Expanding your comfort zone and gradually increasing the complexity of the speaking tasks that you undertake is one way to become more confident and in control of any negative feelings associated with public speaking. Psychologists would probably describe this as desensitisation. Start with speaking tasks that you find easy and only have a small amount of fear or anxiety associated …
It’s not about you As a speaker, presenter, educator and trainer it is always important to remember that you are speaking for the audience. You are speaking to inform them, persuade them, to help them achieve something in their life or to overcome a problem. You are not speaking for yourself, because you like the sound of your voice or …
Actor Sir Ralph Richardson said “The most precious things in a speech are pauses. A pause will fill the void, capture attention; it will punctuate, illuminate and build the tension in a speech” Resist time pressure, take your time and don’t speak until you are ready, is some of the best advice that I can give to anyone who is …
One of the keys to overcoming my fear of public speaking and controlling my stutter, was the ability to quickly relax. While I spent considerable time learning different relaxation techniques and deep breathing methods, ultimately it was the quick 15 to 30 second relaxes that I could call upon instantly, that became most valuable to me. As you are waiting …
With my daughter’s wedding happening today, I thought I would give some tips on wedding speeches. And as public speaking trainer and coach, all the members of the bridal party have asked my advice on how to structure their speeches and what they should say? My advice was always, what is you core message, what one thing do you want …
I have previously written about the role anxiety plays when public speaking and how when you do your “anxiety reality check” you are in fact looking twice as good, to your audience, than you think you are. Your self-perception is always twice as harsh as it needs to be. Now even if you are anxious and nervous and the audience …
