Overcoming Stage Fright And Effective Public Speaking In Seven Steps

    About a year ago I was billed to speak at a public gathering,  my first ever speech. I was sufficiently prepared, at least I thought I was,  I rehearsed with a mirror more times than I can remember,  dressed like a boss to increase my confidence,  swaggered into the hall,  grabbed the microphone like a corporate Michael Jackson and stuttered for half the time allotted to me. I was sweating in an air conditioned room as I  prayed to God for time to fly and the crowd to disappear.  It was pathetic,  and I'm putting it mildly. 

Stage fright 

     Fast forward to today,  and I've has sessions with crowds I wouldn't have dreamt of facing a year ago.  What changed?  I realized that as an entrepreneur,  you inevitably become a sales person. You have to pitch you ideas to investors ( lots of them)  with serious faces and and eyes that could look through your soul.  The entire experience can be overwhelming for even the boldest of people. How did I remedy this fright?  I'll tell you. 

1.    Turn all that nervous energy into excitement : Permit me to go all "sciency" on you guys.  The first law of thermodynamics alludes to the fact that energy can be converted from one form to another.  With this in mind, we should understand that we can turn all the nervousness to excitement. I've been in situations where delegating the speaking duty was an option unavailable to me,  and it was important to address the crowd.  At first,  I was nervous but I realized I was between a rock and a hard place,  I took all the nervousness, hyped up myself to a point where I felt " high" enough to speak and I spoke successfully.  It works. 

2.   Give More,  Take Less : People hate to feel used.  I hate it more than most people.  If I'm at a seminar and I feel like the speaker is just there to subliminally advertise a product or get people to follow on social media or sell books,  I immediately lose interest.  

      People listen to learn,  people listen to grow.  Before you think of what you can gain,  spare a thought for the value you can add. There's an Asian proverb that translates to "give so you can take" , that's how life works. 

3.  Don't start speaking right away: It smacks of nervousness, fear and insecurity when a speaker begins to speak as soon as they get the chance, sometimes even before they get on stage. 

      Instead of trying to get the words out of your head immediately,  take time to inhale deeply, bask in the euphoria,  find your place,  wait a few seconds and begin. It's long and tedious,  I know,  but it also give you a confident aura and shows the audience that you are in charge of the situation. 

4.  Calm yourself, speak slow if necessary : As long as you're giving value,  the audience will cling to your every word no matter how long it takes for the next word to come. When you get nervous,  your heart rate speeds up,  your words follow suit and you become inaudible.  In situations like this, calm yourself and talk as slow as you need to. 

5.    Make eye contact with the audience members, one by one: Shy people can't stand being stared at.  it can feel really awkward and sometimes annoying.  With public speaking however, a tactic that is sure to fail shy people is when they try to look at the entire crowd at once.  They feel looking at everyone means looking at no one and would probably be the ideal situation for them to speak in.  Unfortunately , it doesn't quite work that way.  When trying to look at everyone , you either end up looking away from those you're meant to address or you begin to stutter when you become aware of the many pairs of eyes surrounding you.  

     It is easier and more effective if you look at the members of audience one person at a time.  Talk with, not at, your audience.  This method creates a connection with your audience. 

6.     Ignore the armchair critics: Sometimes,  it's not all sunshine and rainbows.  Everybody cannot like everything you say everytime.  Instead of focusing on those that choose not to be impressed by what you're saying,  seek out your supporters, those enjoying your presentation,  and work with them.  You'll feel much more confident and relaxed. 

7.     Say thanks: Lastly and by  no means the least important is gratitude. Learn to appreciate your audience.  The gave their time,  applause and attention.  The least you can do is to thank them.