06. Five Actionable Steps to Reduce Nervousness When Speaking
Jun 4, 2019
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Explore effective strategies to conquer the jitters before speaking in public! Learn how to transform nervous energy into excitement and master calming breathing techniques. Discover the power of small wins to build confidence over time. Hear insights about the psychological aspects of fear and how to prepare without overthinking. With actionable steps and relatable stories, you can embrace the stage like a pro!
Reframing the physical symptoms of nervousness as excitement can significantly alter a speaker's mindset and overall performance.
Utilizing controlled breathing techniques prior to speaking helps calm nerves and creates a more impactful introduction to presentations.
Deep dives
Mindset Matters
Understanding the mindset around public speaking is crucial for managing nervousness. Many speakers, regardless of experience, experience a degree of nervousness due to the fight or flight response triggered by fear of not being accepted by the audience. Recognizing that adrenaline responses can be reframed from anxiety to excitement can help speakers approach their presentations with a positive attitude. For instance, viewing the physical symptoms of nervousness, such as stomach fluttering, as signs of excitement can transform how one feels before speaking.
The Power of Breathing
Using controlled breathing techniques can significantly diminish the physical symptoms associated with nervousness. Deep breaths taken in through the nose and out through the mouth inform the body that there is no immediate danger, thus calming the nerves. This technique enables speakers to regain composure before addressing an audience, allowing for more effective delivery. Taking a moment to breathe deeply before beginning a presentation not only eases anxiety but also helps create a more impactful introduction.
Building Confidence Through Small Wins
Experiencing success in smaller speaking engagements can help build confidence for larger presentations. By actively seeking opportunities to speak in less intimidating settings, such as team meetings or short updates, individuals can accumulate positive experiences that mitigate the fear of failure. This gradual approach allows speakers to enhance their skills and reduce anxiety for bigger stakes presentations. The comparison is made to learning cooking, where mastering simpler recipes leads up to tackling more complex dishes with greater ease and confidence.
Who's a bit nervous? Let's talk about that, on episode six of The Presentation Boss Podcast! Glossophobia is the irrational fear of public speaking. We may not be able to treat that, but for those who feel nervous before speaking, we know how to help. There are plenty of bandaids you can read about online, but they're useless when you're haemorrhaging nerves!
We discuss our best known tools to properly reduce and control nerves to help you feel in control and confident before you speak. These work for us and people we've worked with to reduce nervousness when speaking in front of any audience.
What You'll Learn
• Five actionable steps you can take to reduce nervousness when speaking
• How to take the edge off the debilitating fear that you may feel
• Why we feel nervous when speaking at all
• How world-class athletes and speakers feel before they talk
• How to build your successes and confidence in speaking
• What Thomas finds complex in the kitchen
• The preparation techniques you use and how they affect your nerves
• How to reduce the number of things in your mind to stress about
• Taking the comfort you feel with friends, and using it on stage
Resources and Links
• Presentation Boss on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/presentationboss/
• Presentation Boss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presentation-boss
• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-norris/
• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-krafft/
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: https://presentationboss.com.au/podcast/
• Email us! podcast@presentationboss.com.au
Quotes From This Episode
• "It's not about removing every last shred of nerves, I don't believe that's possible"
• "While practice makes up a lot of getting over nervousness, so does mindset"
• "When you're speaking, there is an element of non-conformity"
• "This is my body's reaction to being able to stand up and share my ideas"
• "If you breathe out, you will naturally breathe back in"
• "When you have that one sentence.. it forms the core of your presentation"
• "..reduces your nervousness before you've even woken up on the day of the presentation"
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