Does the thought of public speaking make your palms sweat?
You're not alone. Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, impacts over 75% of people - even experienced leaders. This fear can become a significant professional roadblock, hindering career advancement and leadership effectiveness.
I've been there myself. Early in my career, I struggled with public speaking. My words would rush out, my body would shake, I would freeze up, and my forehead would bead with sweat. Despite my discomfort, I knew I needed to conquer this fear to progress in my career and amplify my influence.
You might be feeling the same way. Maybe you've missed opportunities to share your insights during critical meetings. Perhaps you've seen potential promotions slip through your fingers because you couldn't present your vision convincingly. Or maybe you're holding back from speaking engagements, knowing they could raise your professional profile, but dreading the thought of standing on stage.
These missed opportunities can be frustrating and even career-limiting. Your expertise and vision are invaluable, but if you can't communicate them effectively, it's hard to drive change, inspire your team, or influence stakeholders. You're not alone in this struggle, but you don't have to let this fear control your professional journey.
To help guide us through this journey, I reached out to my friend Pascalle Bergmans 🧚♀️, the self-proclaimed fairy godmother for public speaking and the Founder & CEO of PresenTales.
She shared four transformative tips to elevate your public speaking skills:
Tip 1: Use the power of storytelling to take your audience on a journey into YOUR world. Invite them in. Let them see the world through your eyes.
Tip 2: Create a clear and powerful vocal identity. This is your vocal ‘fingerprint’ where you master pace, volume, accent, timing, tone, sound, etc.
Tip 3: Nerves? Shaky voice? BREATHE. Using diaphragmatic breathing will not only calm down your parasympathetic nervous system, it will help you keep a steady airflow so you sound confident right from the start.
Tip 4: TOP TIP: Take up more space than usual. This one can feel counterintuitive, but when you enlarge the space you take up, your dopamine levels will increase and you will look AND feel more confident.
I encourage you to follow Pascalle. She shares expert daily content that will help you become a more confident, effective and influential speaker.
