Do you have to be a great public speaker? No, but you can become one. Learn ways to get rid of stage fright during public speaking. You can be a valuable employee without speaking fluently, but if you have difficulty with it and it costs you a lot, why not do something about it?

Methods to facilitatepublic speakingthere are many, most of them you know and seem trivial to you. This time, however, apart from reading about them, I also suggest using them regularly - the effects will be noticeable very quickly.

To speak like John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, you must either be born a stage "pet" or simply work on yourself. If your goal is to become a great public speaker, invest some time and effort with a coach. However, if your job rarely requires you to speak in public, and you want to get through the role of a speaker comfortably and without permanent harm, then you should focus on a few simple methods.

How to deal with stage fright / stress

Accept the fact that you are feeling stage fright. Nothing is as stressful as the stress before you get stressed out. Yes, you will feel the tension. Yes, you will probably make some mistakes with that. Yes, almost everyone feels it. Do you wanna do something about it? So take care of comfort in a stressful situation, assuming that she always appears during the speeches.

Check what is stage fright for you? What is causing this tension in you? You say, "You know. Stupid question - public speaking", but what exactly about this speech? Evaluation of others, evaluation of a specific person, e.g. the boss? Perhaps you are afraid of making a mistake and making mistakes in public? Make a list of the things you fear and try to distance yourself from them. Will the fact that you turn out not very interesting in today's speech matter for you next year? Probably not, so do it as well as you can, remembering that this is not open-heart surgery, so feel free to make mistakes.

Watch what your body says

Try again to answer the question: What is the most difficult for me? Stage fright that actually paralyzes, critical evaluation of the audience, or maybe the fear that you will say something stupid? Now take a look at your body. Check where you feel the tension when you visualizeyourself that you are speaking. Some are talking about chest tightness, others have a stomachache, or their hands are starting to tremble. From now on, this place in the body is your security sensor. By reacting to its subtle signals, you will avoid the situation of being completely overwhelmed by stage fright. Well, the body gives an alarm, and then what?

Focus on your breathing. Take 5 deep slow breaths. Oxygenating your body is one thing, but it is just as important to convince your brain that it is safe and not to worry. The mechanism is simple. When, in a really safe situation (let's agree that the presentation is not a lion attack), the brain realizes that the breathing is accelerating, it almost automatically perceives it as a threat, activating all defense systems. However, when you manage to calm your breathing, your brain starts to perceive this as a 'everything is OK' signal. I can already hear you say, "Breathe deeply and calmly? Really great advice!" But what can I do if, in hundreds of years, dozens of civilizations have not come up with a better way to get your nerves under control than to work your breath regularly.

Take care of your posture

Do you feel tension in your body? Stand comfortably, place your legs hip-width apart, and stretch. This easy trick will also cheat your head a bit by stretching the muscle spasms. A few simple yoga poses would be an excellent option, but simply stretching intensely, just like when you wake up, should calm you down a bit. It's also practical that you can do this right before your speech.

Connect with recipients

When you enter the room so stretched, with even breathing, remember what you are doing all this for. You have information to share - you can do it like a rock star or a polite schoolgirl, but it's important that your audience hear what you want to tell them. Therefore, keep in touch with them. Treat your speech like a conversation. Your job is not to present yourself, but to tell them about something important to all of you. This shift in perspective makes things easier. After all, you talk to your colleagues about office news and you have no difficulty with it, so why is the desire to share the results of the latest report with a presentation behind your back evokes such strong emotions.

Try to interact with your audience. Let the situation resemble a conversation. Then not only will the tension drop, but you will also keep their concentration for longer. Adjust the message to the audience, speak the language understandable. Think about what they need the knowledge you want to pass on to them for. Remember that your audience will be positive or indifferent to you. Few will be waiting for each of yoursstumble.

Training makes perfect

Look for opportunities to speak. Making a toast at a family party, telling a joke to a small audience, all these particles will pay off when you stand in front of a larger audience. Advice: "try to speak wherever you can" sounds trivial, but if you want to run a marathon, you just have to start running first.

Practice your presentation. Repeat them several times in front of the mirror or record a video with your mobile phone. This will help you look at yourself from a distance and spot the strengths and weaknesses of your speech. Experiment. Make a distraction test by speaking with the radio on loudly, or by covering your face in the mirror image, so that you can focus on the work of the body, not only on the facial expressions. The more variants of attempts, the easier you will be able to cope with the task.

Most of the people declaring difficulties with speeches almost completely skip rehearsals, focusing mainly on making the presentation.

Meet the place where you will be speaking

Meet the place where you will be speaking. Beforehand, check the equipment, chair arrangement, sound system. The fewer technical mishaps, the more attention you can devote to effective and calm communication. Make sure you wear comfortable and adequate to the situation outfit. If you want to stay calm during your speech, maybe give up a shirt that is irritating to the touch or stylish but tight shoes. Clothing is part of your show - it can be neutral or quite shocking, but always be consciously used to make it easier to reach your audience.

You will say that today's advice is a cliche and quoting the classic "obvious obviousness", such as the text: "eat vegetables because they have vitamins". However, it turns out that only 7% of those with a problem in public speaking follow this simple advice. Maybe this time, before the next presentation, just try to apply them and check the results. By the way, vegetables won't hurt either.

From life. Recently, I took part in a conference, an extremely narrow field, and only experts in the room. How did the speakers handle it? Honestly: so-so. Although most of the speakers are academic teachers, their speeches were rather boring and inappropriate to the audience. Paradoxically, the least experienced speaker fared best. He immediately introduced himself as a lawyer, practicing in his field but rarely speaking in public. In this regard, he asked for understanding. The professional said that he was personally involved in the events he describes, but is concerned that he is not the celebrity type, so he may have difficulty telling about it. What did starting in this style get him? By warning the audience, Fr.being a specialist in law and not in speeches, he showed his human face despite being an expert. He established a relationship with the audience through simple conversation, thereby gaining their attention and sympathy. Yes, he had to look at his notes several times during his speech, but each of these situations was warmly received by the audience.

If you really want to become a perfect speaker, it probably won't do without the support of a specialist, but if you need to improve your well-being by performing in public, I suggest using the recipe below.

This will be useful to you

Recommendations:

  • Even rock stars feel stage fright. He does not fight this lion, he gets used to it;
  • The presentation is not an open-heart surgery. Your mistakes will not hurt anyone;
  • Breathe deeply and calmly. Since most of the inhabitants of our planet say that there is power in the breath, it probably is there;
  • Get ready! Spontaneous occurrences are usually preceded by many attempts;
  • Audiences are usually positive or neutral and do not wait for you to stumble. Remember that next time.

Category:

Psychology