Power Tool: Public Speaking with Confidence vs. Public Speaking with Fear

Preparing to Speak

1.  Know your topic.  Whatever preparation you need to do to know your material, do it.  Whether it’s reading and taking notes or creating an outline, preparing will minimize the fear that you will not know what to say once you get up in front of people.
2. Become familiar with the space you will be in.  Visit it if possible.  Is it a formal or informal setting?  Will you be sitting around a table?  Will it be in a big, open room?  Will you be on a stage?  Will you have a microphone?    Will you be outside?  Answers to these questions will help you visualize yourself speaking.
3. Find out what the audience will be.  Are they co-workers or complete strangers?  Will they be in casual clothing, uniforms or formal wear?  What are their expectations for you?
4. Rehearse a few times before the actual speaking engagement.  Rehearse in front of a trusted friend; family member; coach; or co-worker.  Make sure it’s someone who will give positive, constructive feedback.  Rehearse in front of a mirror and rehearse in the location of the speaking engagement if possible.
5. Tell at least one trusted confidant who will be in the audience that you are feeling a bit nervous.  Ideally this is someone you practiced with.  This is your support person or team.
6. Prepare yourself mentally, emotionally and spiritually:

As you begin to speak you may feel some of these same negative thoughts creep into your mind. Continue to use the techniques listed above: visualize confidence; smile; and counter the negative self-talk with positive thoughts and messages. Customize the positive comments to fit your beliefs and value system. Making eye contact helps too. Act as if you are simply talking directly to that one person with whom you have eye contact.

After you speak

1. Acknowledge yourself!
2. Solicit feedback from you support person or team.
3. Speak with your coach after the speaking engagement. Share with him or her how it went.
4. If possible, videotape the engagement and watch it with your coach or support person.

If you have a set-back

My Plan for Improving Public Speaking

1. BEFORE SPEAKING….describe your preparation efforts and your plan
2. DURING SPEAKING…..what self-talk will I use?  Who’s my support network?  Etc…
3. AFTER SPEAKING….how did it go?  How did I feel?

He who would learn to fly one day must learn to stand and walk and climb and dance.  One cannot fly into flying.  Friedrich Nietzsche