How can public speaking boost your confidence and credibility?

The fear of public speaking like any other fear, is chiefly due to being unsure of what to say or do. As you master this skill, you build confidence, overcome fear and appear more and more skillful. The organizations that train on the skill of public speaking, are providing a service that improves the confidence of the leader as well as their capacity. This is because communication is essential to any leader. People will only follow a leader when they buy into the leadership story they present. What is your leadership story?

If you want to be seen as a leader or a thought leader, you need to be SEEN. That includes giving speeches. Can you name a well-known CEO that does not do public speaking? I doubt it. Claiming to be an expert or leader means nothing if no one knows of your expertise. Good news - Public speaking is one of the most impactful ways to demonstrate to others that you are a leader in your field. Public speaking can help you build your brand, advance your career, and grow your business. Are you speaking in company meetings or at industry group events? If not, you are missing out. There are endless social media videos about investing in real estate, but mental real estate is much more valuable. And public speaking can help you get it!

Public speaking is the process of interacting, informing, entertaining, and educating the audience with clear objectives and goals. It involves customizing the content, connecting with the audience, and communicating the key ideas, insights, and information about a particular topic to inform and enlighten the audience.

La maîtrise de la prise de parole en public est une compétence essentielle qui va au-delà de simples présentations ou discours. Elle influence de manière significative la confiance en soi et la crédibilité, en développant une communication efficace, persuasive et authentique. Cette capacité renforce non seulement l'estime personnelle, mais accroît également le respect et la confiance des autres. Elle est est cruciale pour le leadership, l'empathie, la pensée critique, et l'intelligence émotionnelle, rendant ceux qui la possèdent plus aptes à résoudre des problèmes complexes et à exceller dans divers contextes professionnels et personnels.

C'est très simple : parle, ou crève. Si c'est difficile à accepter, c'est la réalité. En entreprise (et plus généralement dans la société), la première personne qui parle est la première personne qui existe. Prendre la parole est un excellent moyen de prendre sa place. Le jour où vous maitriserez cette parole, vous obtiendrez la place que vous déciderez de prendre.

I vividly recall my 1st experience on stage as an anchor back in high school. As an introvert, facing a large audience initially triggered anxiety. However, once I began speaking, things changed, I felt a connection with audience, realizing that facing them was like looking into a mirror, surrounded by friends. Slowly, I discovered that fear of judgment could be overcome. Public speaking became a process of eradicating nervousness in every scenario and about gaining the confidence to speak freely and influence others. This gave me a valuable leadership trait. The ability to address & influence a vast audience is a skill that extends far beyond the stage, learning to turn nervousness into confidence & gaining influence over others

Au début, j'étais gênée par mes vidéos, surtout celles en Wollof, un vrai "cringe" encore aujourd'hui ! Mais, croyez-moi, c'est la pratique qui change tout. Ça m'a même ramené des clients ! Alors, un conseil : lancez-vous. Chaque fois que vous prenez la parole, vous gagnez en confiance. C'est un peu flippant au début, mais ça paie. Votre auditoire vous donne du feedback, de l'encouragement et ça booste à fond. Donc, si vous hésitez, foncez ! Commencez petit, mais commencez. Et qui sait, vous pourriez être surpris de voir jusqu'où ça vous mène.

Speaking in public helps you overcome fears and doubts you may have. The best way to start is to just do it. I recall in my corporate job, I was in charge of our monthly recogniton rallies to spotlight our top performers in various areas of the store. The first time I did it, I remember my mouth being very dry from nerves. The more I did it, the easier it got because I was also building my confidence muscle. Just like going to the gym, in order to build muscle, we have to challenge it. Whether it's through making our bodies stronger or our speaking skills better, putting yourself in situations that challenge yourself will build those muscles personally and professionally.

Every other month I host a virtual speaking event called Random Dialogues - 6 speakers, 6 minutes each. It's a safe, nurturing and resilience bolstering space to test and practice a talk.

Most people would rather do public speaking. It's a shame for those that don't want to speak. But for those who are willing - It is easy to look like a hero since you are doing something most people are deathly afraid of. I've been giving speeches since 2004. Before that, I was a Teaching Fellow at UNC Chapel Hill, where I taught intermediate college German and international affairs. Speaking to business and professional groups is not too different from teaching. You are an expert and know more than most of your audiences. Public speaking allows you to showcase that expertise. It also allows you to drive more business to your company. And it helps you gain the most valuable asset in the world - Mental real estate.

La crédibilité vient du latin credibilis et signifie : que l'on peut croire. Cette notion n'a rien à voir avec la vérité. Pour être crédible, vous devez apprendre à parler avec des exemples. L'exemplification est un excellent moyen de renforcer votre légitimité. Pourquoi ? Car les exemples ont existé. Dans l'esprit de votre public, un exemple est quelque chose qui a été éprouvé. C'est excellent pour développer cette crédibilité tant recherchée.

Public Speaking boots your credibility because the more you speak the more you build that know, like and trust factor. You begin to be the "go to" person on various topics people have heard you speak about. Your voice is the most powerful instrument you own. Using it to share valuable insights becomes inspiring for others who are ready to lean in, listen and learn.

You can also turn your talks into digital downloads and books and add these to your portfolio of credibility too. It's great to look out for places you can practice and refine your talk. Not everyone starts off with a keynote, it's something that develops through practice.

Volunteer to speak in front of groups when opportunities arise. If you're fearful, choose something less daunting to start. Exposing yourself to your fear and coming out unscathed will build your confidence.

My two recommendations to overcome the fear of public speaking? 1.) Start early. Just like everything else in life, the sooner you do it, the easier it will be. Starts speaking ASAP. I've never been afraid to give a speech. It's probably because I had to speak in front of large groups from a young age. 2.) If you feel nervous, harness that energy to wow and delight your audience. Occasionally, I feel nervous energy. But I harness that energy and put it into my delivery. The great sin in the speaking world is if you have low energy and are boring. So, if you have nervous energy and you can tap into it, people are more likely to find you engaging because of your energy level. No one complains about a speaker having too much energy.

Dans mon expérience, 3 éléments clés pour surmonter sa peur : 1. Savoir comment votre cerveau réagit au stress et développer des techniques efficaces pour rester calme et concentré et pas succomber au tract 2. Bien maîtriser son sujet 3. Se visualiser soi même en train de prendre la parole en public

A tip I was taught was to share LOVE with the room and to myself. Love overcomes the fear as does taking action. It's OK to feel the fear and to acknowledge and allow it to be there. It can be a spring board. Meanwhile breathe and send love.

I just conducted a workshop on overcoming the fear of public speaking, tapping on my over 20 years experience in media as a radio & TV presenter, singer/recording artiste and theatre actress. Here's my 3 quick tips: 1. Come prepared. Nothing beats a well-crafted script that you have rehearsed sufficiently. 2. Know your audience and gather as much information about the event as possible - like how big the stage is and consider the time of the event (will the audience be hungry/tired etc). 3. Pre-Show Vocal (and physical) Warm Up is CRUCIAL. PRO TIP: acknowledge the tech and audio crew and do a sound check. so many people overlook them and they are the ones that make you look and sound good.

The most important way to get over the anxiety of public speaking is to do it a lot. Just like everything else you may do in your professional or personal life, practice makes perfect. But your practice shouldn't just be tied to rehearsing a speech before you give it. Delivering a speech in public in front of a crowd is the practice that matters most. Every speech is a rehearsal for the next speech, even if it is on an entirely different topic. And if you want to build your leadership and thought leadership chops, you need to be seen giving speeches. Speaking frequently will help you get really good at it! Only that will help truly reduce your anxiety of public speaking.

Did you know that the physiological symptoms of anxiety and excitement are the same? So instead of telling your brain how terrified you are of speaking, say instead how excited you are to share your message. 3 tips to overcome anxiety: 1. Connect with your breath. Your breath supports your voice but is also affected by your emotions. Breathing exercises (lion's breath, alternate nostril breathing) help to calm your nerves! 2. Focus on your message not yourself. This takes the ego out of the equation. It's not about you but the value you bring to the audience. 3. This quote sums it up: “Speak as though everyone in the room knows your value.” ~ Brené Brown

Like anything in life, the more you do it, the better you will become. One step at a time. You actually do public speaking more often than you realize. When you are out and about with friends, you speak in public....others can hear you. Granted, this is typically on a much larger stage; however, the premise is the same. You have something to say and people are listening. Use your nervous energy and turn it into excitement. Instead of saying "I'm so nervous," flip that script around and say, "I'm so excited." Our bodies experience the same reaction...elevated heart rate, butterflies in our stomach, sweating...so why not tell yourself you're excited. It beats the heck out of feeling anxious AND it gives you a confidence boost.

I used to dread public speaking, feeling anxious and overwhelmed by early critiques. My first presentations were met with nerves and self-doubt. Especially when others chuckled or made remarks in the crowd under their breath. Though this was eventually used as fuel, which helped instill my determination to improve. I sought out small speaking opportunities, practiced relentlessly, and focused on connecting with my audience. With each experience, my confidence grew, and I learned to embrace my unique voice. Over time, I transformed my anxiety into a strength, and now I thrive on the stage, using my journey to inspire others to overcome their own fears.

Criticism happens. The good news? Very few people are critical when you give speeches. After all, most people are more afraid of death than of giving speeches in public. So, on the off-chance that someone is critical, the best thing to do is keep in mind that the same person criticizing you may have been too fearful to speak. Even if the person criticizing you is a frequent speaker, it's important to know that there are just as many kinds of speech styles as there are speakers. With that grain of salt, you should evaluate the criticism. Does it have merit? Sometimes it does - But not always. Sometimes, it's just personal preference. As a speaker bureau agent once told me, "Lots of people love Hamilton. But not everyone does."

Never speak for free. Every speech I gave from 2004 to 2012 was free. It's one of my biggest regrets and one of my greatest financial mistakes. People think speaker fees as the main way to make money when speaking, but that is just one way to realize big financial value and ROI. There are 5 ways to make money with public speaking, and there is a lot of money to be made. 1. Public speaking can generate leads for your business. 2. Your company's leadership may recognize value when you speak, leading to a promotion or raise. 3. Potential future employers who see you speak may extend a job offer. 4. Public speaking can help you launch a new business or career. 5. Many people - not just celebrities - are paid speakers. Go for it!

Public speaking is an art that requires confidence and clarity of ideas. To become a great public speaker, one must strive to be heard. It is essential to have genuine ideas and effectively communicate them with the audience.

Just a few helpful tips as you progress on your public speaking journey. Start Small: Gradually increase the size of your audience as you become more comfortable. Practice Regularly: Consistent practice helps improve your skills and reduce anxiety. Join a Speaking Club: Organizations like Toastmasters provide a supportive environment to practice public speaking. Record Yourself: Recording your speeches allows you to review and identify areas for improvement. Seek Feedback: Constructive criticism is invaluable for growth. Visualize Success: Use visualization techniques to imagine yourself speaking confidently and successfully.