What are the most effective ways to help employees overcome nervousness when speaking in front of others?

Practice, practice, practice: The more you practice your speech or presentation, the more comfortable you will feel when it’s time to deliver it. Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself' or ask a friend or colleague to listen and provide feedback. Visualise success: Imagine yourself delivering a successful speech or presentation. Visualise the audience responding positively to your message. Use positive self-talk: Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. For example, instead of thinking “I’m going to mess up,” tell yourself “I’m going to do great. Breathe! Say to the audience..."I suppose I should 'Breathe" It always gets a laugh, and a smile, providing just what you need to hear and see to get you started and in the flow!

Definitely to say your speech out loud a couple of times versus just reading it out. It's amazing how different it sounds 'out of your head' and how certain words or phrases written down, will trip you up when speaking. Also, slow down, I always speak way to fast!

Recording myself and watching it for self-awareness really helped me, as I was able to identify a few things I naturally do that don´t help convey my message, such as unnecessary hair moves or gestures. However, being naturally you and smiling are things that really boost your presence when speaking publicly. At the end of the day, all of us are different and that´s what makes our point of view unique. My personal advice would be to try to find something that you may have in common with your audience: a generic challenge or burden, something that interests everyone, etc. and start building your speech from there.

SHORT TERM • Know your subject • Know your audience • Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! LONG TERM • Develop the Skills to Present Confidently Take a public speaking course, such as Dale Carnegie "Public Speaking Mastery" • Join your local chapter of Toastmasters International or see if there is a group in your company that you can become a part of • Practice, practice, practice I took that journey long ago, having been very shy as a child and physically abused in a violent, dysfunctional home. My father almost beat me to death a few times. My mother would get angry and scream, "I WISH YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!!!" By the time I reached my mid-30s, I took the Carnegie course, became an instructor, then a professional broadcast announcer.

On overcoming nervousness, it was the great Laurence Olivier, English actor (screen and stage), broadcaster and director who would throw up before his performances. Afterwards he would deliver total gems in one take!

A great way to reduce nerves before presenting is to draft a script for your presentation. You can utilize speech-to-text software or tools to help create a transcript that you can fine-tune ahead of time by adding more pauses, such as breaks for reactions from the audience or for you to grab a drink of water without feeling awkward. Scripting will also help inform whether your presentation content is over the top or might be lacking. With scripting, you can also anticipate where Q&A breaks might need to be built in or where a reminder is needed for Q&A that will take place at the end of the presentation (or in the chat/Q&A areas of Zoom or Teams, if applicable).

This may be counter-intuitive -- I coach presenters NOT to practice too much. There is a tendency to memorize, anxiety increases, and delivery becomes wooden and stilted. (Assuming) you know your content -- tell your story with energy and passion. The audience will react to that as much as your content.

Join a Meet Up social group offer in person attendance. Speaking to get to know new people in an interactive setting is fantastic!

I find that as people are different we also like to use different methods. I don’t like to practice too much so that my delivery won’t feel forced and there’s room to adjust what I’m saying in the moment and leave room for spontaneity. Once I know my content I don’t rehearse the actual words too much. But I know some colleagues who want to be well rehearsed and they need to know they can deliver their speech almost verbatim. So I’d say know yourself and what works best for you. Prepare in the way that makes you most comfortable.

There are lots of "tricks" to calm your nerves: - breathe in, hold, exhale slowly ... repeat. Works wonders. - talk one on one to someone before you go on; otherwise, if you're nervous, you'll often clam up in the hours before you speak and then be shocked by your own voice - keep you sentenced short so you aren't running out of air - allow some nerves, but do it anyway! Be proud of yourself when you don't let your nerves stop you. Most people are nervous giving speeches. Your audience is far more forgiving than you think.

Practice Cardiac Coherence: this technique involves regulating your breathing to achieve a specific heart rate pattern that promotes relaxation. This technique helps synchronize your heart rate with your breath, promoting a state of relaxation and reducing anxiety. It's particularly useful before a public speaking engagement to calm your nerves and improve your composure.

An interesting strategy worth mentioning is the concept of assuming the role of an actor or actress portraying a seasoned professional during a presentation. This method can help create a sense of detachment, making the situation feel less personal. I personally employed this tactic earlier in my career, and it significantly contributed to my ability to become comfortable in public speaking situations. While I no longer rely on it as heavily, it remains a valuable trick in my toolkit for handling moments of discomfort. In essence, it’s a “fake it until you make it” approach that can bolster confidence and poise when needed.

Remind yourself of two simple things before you start: 1. The audience want you to succeed. You're being asked to speak about what ever it is because whoever asked you to do so recognizes you have something valuable to share and the audience are listening because they also value what you have to say. 2. Most of the audience will also get nervous in these situations, so even if you falter, don't forget that first point about them willing you on to success!

Believe in what you are presenting. If it's a product you're selling the employee must definitely believe what he or she has to say about it.

It can often be extremely helpful to start crafting the message and presentation in a way that will hopefully make sense to the least-smart person in the room. Using questions such as "What do I need to say to help someone understand this on Day 1 in their role?" or "How do I share this content with someone who has never used this tool before?" are both questions that have helped form my messaging and presentations over the years. Recording the calls and sharing slide decks or other meeting collateral is helpful as well - but only if those materials are as thorough as the messages you share during your actual presentation!

Some people are introverts and socially awkward. When they are thrust into a situation where they must perform in front of a audience or a webinar, they will freeze up no matter how many times that they have rehearsed their speech. I say to them, "Take it slow. You'll get through it." To avoid "um", think about what you are going to say before saying it. It's not foolproof, but it does help.

I hate to say it but you are probably not going to be great on the first time. As they say in sports, you need to get the "reps" in. Practicing is important but you will only improve by doing real speeches in front of real people. Start off with smaller conferences where you will know some of the audience and should feel more comfortable. Over time, you will build more and more confidence. Five years ago, I had never given a public talk. Now, in addition to giving presentations at meetings, I do standup comedy! Doing standup comedy has helped me do business presentations as you need some of the same skills to be successful.

Gradual exposure to public speaking situations a method that involves starting with less intimidating speaking opportunities and progressively working up to larger, more challenging ones. This gradual desensitization can help individuals become more comfortable with public speaking over time.

Always have a glass of water near you. Nerves make your mouth dry and taking a glass of water also helps you settle yourself as you get up to a podium or in front of a group to speak. I always recommend people think of someone friendly in the audience they are speaking to, which helps them overcome the sense of everyone looking at them.

Record yourself presenting and review it. Watch how you present yourself, look for mannerisms and filler words. It's amazing how you'll have this in your head the next time you present and will begin to catch yourself. It will make you a better communicator.

Consider Finding an Internal Mentor. Many people genuinely enjoy helping others in their success. Finding an internal mentor might help you conquer your fear of public speaking. They provide expertise, personalized coaching, and critical comments to assist you in gaining confidence and improving. To find a mentor, look for experienced coworkers or supervisors who share your interests. Approach them with a genuine request for advice, explaining your goals and areas where you need help. To keep the mentorship relationship going, be open to learning, attentive to comments, and set up regular meetings.

From a support perspective, encourage your fellow employees and know that they have backup if things get tough. My first full time job out of college had me giving quarterly presentations to the VP of accounting, and there were many times that I didn't have good news to bring. Knowing that I had the backup of my boss and other colleagues helped make it easier to deliver the bad news with confidence, clarity, and visible knowledge of the situation.

Start by giving an employee lower-leverage opportunities to speak. For example: - In front of a smaller audience (<5 people) - For a short time (<5 minutes) - With a positive objective (inform or inspire instead of convince or persuade) Starting small is the best way to build confidence. Debrief afterward to discuss how the message was received and add new presentation skills.