Freedom From Fear Of Public Speaking Week - July 1-7

One-third of those surveyed for the Desjardins Financial Security National Health Survey say they are more stressed now than a year ago. About 30% of employees across Canada are experiencing anxiety, losing sleep, and/or suffering from headaches, muscle aches and other physical tension.

Fear and Public Speaking

One distinct form of stress originates from Glossophobia or the fear of public speaking.

In these economic and chaotic times, it is imperative that company leaders communicate direction and support to their teams in an effective and confident manner. However, many leaders are wrought with anxiety when it comes to speaking in public, especially when the message to be delivered is negative in nature.

The stress of speaking in public can leave many leaders visibly shaken, nauseated and tongue-tied, while leaving their team feeling less than secure about their future. Beverly Beuermann-King Click to tweet

The fear of public speaking can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy but a few small tips can relieve most of the stress many people feel.

Beverly’s Hot Tip For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Freedom Of Fear Of Speaking Week:

Challenge your fears. What is the worst that could happen? Usually, we let our fears grow from mole-hills to mountains. Keep your perspective.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just need to be able to deliver your message. Preparation and rehearsal will help to smooth out your delivery.
Keep your message to a few key points. This is where a lot of pressure comes from. We want to share all of our information, but our audience doesn’t need to be overloaded. A few key points with relevant examples and stories go a lot further than oodles of facts and statistics.
Avoid caffeine. Coffee adds stress to our body and that is the last thing we need before we deliver our message. Try a couple of neck rolls and deep breathing exercises before you go to deliver your presentation. This will help you to relax and focus on the most important goal, which is meeting the needs of your audience.

How To Be A Good Public Speaker

Good public speakers have a passion for their message, know their material and are aware of how to take care of themselves to ensure that their voice and their body helps to communicate their message as opposed to detracting from their message. By keeping their public speaking challenges in perspective and practicing good speaking habits everyone can decrease the stress associated with public speaking.

If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!