You're nervous about speaking in public. What are some ways to get started?

If you're worried about what you're going to say just before you go on, it's too late. Unless you're fully prepared, with rehearsals, polishing of rough edges and getting the talk properly embedded in your head, you can expect trouble, so you'd be right to be worried. If you HAVE prepared, then there's no need to worry as the preparation will mean that you KNOW what to say and how, and if you still get stuck (we all do sometimes) then you will know that you'll be able to get back on track within a couple of sentences. If you stumble, tell the audience about it - "wow, you guys really are something special. I don't usually get this nervous" and SMILE People will love you for being human. And the 'power stance' does help ahead of going on.

Let's start with the obvious: You can search any topic you can imagine and you'll find someone on YT, TEDx, TikTok etc talking about. But the next step from that is to find a speaker who resonates with you and your own character. It's difficult to pick a mentor who is an incredible speaker but whose style is just too far from your own personality - it's like copying something that everyone will know is not credible. Start first by selecting a mentor not that you just like but someone that you can imagine is similar to your "voice".

🎙️Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety: My Journey🌟 Before seeking a mentor, understand your style and speaking domain. I began small, attending coffeehouse debates, gradually gaining confidence in my public speaking persona as well as my articulation and argumentation. Progressing from that, I became an officer then president and leading delegations. I even co-founded IEUMUN, now Europe's largest charity-based MUN conference. It was then that I truly accepted my coach Kevin Febres' mentoring. Constantly challenge yourself—larger audiences, intricate topics. Tweak and practice relentlessly; it's cliché but effective. Start with local events like toastmasters, Pecha Kucha, even local karaoke bars. Embrace creativity and enjoy the journey!

You're not alone. Public speaking is nerve-wracking. I've been delivering keynotes since publishing my first book in 2016. I've delivered my "Hired!" 60-minute keynote at least 75+ times. Even though it's seemingly part of my DNA, I still rehearse the full keynote at least 3 times before hitting the stage. For me, that rehearsal time helps calm my nerves, as I know I'm more than prepared to deliver a strong keynote.

To overcome public speaking nervousness, you need to realize a deeper truth. The truth about the 'sameness' between you (speaker) & the audience. As per spirituality, we are all souls from the same source. Essentially the soul in me (the speaker) is also the soul in you (the audience). It's almost as if you're talking to one of your kind. Once you realize this deeper truth, you will feel safe and comfortable around any and every kind of audience. All fear will dissolve. Before I get up on stage to speak to my audience, I remind myself this statement "the soul in me is same as the soul in my audience". And that's how I never face nervousness before my talks.

Na posição de emissor de uma mensagem, a primeira consideração deve ser quem irá recebê-la. Entender o público é essencial para garantir que a comunicação seja compreendida e apreciada. Conhecer as características, expectativas e o nível do conhecimento do seu ouvinte sobre o assunto permite adaptar a linguagem, o tom e a estrutura da mensagem de forma a maximizar sua clareza e impacto. Isso significa que, antes de dominar a oratória, é importante desenvolver a capacidade de compreender e interpretar as perspectivas alheias.

Comment faire des recherches sur son public ? - Allez sur LinkedIN, - Lisez la page à propos du site web, - Cherchez des reviews, avis sur Trustpilot, - Demandez à ChatGPT s'il a des informations. Quels sont les problèmes, les désirs, les enjeux de votre public ?

Conocer a tu audiencia es clave para el éxito al hablar en público. Adaptar tu mensaje a sus intereses y necesidades asegura que tu discurso sea relevante y cautivador. Comprender sus expectativas te permite seleccionar el tono y el lenguaje apropiados, haciendo tu presentación más efectiva. Esta preparación también te da la flexibilidad de ajustar tu discurso basado en sus reacciones, manteniendo su atención. Al reducir la brecha entre tú y la audiencia, disminuyes tu ansiedad y construyes una conexión más sólida, lo que hace tu presentación más impactante y memorable.

Conhecer o público é uma estratégia essencial para iniciar sua jornada na fala pública. Entender quem está ouvindo proporciona uma base sólida para moldar sua abordagem. A pesquisa prévia, seja por meio de questionários, avaliações ou observação direta, oferece insights valiosos sobre as necessidades e interesses da audiência. Ao adaptar sua mensagem, tom e estilo às expectativas do público, você constrói uma ponte mais forte para a conexão. Observar reações e feedback durante a apresentação permite ajustes em tempo real, criando uma interação mais envolvente. Conhecer seu público não apenas aumenta a eficácia de sua fala, mas também estabelece uma base sólida para construir confiança e autenticidade ao longo do tempo.

Knowing your audience is very important. Keep these 3 things in mind while researching your audience: 1] Find our about their demographics like age, sex, geographical location. 2] What are their pain points ( needs)? You can read about it on the internet before your talk once you know who is your audience. For example if it is MBA ( marketing) students you are speaking to, you know that for them getting a desired job in marketing. So customise your talk accordingly. 3] If there is an opportunity, sending the audience a very brief questionnaire before your talk is helpful in understanding your audience.

Plus vous connaissez votre sujet, plus votre stress n'aura pas de pouvoir sur vous. Recentrez votre attention sur le sujet. Pas vous. Quand on est passionné par un domaine, le stress s'oublie dès qu'on commence a en parler.

Select topics that you are knowledgeable and passionate about. This familiarity will make it easier for you to organize your thoughts and communicate effectively. Begin your speech with a compelling story, question, or interesting fact to grab your audience's attention and create a connection from the outset. Focus on the message, not perfection. It's more important to deliver your points effectively and engage your audience.

Escolher um tópico que desperte sua paixão é uma estratégia poderosa para dar os primeiros passos na arte da fala pública. A paixão não apenas infunde autenticidade em sua apresentação, mas também cativa a audiência, tornando-a mais envolvente e memorável. Optar por um tema que esteja alinhado com suas experiências pessoais, profissionais, hobbies ou valores cria uma conexão genuína entre você e o público. Além disso, abordar tópicos relevantes, oportunos ou controversos pode despertar o interesse e a atenção da audiência. Escolher um tópico apaixonante não só permite que você se expresse plenamente, mas também tem o potencial de inspirar e impactar positivamente seus ouvintes.

A topic which you are passionate about is great because it makes you a natural speaker, speaking from your heart. For example if your are speaking to MBA( Marketing) students and you are an experienced marketing professional, you could pick a topic like- 3 Key Steps To Make A Successful Career In Marketing? Want to know of a secret that most great public speakers use? Forget 'yourself'. And put your entire focus on the 'value' you are going to add to the audience through your message. That helps you reduce your nervousness dramatically and you will find a connect with your audience.

Topic should be such that you don't have to prepare separately for it. it should flow out through your experience, feelings, passion, thoughts and you should be able to identify yourself with it meaningfully to do justice.

Happy to share Ruby’s mantra - “ I know everything, audience knows nothing” Believe it or not it actually works! Its very important just before the event - try to relax your body & mind as its very challenging for the nerves at-times & can cause anxiety attacks. Once you are in the stage; remember you have just 59 seconds to connect with your audience - so start with a BANG to CONNECT instantly! If you loose to create an impact in that initial phase; it can be very difficult to win them back! Have a powerful body Language & speak with confidence- make sure you to breathe in between & take pauses! Your mood & facial expressions should reflect your topic!

Sketch a plan for yourself before you talk. Why outline? It helps sort your thoughts and plan your speech smoothly. Different ways to outline: Pick a method that suits your topic and audience, and jazz it up with PowerPoint, visuals, examples, etc. Purpose of outlining: It's not just about organizing thoughts but knowing why you're speaking and backing up your points. Benefits of outlining: Ensures everything you say serves a purpose and gets your main message across effectively. Take a moment to outline your speech. It'll calm your nerves and boost your confidence as a speaker. Effective outlining ensures organized thoughts and smooth delivery of your message, enabling you to confidently hold the mic and articulate your prepared thoughts.

Why Outline? Structure and Clarity: An outline ensures a logical flow, keeps you on track and prevents rambling or getting lost. Confidence Booster: Having a clear structure boosts your confidence. Knowing what comes next reduces anxiety and allows you to focus on impact. Easy Reference: If you forget a point mid-speech, a quick glance at the outline can discreetly jog your memory without derailing your flow. (Trust me it helps!) Tailored to Audience: Your outline can be used to organize key points, supporting arguments, and examples relevant to your specific audience. Practice Aid: Use your outline to rehearse your speech, refining your delivery and timing, further reducing pre-speech jitters.

There is a logic and structure that is needed to take your audience on a storytelling journey. It's easy to fall into a pattern of thinking about all of the information and knowledge you want to share - after all, you believe you have something valuable or a lot valuable things to share. That's important to recognize. But it's also just as important to pause thoughtfully and put yourself in your audience's seat and think about what they want to hear. AND what amount/quantity of knowledge can they realistically absorb and retain from your speech.

Un outil qui marche bien c'est Xmind pour faire un plan. Pensez à :  - Une idée + un exemple - Quelles transitions ? - Des anecdotes ?  - Quel visuel ?  - Chiffres ?

Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse!! - Stand in front of a mirror and practice - Record yourself in a video and review - Rehearse in front of someone who you trust (and who won't judge you). This feedback works best. - Record the speech in audio format by reading it aloud and listen to it several times in a day - while taking a stroll or completing daily chores. Memorising the script may not be the best idea but it does help to keep the speech pointers on tips.

The best speeches I am drawn to are the ones that seem like it's almost the first time they are giving it - i.e. not some canned, over-pre-prepared speech. That being said, it actually takes an insane amount of practice and pre-planning to make your speech sound natural and as if it's the first time you are giving it. If you listen to the great comedians, who are some of the most talented public speakers and story tellers, they make the audience feel like this is the first time they are telling the joke. They "act" like they can't control their laughter of hearing their own joke, they pause, they walk the stage, etc. But insanely if you were to see their show again in the next city on their tour, you will discover it's almost identical.

And breathe. In to a count of 4, hold it for 4, out for 4 through your mouth. That oxygenation helps to bring down the adrenaline and bring a bit of calm.

Practice makes perfect . As a public speaker , practicing is one of the skills that will help to succeed. When I started out as a speaker , I would put on my camera and do some self practicing , I pay attention to my smile , body language , poise and even my grammars . This helped me a lot in building all of this as well as my confidence in speaking . Also anywhere I see group of friends and colleagues , I contribute positively in discussions to allay fears and improve my confidence in speaking publicly. Getting comfortable with cameras , with people and practicing with others can go a long way .

There are numerous nonprofit organizations that would love to have you as an expert speaker or presenter. You can give back to your local community, improve your skills and gain the confidence you need to take your speaking career to the next level. I have legitimately presented to rooms of just two people, but from each experience I learned, matured and found more confidence.

A little trick before getting on stage: 1. Walk the stage before the auditorium doors open. Better if the stage lights are turned on as they would be when you take the stage. Go through your “blocking” and visualize positive audience response. 2. Give yourself alone time 15 min before taking the stage. Find a quiet space backstage. 3. When you take the stage, take a deep breath and blow it out. When you land on the physical spot onstage, count to 3, then begin.

The complex things that happen to your body when you get “nervous” are identical to what happens when you’re excited about something! So reframe the experience by calling it “excitement” instead of nervousness (which is negative and it brings you to be nervous about your nerves 😳) If you were totally unaffected by a high stakes experience like speaking in public, I’d argue that maybe you don’t care much about the outcome.

Memorize the opening 2 lines...so that they roll off your tongue confidently and strongly. Practice these several times out loud so you hear your own voice. This helps with nerves.

Before the event, I walk the room to see the stage from the audience view point. I want to know what they are going to see - especially in the corners to see if there are any blind spots.

I continue to tell myself that I am nervous because I truly care about what I’m doing. I have a routine where I will go throw some water on my face and take a quick walk while reminding myself that what I am doing matters. I have conducted 100’s of workshops/speeches and I still get nervous. It’s normal and overcoming it is possible!

My journey of public speaking started with my first book 'Songs Of The Mist' - launched at the Leela Palace Hotel - Chennai, 2015. I was scared, the proverbial butterflies in my stomach, is an understatement. I have spoken to my team, many times to internal group, even did a town hall, but never spoke to a gathering of eminent personalities, business leaders and Chennai's literary circle. I was scared. As my publisher kept on pushing me to speak at lit-festivals, I picked a few tricks... 1) Learn your speech by heart, it will help you emote. 2) Modulate your voice to engage with the audience. 2) Use visual Cues / Stories 3) Watch your verbal crutches e.g. Eh, Er, Umm's, they spoil a powerful delivery 4) Dress a little extra than usual.

Another great way to help with nerves about public speaking is taking an improv class! Improv can help you get comfortable speaking in front of people without the added worry of having something memorized. It also helps you learn to read the energy of the crowd, tap into creative ideas for developing your talks and gives you tools to help get rid of the nerves before you ever step on the stage.

You're not on top of anybody's mind, neither a priority, even if they're sitting and listening to you. Remember this, and just deliver your thing. It gives you confidence that people won't pay attention to your every word and will forget you soon. Be polite and apologise if you slip up, on stage. Prepare well and be confident of your topic. People relate and empathise, if you're genuine.

I have been fortunate to develop my speaking skills by "getting reps". Like a young quarterback, you'll improve each time you step on stage. Take every opportunity to get reps, a local meetup, MC a family event, speak at a company meeting, or lead a video call. It will help you develop the muscles for public speaking. Don't discount developing your speaking skills with alternate training methods, for me I did an Impro class to think on my feet and better respond to questions from the audience and then I really pushed myself doing a stand up comedy course to understand the importance of timing, writing and rehearsal for excellent keynote.

Public speaking always puts our mind-body into stress, no matter how accomplished we may be. For those, whose body starts spiralling into panic, a really useful pranayama based trick is to use retired US, Navy Seal Commander & CPA #Mark Divine technique "Box Breathing" before the activity starts. With a calm body, the mind can focus on the "rule of 3".ie. What are the 3 takeaways for your audience from what you have to say. We train Startup Founders, Mentors and Coaches at Incubators and Accelerator's 1 on 1