In the working world, public speaking is a crucial skill to have. It allows us to motivate change, influence decisions, and form meaningful connections and networks. It affects everyday interactions between coworkers, bosses and employees, freelancers and clients, and it can have an enormous impact on your career path and your level of success in your industry. But we also know, in regards to human fears public speaking tops #1 with #2 being death. That statistic definitely provides us with some perspective, that if you do fear public speaking you certainly are not alone.
See what Brian Scudamore a Forbes contributor has to say in his article, 6 Ways to Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking. We’ve extracted a couple key points from the article below.
It’s estimated, 74% of people are terrified to get in front of an audience and speak. However, if you have a business to run and a story to tell, it’s time to face that fear and embrace the power of public speaking.
Here’s how.
-
Embrace The Nerves: To this day, I still get nervous before I talk. What’s helpful is acknowledging that we get nervous because we care deeply about the audience and our message. Although the rapid heartbeat and sweaty palms may make it feel like you’re headed for disaster, studies show that performance actually peaks under moderate stress levels that activate your body and keep you alert. (And remember, public performance can be scary for even the pros – just think, now you and Adele have something in common!)
-
Get Personal: On that note, an effective business speech doesn’t have to be about ROI or market share. Finding common ground with your listeners is key to any good speech.
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy reading, 10 Tips for Conveying Confidence – Fake It Till You Make It.