Speaking in public is not a natural thing for everyone. Stage fright, cold sweats, sweaty hands, haunting or outright panic… Parasitic emotions are a barrier to expressing yourself in public in front of an audience. Discover the advice from Go4Prep experts for successful public speaking, accessible to all!
Thousands, hundreds, or even just tens of eyes are fixed on you and waiting to see your presentation. The stage fright rises, you are uncomfortable and you stammer in front of your audience. Stress management is not under control. Dramatize! Most of the people in front of you are also afraid of exposing themselves to an audience. Eloquence is only innate for a very few people, you have to know how to develop it.
What is glossophobia?
Glossophobia is the name attributed to the fear of speaking in public, before a fairly large group. It is a common and widespread fear that we include in the category of social phobias when it significantly affects the daily life and quality of life of an individual.
But rest assured: fear of public speaking is very common and widespread. We can say this is a common situation for many people. Often, a few tips and good preparation are enough to overcome this anxiety.
We see many people who, by their work, are forced to lead meetings or lead seminars and who block when it is necessary to speak. It happens to everyone.
Symptoms of glossophobia are diverse. We find the classic symptoms: palpitations, lump in the stomach, hot flashes, nausea, sweating, slight tremors of the hands or legs …
How not be afraid of speaking orally while getting used to a stressful situation?
The principle? Get used to speaking in all circumstances. It is best to start in a low anxiety situation. For example, why not throw a joke at a dinner with friends or have a little toast? Or, propose an idea in a meeting or introduce yourself to a round table?
It’s always easier to do it in front of relatives than in front of colleagues. And for the more courageous, it is possible to register for theater lessons or another artistic activity such as dancing, for example.
The more you get your brain used to thinking in the presence of an audience and to expressing yourself at the same time, the less difficult it will be to speak spontaneously.
When the situation allows it, prepare your oral intervention in advance and repeat over and over again until you have all the ins and outs of your pitch. Then, you can have with you small discreet notes with the keywords of your speech in case of memory blackout.
How to avoid stage fright thanks to breathing?
Abdominal breathing slows down the heart and reduces stage fright by about 40%. Breathing is also a good way to control stress: do not forget to take breaks, to breathe, to inhale, to exhale … It is very beneficial for your nervous system, your thoughts, your emotions.
The stage fright occurs in the first 3-5 minutes. This is the time when you have to know how to control your breathing. If the symptoms don’t appear within the first few minutes, it’s a win! Then you will be grabbed by your speech, and you will not even think about it anymore.
And if you stumble along the way, or lose your footing, don’t panic. It’s just a small mistake in the course, and you can quickly gain the upper hand by inhaling and exhaling a good blow, even if it means pausing for a few seconds to start again afterward.
There are many breathing exercises, or sophrology exercises to relieve stress before speaking in public. Do not hesitate to practice them half an hour before your speaking session.
How to overcome the stress of speaking in public by controlling your flow of voice?
You still need to control the flow of your voice. Oftentimes when we are stressed we tend to speak quickly. So you have to use this stress to express your enthusiasm and liveliness while trying to slow down your speech.
And don’t forget to speak loudly enough for the people at the back of the room. At the end of the speech, the audience will want to interact with you all the more if you have been interested in them and their listening comfort throughout the speech.
Learn to speak in public: admit your weaknesses with self-deprecation
Another real anti-stress weapon: humor. If you’re intimidated by the number of people in the room, point it out with a touch of humor. Do not hesitate to practice self-mockery (with subtlety, without devaluing yourself either).
There is nothing worse than someone who prefers to face his audience with seriousness and embarrassment. The audience feels it and is also uncomfortable. By confessing your weaknesses, you become more human in his eyes. Result: your sympathy capital will be at the top and communication will take place by itself.
How to deal with stress during a presentation while remaining natural?
Stop thinking about how to hold yourself, your hands. You will have a chance to be fair in your communication if you stop making gestures that do not belong to you. Indeed, your tics, your facial expressions are your trademark. Realize it and play with it.
However, do not forget that a good open posture, head straight, shoulders back, feet firmly on the ground is a very concrete way to show the confidence of the speaker. The arms must not be crossed and the hands neither in the pockets nor behind the back.
Warning! The search for a perfect posture does not have to be an additional source of stress, which prevents you from being natural. Try to practice before D-Day by repeating the posture, but don’t panic, your speech will not be spoiled if you have crossed your arms for a few minutes!
Also, remember to rest your hands on the table or on the support in front of you to anchor yourself in the reality of the moment.
Public speaking: think about listeners
Communication also presupposes that you have in front of you an audience receiving your speech: this is called the audience. So you need to know what the public expects from you: a technical presentation if you are in the presence of specialists, popularized content for the general public, a funny speech if it’s a toast to your best friend’s wedding …
If your audience has multiple rows, fix your gaze above the heads of the last row so that everyone is included in your field of vision and feels concerned.
The trick of imagining your audience in their underwear may not actually work for you. Instead, try to humanize this audience, by slipping into the shoes of the people who listen to you: they have fears and fears like you. Most of them would be just as scared for you, and no better than you!
