What do you do if you freeze up on stage and need to deliver a powerful speech to a large audience?

First and foremost, remember you are just a medium between your impactful thought-provoking speech & the audience, and you're just doing your job! The audience is there for the speech - for your thoughts for the impact you have come to create - so just free yourself of any artificial body language, accent and impressive behaviour and focus on your thought, idea & words you've prepared. Relax, smile & take a deep breath and look deep into the eyes of your audience - and watch yourself performing!

The act of taking a deep breath when you found out that you are freezing on stage is profound. You will regain focus and bearing to deliver exceptionally. It saves you a lot of embarrassment and reinforces your confidence. Your audience will see it as a style that enables your uniqueness. It creates an opportunity to have a comeback that is irresistible on stage.

You're affected 2 ways: Biologically and Psychologically. Here's how to deal with both and you should be good to rock! If you're frozen on stage, you need to take a break. Be honest with your audience since it is a large one. Tell them you're nervous and ask for a moment to take a break. This also portrays that you're authentic and they'll believe you more on whatever you're about to talk. Okay, perfect. So now let us deal with the Biological part first. Take a deep breath, hold for 5 seconds, release slowly, and repeat it 5-10 times. Psychologically, remember. The room you're in, is full of Humans. And humans die. You will too. In a few hours, no one will remember you gave a bad talk. So how does it matter? It is okay to be nervous.

Take a deep breath, take a sip, focus on someone in the crowd you are comfortable with or an inanimate object in the back and tell them what you want to say and why you are so passionate about it as if you are the only ones in the room. Some people pick 3 objects: 1 on the left side of the room, 1 in the rear, 1 on the right and you bounce back and forth speaking to those items.

Taking a deep breath allows you to slow down for a moment. Release any tight muscle you may have: feel your breath and your voice and continue.

The habit of using anchor points gives you a safe landing. Something we can be thrown off balance to remember our key ideas on stage. But with anchor points, we are guided and focused to deliver accurately and in alignment. Using anchor points on stage prevent us from losing the main crux of ideas and getting unfulfilled that we have not been our best as expected.

My Friend, Even the best ones freeze sometimes! If it happens, I will : Breathe! Take a slow, deep breath. Find one friendly face in the audience and hold their gaze for a few seconds. It'll ground me. It's okay if it's not perfect, just get back in the flow.

Authenticity brings about originality. Be simple, precise and connect with the audience. Sometimes we tend to have a different perspective or ideas that present in our minds, away from our previous thoughts, yet we passionately deliver our presentation.

Simplicity and Authenticity are actually very powerful while delivering your speech. In any circonstance, it is important to stay calm and put together. If else fail, improvisation is recommended. Actually, it can turn out to be one of your most spontaneous speech.

I would probably smile and be at ease instantly. Improvisations often help but looking confident while you improvise lightens a lot. The preparation would definitely not leave you blank or out of track although you would have forgotten the exact lines. Sharing stories and jokes might as well be a getaway and while doing so, i would probably as a last resort pull out a chit from a pocket that would have my speech written.

Read the tone and face of the audience and throw a simple and powerful question. They get excited to answer and allow them to speak just for a few seconds. Ask closed ended relevant questions, it gives time to go naturally in a conversational style and works the best.

When you freeze on stage, summon your inner strength. Ground yourself with deep breaths and fierce determination. Reframe the moment as an opportunity to conquer fear. Connect with your audience, one person at a time, with unyielding resolve. Let your words flow authentically, fueled by the fire within. Embrace the challenge, stand tall, and deliver your message with power.

I would see : Step 1: Take a panoramic view of my audience. Step 2: Breathe in gently with smile and breathe out gently with a smile. Step 3: Speak my mantra,"Wow! You all are truly fantastic." Thank you for being with me. Step 4: Start my speech from where I left.... Thanks Pooja