of an audience without being judged or scrutinized by anyone.

You can also try imagining what people around you are thinking about when they’re listening to your speech. You’ll likely think about how unimportant it is that they dislike what you have said since no one will remember what happens when you speak anyway (except for YOU).

Ultimately, this process makes it easier for many people because they know their speech isn’t being judged and no one will care what they say- so why should they?

Take the Stage By Surprise

One of the most effective methods for dealing with speech anxiety is to simply go ahead and do it. Even if you’re not entirely prepared, it’s better to just take the stage by surprise. You can even practice beforehand so that you know what to expect.

This may seem like a risky method, but I guarantee it will help you conquer your fear in the long run. If someone asks for a speech and you say yes without thinking about it, there will be no time to worry about whether or not you are going to panic or become overwhelmed.

And if you are panicking while giving a speech, people will know that you’re nervous because they can see it on your face. However, this won’t last forever – as soon as you start talking, your adrenaline will take over and everything will be fine!

Find your happy place

Find your happy place. One of the easiest ways to control anxiety is to find a location where you feel safe and happy. It can be somewhere in your home, somewhere in nature, or any other place that makes you feel relaxed and secure.

Then, when giving the speech, you can imagine yourself in that happy place.

When you feel anxious about giving a speech, try to take some deep breaths and remind yourself that this feeling will pass. For those who are more introverted, it might be helpful to find a quiet space where they are not being watched by others while they speak.

Confidence is one of the most important factors when it comes to speaking in public. A confident speaker will usually have less anxiety than someone who is fearful of speaking in front of others. Pay attention to how other people give speeches for ideas on how to sound more confident when giving speeches yourself.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

One of the most effective methods you can use to control your speech anxiety is cognitive-behavioral therapy. With this method, you will be trained to think in a different way about what it means to give a speech and how public speaking should affect you.

Many people get anxious before they speak because they fear being judged. The idea that others may have an opinion about them or their performance can make them feel nervous or worried. However, according to CBT, the idea that others might judge you shouldn’t make you feel so self-conscious or concerned.

In reality, there are many different opinions out there and people are far too busy with their own thoughts and worries to think about yours at all. Cognitive behavior therapists will teach you how to better manage your thoughts which will help reduce your anxiety before giving a speech. They do this by teaching you skills like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, positive self-talk, and more!

Hiring a professional coach or trainer

One of the most effective ways to learn how to control public speaking anxiety is to practice in front of a friend, colleague, or coach who will give you honest and constructive feedback on what to do next.

For example, if you’ve never given a presentation before, it may be helpful to hire a professional coach or trainer who can help with your speech structure and delivery.

A professional can also offer insights into how best to handle difficult questions that may come up during your speech. With practice, you’ll become more confident in your abilities and find yourself less worried about what others might think because you know exactly what you want them to hear.

Know your audience

It is a good idea to do research on the audience type, qualifications, and age among others. Ask questions about their lifestyles and interests. Study them as much as you can in order to make sure that your speech will be well received by them.

Any great presentation requires you to keep your audience engaged. Thus, you need to know your audience so that you can conquer the speaking  anxiety that resides within you. The anxiety is often made worse by the interaction where you can not connect with the audience.

Even if you do not know the audience, when you start speaking, you can focus on  one or two people in the audience that  are giving you positive feedback such as nodding in agreement or jotting down your points. Do not try to ignore the audience, hoping this will decrease their speech anxiety. For instance, lots of speakers avoid eye contact. This however limits your know-how of what resonates with the audience which is very important.

Challenge negative thinking/ specific worries

One of the most useful methods to control speech anxiety is to challenge your negative thinking. Negative thoughts often lead to the feeling of panic and dread that many people experience when they think about speaking in front of others.

If you find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts or worrying about something, such as a fear of forgetting what you’re going to say, try writing out 3 positive thoughts for every time a negative thought comes up.

This will help shift your focus and allow you to have more control over your situation. You can also make 3 x 5 cards with inspirational messages from friends on them. When you feel self-doubt creeping in, take one of these cards out and read it aloud to yourself. This will help remind you that not everyone feels this way about public speaking – just you!

Don’t fear a moment of silence

The first step is to simply give your speech. The more you speak in public, the more comfortable you’ll be speaking in public. Giving a speech is not going to hurt you and will only get easier with time. Just remember that silence can also make people uncomfortable, so don’t fear it!

Get organized

The best way to prepare for a speech is to create an outline of the points you want to cover. This will help you stay on track and avoid rambling.

When writing your speech, make sure it’s conversational and informal so it will be easier for you to speak naturally. Also, try including humor when possible as this can break the ice with your audience.

Know your material well enough

One of the most common mistakes that speakers make is not knowing their material well enough. It’s critical to create a quality speech and practice it thoroughly before giving it. If you don’t know what you are going to say, how can you expect your audience to know?

Strategies to Reduce Anxiety During the Speech

• Practice makes perfect : Practicing in front of the mirror, with your pet, or in front of friends and family is a good way to calm your nerves before speaking. Practice will increase your confidence and make giving the speech easier and less nerve-racking.
• Talk slower, longer pauses : Speak more deliberately when you’re giving a speech by slowing down your speech and taking long pauses between sentences to let people process what you’re saying. This will give them time to think about what they just heard and say it back to themselves in their head before continuing on with the next sentence.
• Take a deep breath before you start talking : It’s always good to remind yourself that the worst part is over–the anticipation! When you feel nervous before starting your speech, take a deep breath in and out for about ten seconds or until you feel calmer and less tense.
• Make eye contact with someone different every few sentences or so : To keep from staring at one person too much, try making eye contact with someone new every few sentences or so throughout the duration of your speech–this will keep anxiety levels low since it’ll be harder for them to notice if you’re nervous or not!
• Tightening and then relaxing your muscles
• Visualizing a peaceful scene

What is speech anxiety (Glossophobia)?

Speech anxiety is defined as the feeling of fear or dread about an upcoming speech delivery. It is one of the subsets of social phobia, the fear of social situations- which in itself is a specific phobia. The anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent and excessive anxiety and discomfort when speaking in public. The feeling is often characterized by a racing heart, dry mouth, and trembling hands.

Speech anxiety can range from mild to severe and can impact people of all ages and backgrounds. Anxiety can also be triggered by someone else’s speech, and also watching a video of yourself speaking or listening to a recording of your voice.

Glossophobia affects up to 40% of all Americans. Most of these people, experience discomfort and anxiety when they speak in front of a group of people.

What causes speech anxiety (Glossophobia)?

The root of this fear is usually a combination of genetic tendencies and other environmental, biological, and psychological factors. Sometimes there are specific events that trigger the feeling of anxiety, like an upcoming speech. For others, the problem may come and go depending on the situation – such as a job interview or speaking at a family gathering.

The other causes of speech anxiety include:

• Speaking in front of a large audience
• Lack of or inadequate preparation.
• The fear of failure/ judgment or evaluation.
• Speaking in front of a higher-status audience.
• Having a current hostile audience or exposure to a previous case of a hostile audience.
• Giving the speech in unfamiliar surroundings.
• Lack of opportunity to build speaking skills or not rehearsing the content well.
• Inadequate knowledge of the content.

Symptoms of speech anxiety

The symptoms of speech anxiety can vary depending on the person but the common ones include shaking, sweating, butterflies in the stomach, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, and squeaky voice .

For some people, they may only experience a small amount of anxiety, while others have extreme symptoms that affect their ability to speak.

Everyone will feel anxious at some point in their life, but if you’re feeling extreme levels of anxiousness before or during public speaking engagements, then you may want to make an appointment with a mental health professional.

What are the three types of speech anxiety?

There are three types of speech anxiety: trait anxiety, context anxiety, and audience anxiety.

• Trait Anxiety is the fear of public speaking because it’s not one’s natural inclination. For example, if you’re shy by nature but have to give a speech then this would be considered trait anxiety.
• Context Anxiety is the fear of public speaking because you know that it would be judged poorly. For example, if you know your work colleagues will judge your speech harshly then you might feel this type of anxiety when having to give a presentation at work.
• Audience Anxiety is the fear of public speaking because they know they will cause a negative reaction in their listeners. If you’re afraid that people won’t like what you say and will react with anger or derision, then this would be an example of audience or situation anxiety.

How common is speech anxiety?

Public speaking is a potent fear. Studies have shown that, at any given time, as much as 77% of the population has some level of anxiety regarding public speaking. This fear ( glossophobia ) is so common that it has even been termed “the most universal of all phobias.”

However, up to 40% of the population have intense debilitating discomfort and fear when speaking in public- glossophobia. This is because the others have a moment of unease but are able to conquer it quickly.

For some people, they may even be unable to make the speech at all or become incoherent when giving the speech. This is because anxiety triggers stress hormones making it hard to concentrate and even think.

Almost everyone can experience speech anxiety. However, some people are to conquer it and deliver their speeches quickly. The goal of any speech should be to tell a story in an engaging way. Anxiety may get in the way of this goal, so you have to find ways to relieve it.

This can be done through using breathing exercises, physical activity, focusing on your content and not your audience, and visualizing yourself at the moment. Remember to take the stage by surprise and find your happy place. Lastly, hiring a professional coach or trainer can greatly reduce your anxiety during your speech.

The methods below are the best to control speech anxiety. It’s important that you try these strategies in order to find out which ones work best for you and which ones don’t.

• Practice your speech beforehand: You might feel a little more confident if you know what you’re going to say ahead of time. You can practice by giving the speech to a mirror, recording it on video, or writing it out to get better prepared.
• Break your speech into parts: If you have a long presentation, it might be helpful for you to break up the speech into shorter parts and focus on one part at a time. Doing so will help alleviate some of your fear as you won’t have so much pressure on yourself from speaking for an extended period of time.
• Eliminate distractions: It’s also common for people who are afraid of public speaking to be distracted by what’s going on in the room while they’re speaking. For example, they may notice someone yawning while they’re talking or something happening behind them. To help eliminate this distraction, use things like PowerPoint presentations or other visual aids that will keep people watching your slides instead of their smartphones!
• Practice breathing exercises: Panic attacks and other physical symptoms often accompany fear of public speaking because there is often a lot of pent up tension in our bodies when we’re feeling anxious about something and this tension needs an outlet. A good way to release some of this tension is through breathing exercises where we consciously

How do I know if I’m speaking too fast?

Speakers often worry about talking too quickly and running out of time. However, the truth is that it’s very unlikely for a speaker to talk as quickly as they think they are. A good way to check this is to use a watch or timer with a second hand. When you feel your audience start to lose focus, pause for 5 seconds and keep going. It’s unlikely you will run out of time if you do this occasionally.

What should I do when I start feeling anxious while giving my speech?

Nerves are normal! In fact, many people experience butterflies in their stomach before giving a speech–which can actually be beneficial. This type of physiological response is often referred to as a “fight-or-flight” response: when our bodies prepare for stressful situations by releasing adrenaline into our system. Feelings of anxiety are nothing more than heightened emotions, so it’s important not to fight against them but instead lean into the fear and ride the wave of anticipation that precedes most speeches.

What should I do if anxiety turns into panic?

If you find yourself experiencing intense feelings of fear and/or terror prior to a speech, it may be helpful to seek professional help from a therapist or psychologist experienced in treating panic disorders. The best way for such an individual to help is by taking the time to learn about your specific fears and providing strategies on how best

Dr. David Barlow

You might also like, losing weight after stopping antidepressants: 7 easy methods, does celexa make you sleepy or tired citalopram drowsiness explained.

What can I give my child for anxiety: Helping students with anxiety in school

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

The Upside of Your Public Speaking Jitters

• Allison Shapira

Nerves can keep you focused.

Professional performers know that a certain amount of nervousness can be incredibly helpful. It keeps you focused and prompts you to spend your time preparing as opposed to procrastinating. Practicing some rituals before every speech or presentation will help you take advantage of your nervous energy instead of feeling thwarted by it. Then, you can channel your nerves into a powerful, impactful performance. Take a few minutes to center yourself. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Tell yourself – out loud — how excited you are about this opportunity and the positive impact it will have on others. Visualize the entire presentation, from start to finish, in your mind; imagine it going incredibly well. And you’ll be that much closer to ensuring that it does go well.

Contrary to popular belief, the secret to confident public speaking is not about getting rid of your nerves. The key is to reframe your anxiety as excitement.

• Allison Shapira teaches “The Arts of Communication” at the Harvard Kennedy School and is the Founder/CEO of Global Public Speaking, a training firm that helps emerging and established leaders to speak clearly, concisely, and confidently. She is the author of the new book, Speak with Impact: How to Command the Room and Influence Others (HarperCollins Leadership).

Partner Center

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

You will never be more aware of your body than when giving a speech. Things like eye contact and gesturing, suddenly feel unnatural. The good news is there are many ways to harness your fear and turn it into power. There are many thought experiments you can do and many ways to “hack your body” to deal with the anxiety that comes from giving a speech.  In this chapter, we will talk a little about thought and a lot about action.

Visualize Yourself Giving Your Speech

Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself rising from your chair and walking towards the podium. Imagine delivering your first few words with power. Imagine your audience smiling and nodding. Imagine using your visuals effectively. Imagine thunderous applause at the end and imagine confidently walking back to your chair.

Researchers who study communication apprehension in public speaking reported that 80% of college students who used positive visualization strategies were able to reduce their level of apprehension. When students visualized giving a speech, they could reduce negative thinking and lower their communication anxiety. Not only that, but students who visualized giving their speech had better gestures and fewer “ums.”

Visualization, it is easy, it is free, and it works. Try it!

Talk About Yourself in Positive Ways

It’s time to start talking nice to yourself. In the book, Communicating from the Inside Out , the authors noted the thoughts you have about yourself trigger up to 100 times more brain activity than random thoughts. In addition, when you talk out loud to yourself, your brain activity increases1,000-fold. Did you catch that? When you talk about yourself, you activate your brain in a powerful way. When you hear your own voice talk about you, you activate your brain even more, because not you have involved the listening center. It makes sense when you think about it. When I say, “I’ve got this,” I activated the part of my brain that had the thought, I activated the part of my brain associated with speech, and I activated the part of the brain associated with listening. That is a lot of brainpower given to one sentence.  When you say things, good or bad, you hear yourself loud and clear. It is as if you sat in the car and cranked the volume up. When you do that, make sure the “song” you are playing to yourself is a good one.

The lesson here is this—be careful what you tell yourself because you are listening more than you know. Take charge of your thoughts and replace any negative thoughts with positive ones. Talk nice…. Your brain is listening.

Say Positive Things About Public Speaking

Your brain communicates with the firing of neurons. These neurons are like an interstate system in your brain. The more often a neural route is used, the larger it becomes. When you take the same road over and over in your thoughts, the messages transmit faster and faster. If the road is used repeatedly, then those thoughts become automatic. Think of it like the familiar road back to your house, you can drive there without even thinking about it–it’s automatic. That’s why when you practice — playing the piano, driving a car, or putting a golf ball, it becomes easier. Eventually, it is like you are on autopilot.

If you think positive thoughts over and over, then those positive thoughts become automatic. If you think negative thoughts over and over, those thoughts become automatic. That is why you have to beware of any negative thoughts you have about public speaking because if you keep thinking negative thoughts, you will make the pathway so large and strong it eventually becomes your default setting. Once those thoughts are on autopilot, they will keep playing over and over until you do something to consciously stop them.

To stop the automatic negative thoughts concerning public speaking, you need to consciously take control. You need to (1) recognize that negative thoughts are a choice and you can choose to think positive thoughts, (2) say positive things out loud and often and, (3) use visualization techniques to visualize yourself being successful at presentations. Repeat this often so these pathways become automatic.

Say “I Am Excited”

Never say, “I am nervous;” instead say, “I am excited.” When you feel nervous acknowledge it. Acknowledge that you are having a physical reaction and then take control of the interpretation.  Think, “I can feel my heart beating fast. I’m nervous because I’m about to do something of consequence. It is normal for me to feel like this. I am going to interpret this feeling as excitement.  I am excited.”

Give a Talk, Instead of a Speech

Instead of saying, “I have a speech to give on Monday”, say, “I am giving a talk on Monday.” A speech is fear-inducing. A talk is something simple that you do every day.  Think about it, they are called TED Talks, not TED Speeches.

Exercise, Laugh and Breathe to Reduce the Effect of Cortisol

Cortisol is the stress hormone released when you are anxious, upset, or scared. Since public speaking can be a source of stress, it benefits you to work on ways to reduce the cortisol reactions. Changing how you think about stress helps, but you also need to “burn off” stress.

Exercising before and after a speech can be a powerful way to help your body reduce the effects of cortisol. A Psychology Today article, Cortisol: Why “the Stress Hormone” is Public Enemy Number One , suggests several ways to lower your cortisol levels.

1. Physical activity: exercise, walk, do yoga. 2. Meditation and deep breathing. 3. Spend time with friends. 4. Laughter. 5. Listen to some of your favorite music.

Get started on your public speaking playlist today! After that, go hang out with friends. Take a walk together.

Tips from Toastmaster’s International

• Breathe out. Take slow deep breaths in and then release your breath from the bottom of your abdomen to get the maximum benefits of release and relaxation.
• Get rest.   Try to get an adequate amount of sleep prior to your speech to ensure optimal mental alertness.
• Fuel your mental engine. Eat a light meal at least 20 minutes prior to your speech.

Release the Tension in Your Body

How can you make your body work for you, you ask? You can stop many of your nervous reactions by releasing the tension in your muscles.

• Roll your shoulders, loosen your arms.
• Close your eyes and notice any tight muscles. When you notice a tight muscle, first tense it– then relax it.
• Sit with your palms open and facing up on your lap.
• Consciously try to slow down your breathing.
• Make funny faces to relax your cheeks and facial muscles.
• Notice if your neck and facial muscles are tense. If they are, make a point to relax them. (See video below)

In this video, family therapist, Emma McAdam illustrates a quick way to release stress. She suggests stress is like an angry toddler that won’t be ignored and has to be acknowledged.

FAKE CONFIDENCE

When you get nervous, your body responds in very direct ways. Your breathing gets short and your muscles begin to tense up. Here’s the good news! Your body and your mind work in a feedback loop. Let me give you an example: If I am mad, I make a mad face and if I make a mad face, I feel mad. Now that you know there is a feedback loop, you can break into it. In the example I just gave you, I could break the mad feedback loop by smiling. If I smile long enough and add a “happy thought,” then my body tells my mind that I am happy.

The same is true with what happens when you experience communication apprehension. When you begin to feel nervous, your muscles tighten, and your breathing becomes shallow. The more your body acts nervous, the more your mind believes you are nervous. The good news is you have the power to break into the cycle. You can stop or slow down the physical reaction of nervousness.

The Facial Feedback Hypothesis states that when you make a facial expression, it can influence the emotion that you are feeling. For example, when you force yourself to smile, you begin to enjoy the moment more. The more you smile, the more you may alter your own perception of the situation. As a speaker, when you fake confidence with your body and face, you may actually begin to feel more confident. Amy Cuddy says, “Fake it until you become it.”  Watch this quick video to explain more about the facial feedback effect.

STAND LIKE WONDER WOMAN

Stand like Wonder Woman (or Superman) with your legs spread and your hands on your hips. Now hold that pose for two minutes. Do you feel powerful yet? Amy Cuddy, Harvard Researcher, had test subjects’ power pose (tall stance open arms, open torso) for as little as two minutes before subjecting them to a stressful job interview. Those who stood in a power pose reported feeling more confident and less nervous.

But wait, there’s more. When they asked the job interviewers what they thought of the interviewees, those conducting the interviews preferred those who had power posed before the job interviewer. The effect not only influenced the speakers, but also the listeners.

When observers view you acting confidently, they treat you like you are confident which guess what….makes you feel more confident.

Act confident to feel confident.

*** Reference the NY Times Article for challenges to some of Amy Cuddy’s research.

Pretend To Be Someone Else

Are you still feeling a little unsure about yourself? No worries—just pretend like you are an actor playing the part of someone who is confident. Think about a confident speaker you know. When you are mentally preparing for your speech, imagine you are that person: How would they walk, how would they talk, how would they gesture? When I make a professional presentation, I often think about my former boss who is a powerful communicator. I ask myself, how would he enter the room and shake hands? How would he walk to the podium? How would he move around during the speech? I steal his confidence to get started. When you start your speech, imagine you are that powerful person. Use their confidence going into the speech. I’m always amazed at how much confidence I gain by starting my speech as someone else. As I continue to speak that confidence that I borrowed slowly becomes mine.

Gesture to Help Release Nervous Energy

I love the movie clip from Talladega Nights where the race car driver, Ricky Bobby, is being interviewed and he keeps making his hands float up awkwardly. After struggling with his hands a while, he finally blurts out, “What do I do with my hands?” I am always amazed at how I don’t even think about my hands most days, but when I get up to give a speech, suddenly, I am aware they exist, and I have no idea what to do with them.  If you are like me and like most speakers, you struggle with your hands during presentations.

Nonverbal researchers did a study where they had people describe what they did that day. When the participants told the story using their hands, they added more details to their story, spoke more fluidly, and were able to think better. Gestures seemed to help the speaker to recall information and to speak more fluidly. Did you know that even people who are blind from birth, gesture? It seems to serve the purpose of helping the speaker to think of words and maintain a flow in the speech.

Gesturing doesn’t just help the listener; it helps the speaker. But what does this mean for you? It means you are meant to gesture. It suggests that when you gesture, you will be able to think of ideas more clearly and thus speak with better fluidity. In addition, gestures can help you to release nervous energy. When you gesture, you can relieve cognitive stress, you can relieve nervous energy, and which makes you appear more confident.

Gestures also help the audience listen and understand. Studies show that speakers who gesture are seen as more persuasive, more likable, and as having more leadership potential. In a major study of the most popular TED Talks, the researchers discovered that the more gestures, the more views, and likes for the speech.

Gesturing—good for the speaker, good to relieve stress, and good for the audience!

Quick Tips with Your Hands

Make the OK sign with one hand. The act of touching your fingertips together relieves stress. This is a good trick to try when you feel a little anxious because it really is going to be “OK.”

Sweaty palms? Have an ice-cold water bottle that you hold in your hand to reduce the temperature of your hands.

Memorize Your Opening and Closing

Opening and closing a speech are the times when speakers tend to get the most nervous. For that reason, you should memorize the first few sentences and the last few sentences of your speech. When you start off powerfully, you feel powerful, and the audience expects you to be powerful. Carefully write out the first few words. Practice those over and over until you can say them with confidence and power.

When you begin to wind down your speech, your audience is preparing to clap. They don’t want to clap too soon or too late, so they are on high alert. Having a planned out closing, not only helps you own the last point, but it also gives them a definitive notion of when to clap. If you are like most of us, you might get a little extra nervous near the end. That’s why you should memorize your ending.  By memorizing the closing, you are helping to relieve that tension and finish in a way that demonstrates your confidence and knowledge.

PRACTICE UNTIL IT FEELS COMFORTABLE

Practice at least five times.

The best way to practice speaking is to practice speaking. It may sound obvious, but it is true. Make sure you practice your speech at least 5-10 times from start to finish.

PRACTICE GETTING FUNKY

After you have practiced your speech with your notes, I suggest you go someplace comfortable and practice your speech without note cards. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the details—just wing it! I like to call this “Getting funky.” Do something a little crazy like sing your speech, do your speech in a wrestler’s voice, rap your speech, or dance around while saying your speech.

Relax, have fun, get funky. This will help you associate speech with being relaxed and having fun. For “funky” speech practice, it is less important to get the words right and it is more important to relax your body, put a smile on your face, and have fun. After doing this exercise, go back and do your speech with notes and in a serious tone. You will be amazed at how much more relaxed you feel.

PRACTICE TO A LIVE AUDIENCE

It is one thing to practice to a mirror, it is another to practice to a living thing. Find a friendly face, a roommate, a friend, or a dog, and practice your speech to a live audience member. Practicing with a set of watching eyes makes a big difference.

PRACTICE BY RECORDING YOURSELF

Record yourself giving your speech. Sit back and watch your video recording and make notes of areas where you need to make adjustments.

PRACTICE BY VISUALIZING YOUR SPEECH

Sit in your chair and imagine yourself giving your speech. Imagine your confidence as you walk to the podium. Imagine your strong opening, image the audience smiling at you. Imagine their nods of approval as you give your powerful ending.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit. Aristotle

WRITE YOURSELF ENCOURAGING NOTES

On top of your speech notes, put positive messages to yourself. Write “I’ve got this” in bright colors on the top of the page. Add a little cartoon character that makes you smile. Put a picture of your loved one making a funny face, a picture of your dog, a cartoon picture that makes you happy. One TED Talk speaker said she wrote on her notes, “This Matters, I’ve got this!”

I still get nervous on the first day of class, so I draw a smiley face on my notes and the phrase, “I love being a teacher.”

BREATHE: BELLY BREATHING

One way to manage stress is to do deep breathing. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Feel the breath go in. Let the breath completely fill up your lungs—inhale for 15 seconds. You should feel the hand that is on your stomach rise. Now, open your mouth and let the air out slowly over 15 seconds. Repeat this. Each time try to fill up your lungs fully. Taking as few as 3 belly breaths can increase your oxygen allowing you to relax.

BREATHE: THE NOSTRIL SWITCH

Put your finger on the side of your nose and push the nostril closed. Breathe in through the nose and out through your mouth. Now, push the other nostril closed. Breathe in through the nose and out through your mouth. Do this until you have taken 3 breaths on each side. Now, take 3 big breaths in through the mouth and out through the nose with both nostrils open. This should deepen your breathing and relieve some of the stress. Most importantly——Don’t just read about deep breathing—- DO IT!

Taking a deep breath, faking that I’m confident, and focusing on the topic helped me manage my anxiety. After a few seconds, I would forget about the anxiety and really get into what I was speaking about! Tara Johnson Advanced Public Speaking Student, University of Arkansas

Think of Giving a Speech as a Conversation with Friends

Your goal is not to be Winston Churchill or Nelson Mandela. It’s to be you. If you’re a scientist, be a scientist; don’t try to be an activist. If you’re an artist, be an artist; don’t try to be an academic. If you’re just an ordinary person, don’t try to fake some big intellectual style; just be you. You don’t have to raise a crowd to its feet with a thunderous oration. Conversational sharing can work just as well. In fact, for most audiences, it’s a lot better. If you know how to talk to a group of friends over dinner, then you know enough to speak publicly. ― Chris J. Anderson, Curator TED Talks

Key Takeaways

• Visualize yourself being successful at speaking.
• Talk about public speaking in positive ways. Say, “I’m excited!” instead of “I’m nervous.”
• Exercise, laugh or meditate to reduce the cortisol reaction.
• Do exercises to release tension. Beware of tension and relax your muscles.
• Pretend to be confident, borrow someone else confidence if needed. Fake confidence and it will become you.
• Memorize your opening and closing.
• Write yourself positive notes.
• Practice, practice, practice.

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.

I want to hear from you. 

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

Click here to share your feedback. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Sources of anxiety and ways to overcome.

1. Situational — When talking to friends, we may not be nervous but if asked to say the same thing as a speech, we get nervous. The solution is to think of a presentation as a conversation rather than a performance.

2. Audience –Sometimes we are nervous because of who is in the audience. The solution is to visualize your speech and the audience’s positive reaction.

3. Goal –We may get anxious when we think about the goal of the speech. Often times we have a future goal that we are worried about. The solution is to focus on the moment–exercise, play a video game, do a tongue twister.

No Freaking Speaking: Managing Public Speaking Anxiety by Matt Abrahams

Developing Self Confidence

Lessons from soccer coach, Dr. Ivan Joseph on how to develop self-confidence.

• Practice and keep practicing. Repetition is important for learning a skill.
• Self-talk. Be aware of the things you say to yourself.
• Get away from the people who will tear you down.
• Catch yourself doing good and record it.

The Skill of Self Confidenc e by Dr. Ivan Joseph

Abraham, M. (2012). No freaking speaking: Managing public speaking anxiety. Toastmasters. [Video] YouTube. .   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH5GpdMmIO8 .  Standard YouTube License

Ayres, J.  & Hopf, T.S.    (1985).   Visualization: A means of reducing speech anxiety. Communication Education,   34( 4),   318-323. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634528509378623

Bergland, C. (2013).  Cortisol: Why “the stress hormone” is public enemy number one. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1

Brooks A. W. (2014). Get excited: reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement.  Journal of experimental psychology. General ,  143 (3), 1144–1158. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035325  Download article: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xge-a0035325.pdf

Bullard, B & Carroll, K. (2012).  Communicating from the inside out . Kendal Hunt.

Cuddy, A. (2015). Game changer: Amy Cuddy, power poser. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IICi5Zw9jY4 . Standard YouTube License.

Cuddy, A. (2018).  Tips for Success in Public Speaking. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI9kJuWEuIo . Standard YouTube License.

Dominus, S. (2017). When the revolution came for Amy Cuddy. New York Times Magazine.       https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/18/magazine/when-the-revolution-came-for-amy-cuddy.html

Joseph, I. (2012).  The skill of self-confidence TEDxRyersonU [Video] YouTube.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-HYZv6HzAs&vl=en  Standard YouTube License.

Kamath, A., Urval, R. P., & Shenoy, A. K. (2017). Effect of alternate nostril breathing exercise on experimentally induced anxiety in healthy volunteers using the simulated public speaking model: A randomized controlled pilot study. BioMed Research International. https://doi.org/ 10.1155/2017/2450670

Keysers, C., & Gozzola, V. (2014). Hebbian learning and predictive mirror neurons for actions, sensations, and emotions. Philosophical Transitions. Royal Society of Biological Science. 369(1644), 20130175. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0175

LeFebvre, L.,  LeFebvre, L.E. , & Allen, M.   (2018).   Training the butterflies to fly in formation: Cataloguing student fears about public speaking.   Communication Education,   6 7(3) ,   348-362. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2018.1468915

LeFebvre, L.,  LeFebvre, L.E. , Allen, M, Buckner , M.M. &   Griffin, D . (2020). Metamorphosis of public speaking anxiety: Student fear transformation throughout the introductory communication course. Communication Studies, 71 (1), 98-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2019.1661867

LeFebvre, L.,  LeFebvre, L.E. , & Allen, M.  (2020). “Imagine All the People”: Imagined interactions in virtual reality when public speaking. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276236620938310

McAdam, E. (2018). Stress Release: Fast anxiety reduction technique. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrhPTqholcc

McCroskey,  J. C. ( 1972).   The implementation of a large‐scale program of systematic desensitization for communication apprehension .  Speech Teacher , 21 , 255 – 264. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634527209377961

Sessinghaus, R. (2017). Visualization and Mental Rehearsal.  Perform For Success. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dS63aaXjGo . Standard YouTube License.

Udacity. (2015).  Facial feedback effect – Intro to Psychology. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh0bL7p5eN4  Standard YouTube License.

Public Speaking by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book