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- Overcoming Speaking Anxiety in
Meetings & Presentations
- by Lenny Laskowski
- © 1996 LJL Seminars
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- Do your knees feel like Gumby's when you have
to get up and speak in front of a group?
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- Do you feel like the next words out of your
mouth are going to be the dumbest words ever uttered by a human?
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- If you said yes to either of the questions above, be
advised, you have a full-blown case of stage fright, says Lenny
Laskowski, a professional speaker and President of LJL Seminars.
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- According to the book of lists, the fear of speaking
in public is the #1 fear of all fears. The fear of dying is #7! Over
41% of people have some fear or anxiety dealing with speaking in front
of groups. People who have this fear can experience all kinds of
symptoms: Sweaty palms, accelerated heart rate, memory loss and even
difficulty in breathing.
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- Some of the world's most famous presenters have
freely admitted to nervousness and stage fright. Mark Twain said it
best, "There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous
and those that are liars".
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- Everyone, even experienced speakers, has some anxiety
when speaking in front of a group of people. This is perfectly normal.
The best way to deal with this anxiety is to first acknowledge that
this fear is perfectly normal and you are not alone. To reduce your
fear, you need to make sure you properly and thoroughly prepare
yourself before you speak.
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- Proper preparation and rehearsal can help to reduce
this fear by about 75%. Proper breathing techniques can further reduce
this fear by another 15%. Your mental state accounts for the remaining
10%.
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- Below are just a few suggestions you should use to
overcome your speaking anxiety. The first and most important of all is
preparation. I like to think of it as the 9 P's:
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Prior Proper Preparation
Prevents Poor Performance
of the
Person Putting on the Presentation.
Nothing will relax you more than to know your are
properly prepared. Below are 10 steps you can take to reduce your
speech anxiety.
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- Know the room - become familiar
with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early and walk
around the room including the speaking area. Stand at the lectern,
speak into the microphone. Walk around where the audience will be
seated. Walk from where you will be seated to the place where you
will be speaking.
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- Know the Audience - If possible,
greet some of the audience as they arrive and chat with them. It
is easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of
strangers.
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- Know Your Material - If you are
not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your
nervousness will increase. Practice your speech or presentation
and revise it until you can present it with ease.
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- Learn How to Relax - You can
ease tension by doing exercises. Sit comfortable with your back
straight. Breathe in slowly, hold your breath for 4 to 5 seconds,
then slowly exhale. To relax your facial muscles, open your mouth
and eyes wide, then close them tightly.
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- Visualize Yourself Speaking -
Imagine yourself walking confidently to the lectern as the
audience applauds. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud,
clear and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you
will be successful.
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- Realize People Want You To Succeed
- All audiences want speakers to be interesting, stimulating,
informative and entertaining. They want you to succeed - not fail.
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- Don't apologize For Being Nervous
- Most of the time your nervousness does not show at all. If you
don't say anything about it, nobody will notice. If you mention
your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have
with your speech, you'll only be calling attention to it. Had you
remained silent, your listeners may not have noticed at all.
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- Concentrate on Your Message - not the
medium - Your nervous feelings will dissipate if you
focus your attention away from your anxieties and concentrate on
your message and your audience, not yourself.
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- Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy
- the same nervous energy that causes stage fright can be an asset
to you. Harness it, and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.
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- Gain Experience - Experience
builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. Most
beginning speakers find their anxieties decrease after each speech
they give.
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If the fear of public speaking causes you to prepare
more, then the fear of speaking serves as it's own best antidote.
Remember, "He who fails to prepare is preparing
for failure - so Prepare, Prepare, Prepare"
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- Lenny Laskowski
- Lenny Laskowski is an international professional speaker and the author
of the book, No Sweat Presentations - The Painless Way to Successful Speaking and several
other publications. Lenny is also available for hire to speak to your organization,
college or association. Lenny also provides in-house seminars and workshops. Why not
contact Lenny today for your next function or event. Lenny can be found at his Web site, http://www.ljlseminars.com/ or can be contacted by
email at the following address: Sales@LJLSeminars.com.
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