A CEO explains how to overcome your fear of public speaking
Flickr/Sebastiaan ter Burg
Since the publication of my LinkedIn post on speaking and deepening audience engagement, I have heard back from a few people who basically said, "All this is well and good, but how can I deepen audience engagement when I have such a fear of public speaking?"
Good point.
Fear of public speaking is not new. There's even a term for it — glossophobia. I can appreciate the feeling – as my staff will tell you, I'm a hive of anxiety just before I give a speech.
My pulse races, I think I am going to forget everything, and, heaven forbid, what if I'm asked a question that I can't answer?!
I'm going to tell you what I tell myself: Get over it. Speaking engagements are great for many reasons; they enhance your professional standing, allow you to showcase your expertise directly to your target market, differentiate you from your competition, and can lead to new business opportunities.
So, with that in mind, here are some tips that not only have helped me overcome speaking jitters, but have assisted my clients as well.
1. Start small
I started my public speaking schedule about ten years ago. My first engagement was at the Science, Industry and Business Library in Manhattan to about 20 attendees who were mostly early-stage entrepreneurs. By starting with a small group, I was able to get acclimated to the role of being a public speaker.
Eventually, I began to address larger audiences at venues such as the 92nd Street Y. This year, I was a keynoter for the first time and spoke at Brown Brothers Harriman’s "Women's Summit," where audience members included managing directors and partners.
Begin at places such as your local library, chamber of commerce, or business group. This will greatly assist you in becoming more comfortable and allow you to polish your speaking skills.
Flickr/Pedro Ribeiro Simões
2. Rehearse
The CEO of Ketchum, a global public relations firm where I worked as a vice president before launching my own PR agency, suggested that one rehearse no more than three times. Any more, you may sound stilted, too rehearsed. Any less, and you may overlook potential kinks in your address.
When you rehearse, concentrate on the process. Don't take calls, don't look at your email and don't shoehorn it between meetings. Set aside time in your calendar to solely focus on your presentation. Get comfortable with what you're going to say. Depending on the length of the speech, I usually hold an hour in my schedule for each rehearsal.
3. Stand up
Most of us are seated when rehearsing. However, I strongly suggest you do at least one rehearsal standing up. The majority of speaking engagements require you to stand. Get comfortable talking on your feet. It is a very different feeling than when you're in a chair.
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