100 EXPERTS

SHARE STRATEGIES ON HOW TO

OVERCOME YOUR FEAR OF PUBLIC

SPEAKING Hi, my name is Akash and I’m a presentation skills coach and

author of “Public Speaking Secrets of the Champions”. I asked over

100 public speaking experts, “What’s the best way to overcome

your fear of public speaking?” The responses below are the best

answers I received on how to overcome the butterflies when

speaking.

Akash Karia

http://www.CommunicationSkillsTips.com

Prepare A simple but unrivaled-in-importance response in one word: Preparation

Gerry T. Kierans

www.mgtopen.com

I am someone who had terrible stage fright and learned to conquer it. As a theatre major in

college and an aspiring actress, that was not a good thing at all!

I learned so much from my mentor and former employer actress Olympia Dukakis. She

prepared by rehearsing over and over so the words came easily. She also found out in

advance about her audience so that her remarks were relevant and meaningful. And she got

to the venue with time to spare to feel the space.

I now do all of these things and the stage fright has blessedly gone away. The message and

the desire to be understood becomes far more important than the fear of speaking. Good

luck! I feel your pain and wish you all the best.

1

Bonnie Low-Kramen

www.bonnielowkramen.com

Just going ahead, with as much preparation as possible, and doing it, is the best way I have

so far managed to overcome my fear of Public Speaking:)

Mohammed Naveed Usmani

www.facebook.com/ABWALSoft

I find that preparation and practice are the best methods to overcoming public

speaking. Also know your audience- get to the event early and talk with attendees

beforehand.

Marsha Haygood

www.stepwiseassociates.com

Prepare; and then prepare some more. After you've done all of that preparing do one last

thing; prepare and practice some more.!!

David Roussel

Practice with

an audience

One of the things I recommend and have my do is practice their speeches in front of

loved ones, and in class in front of small groups (3-5 people). This accomplishes

several things.

First, it forces my students to speak out loud just as if they were actually giving their speech

to their intended audience. Second, helps them work out all the um’s, ahhs, and OK’s. Third,

and most importantly, it gets them accustomed to speaking in front of people. I have used

this simple strategy with great success. Typically my students are terrified of speaking in

front of a group of people. Using this strategy helps ease them into public speaking.

Renato Amarena

2

Practice with

Video My number one tip for overcoming the fear of public speaking is to PRACTICE WITH VIDEO.

While it is helpful to practice before friends, family and the mirror; none of these can be as

effective as recording yourself speaking and then watching it on playback.

Practicing with video allows you to actually see what the audience will see. You get

to hear your own voice coming into your ears through the air and not through your head as it

normally does (a lot of people are surprised when they hear themselves for the first time.

They can't believe how their voice actually sounds!)

Video is the closest thing you have to the real audience.

3

PS: I suggested using video because it is the best practically available option people have (at

least, everybody now owns a camera phone so, no excuse). However, not even video comes

close to the "curative" effects/powers of VIRTUAL REALITY (VR). If you can afford a VR

treatment, go for it. The simulated experience of actual immersion in front of a dynamic

virtual audience is totally un-paralleled!

Jonas Ezeanya

www.livespeech.org

Stage Time The longer you speak, and the more prepared and comfortable you are

with each passing speech, there is very little fear, if any.

At least that's how it has been for me.

Plus, I just focus and concentrate on my message, which is to help other recovering addicts

get better, and I really do not feel any fear or nervousness at all.

There is no replacement for experience, and those who still do have fear and get nervous

would be wise to channel that energy towards their audience.

Gary Goldstein

Speak more frequently. In front of an audience. Everything else comes after.

John Chappelear

4

Power Pose For 5 minutes before each presentation, take on a 'Power Pose' - this is

standing tall and straight with shoulders back, loose arms and open stance

- this facilitates the diaphragmic breathing.

Posted by Gareth Humphris

www.edvantagechina.com

Stand tall, shoulders back, head up so that the head and spine are aligned, eyes to the

horizon, shoulders down and arms relaxed

Peter McCann

www.mccaconsultants.com

5

Start with a

Story from

Your Life Start with a story from your life. That will calm you down and you'll get your brain in the right

place.

Lorie Eber

www.AgingBeatsTheAlternative.com

6

Breathe Breathing: take several quick, short breaths through the nose and exhale

from the mouth; then a long, slow inhale through the nose and a long slow

exhale through the mouth; then, a long, slow inhale through the nose and

hold for five seconds, then a long, slow exhale through the mouth and hold empty for five

seconds. (This breathing takes practice, maybe for a week or more to become skillful and

natural.)

Peter McCann

www.mccaconsultants.com

By taking a deep breath, exhale slowly before going in front of a group of people.

Madeline Case

7

smile When you practice and when you speak, look out to the middle of the

audience. Smile at someone in the middle and imagine that person is

friendly and interested. Speak to that person for a few seconds. Then, look

to the left or right side and smile at someone and imagine that person is friendly and

interested. Continue. (And, people are almost always friendly and interested!)

Peter McCann

www.mccaconsultants.com

8

Know the Venue If possible, get to the venue with time to spare.

Stand at the place from which you will present, look into every corner of the

room/hall/space, take a deep, slow, mindful breath, filling your lungs. Exhale slowly and

allow your positive energy to fill the room.

You might then go to each corner of the room, turn and look at the space or place from which

you will present, and, again, fill the room with your positive energy - get a sense of the

proportions of the room and fully realize the implications of filling it with YOUR energy, into

which you will welcome the audience!

Michael Mallows

http://www.craftylistening.co.uk

9

Be Genuine

Genuinely You: Remembering that a true diamond has flaws,

excellence is your goal, not perfection.

Genuinely Interested: Be more focused on your audience and their needs,

versus how you are being perceived.

Genuinely Engaged: A succesful speaker understands that a presentation is a conversation,

not a lecture, and that it's important to listen to the audience with your eyes and ears to

engage them fully. Fear naturally disappears when you're focused on the value of what you

have to give....

Rebecca Herrera

10

Focus on Your

Audience Focus on the Audience and ask yourself: "What can I offer them?", "How can I add value to

them?". When your thoughts completely at the audience, they are away from you

and fear can't exist.

Georg Wanek

11

Embrace the

Fear Fear of speaking is often fear of being afraid! Welcome the nerves. Embrace the fear. Fear

initiates adrenaline flow. Adrenaline creates energy that generates the will to

perform with enthusiasm, engagement - even excitement. Share adrenaline-induced

dynamism with your audience. Revel in and thrive on their reflected vitality. When the

pheromones start pinging round the room, know that you’ve overcome the fear and truly

connected with your audience.

Roger Harding

12

Don’t Worry

about Making

Mistakes I heard somebody advise once that the best thing to keep in mind is that the audience is

thinking "glad it's not me" and they are on your side - so if you do make a mistake, they

understand...

Susan Walker

13

Display

Confident

Body Language

Display confidence via body language. Negative body language tells the audience you are

nervous. Avoid touching the head/neck, looking at your feet, shoving hands in pockets. Act

like you know what you are doing.

Harry Hall

www.harryhallspeaks.com

14

Wrap Up

So, next time you feel the butterflies in your stomach, use the following 14 tips shared by our

experts:

Prepare, prepare, prepare’

Practice in front of a group of people

Practice with video

Get as much stage time as possible

Use the power pose

Start with a story from your own Life

Use breathing techniques to calm down

Visualize

Know the Venue where you will be speaking

Be genuine

Focus on your audience

Embrace the fear

Don’t worry about making mistakes

Display confident body language

http://www.CommunicationSkillsTips.com

http://www.CommunicationSkillsTips.com