According
to findings of a survey carried
out in the States, Americans are more afraid of speaking in front
of others, than they are of snakes, heights
or even death itself. Yet I’m sure you agree
that being capable of communicating well with an
audience, either big or small, increases your chances
of both personal and professional success.
So,
how can we overcome our shyness to speaking in
public? And that anxiety that can produce symptoms
such as sweaty palms, accelerated heart
rate or memory loss. Here are some tips
– mostly related to building up your confidence:
Recognise
your fear. – Start by recognising
your fear, analysing exactly why you feel that anxiety: Is it
fear of failure? Of exposure? Or of judgement?
And then canalise the adrenalin of the anxiety
into positive energy to provide dynamism and drive
to your speech.
Practice
makes perfect. – Nothing beats knowing your presentation
inside out, preparing and rehearsing
is your number one ally.
Look
for chances to speak in public. – As before, the
more you practice public speaking the better.
Capitalise
your strengths. – Analyse your strengths
and capitalise on them.
Visualise
Success. – Imagine yourself successfully
delivering your presentation. Think positive! This will
be a great boost to your morale.
Realise
people want you to succeed. – No-one wants to go
to a boring, poorly delivered presentation; they want you to be
a successful speaker.
Get
there early. – Become familiar
with the room and equipment and also greet your audience
and chat with them if possible. The more familiar
you are with your environment and audience, the more confident
you will feel.
Relax
before you start. – You can ease tension
by doing some relaxation exercises. Sit comfortably with your
back straight. Breathe in slowly, hold your breath
for 4 to 5 seconds, then slowly breathe out. You can also open
your mouth and eyes wide, then close them tightly
and repeat this various times over. But one very important tip,
don’t do this in front of the audience because I assure
you that you will look rather stupid.
Concentrate
on your message. – once out there, concentrate
on your message and getting it across to your audience and forget
the rest.
And
last but by no means least, ENJOY YOURSELF…
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