In today's fast-paced and competitive world, our communication skills are more important than ever. Whether you're speaking in front of a small group or addressing a large audience, the ability to convey your thoughts clearly can open doors to countless opportunities. As a communications expert, I firmly believe that honing your public speaking skills is not just about delivering a speech it's about enhancing your overall ability to connect, influence, and make an impact.
What is Public Speaking?
Public speaking is a vital skill in various aspects of life. From job interviews and workplace presentations to networking events and social gatherings, possessing the ability to articulate your ideas confidently can significantly influence your career prospects and interpersonal relationships. Strong verbal communication skills are needed to help you stand out in both personal and professional settings. But being great at public speaking can help gain trust and increase your authority. When you express your thoughts clearly and passionately, the audience is more likely to connect with you. They begin to see you not just as a speaker but as a thought leader, someone whose opinions and insights deserve to be heard. This connection can establish better collaborations, and new opportunities.
The Connection Between Public Speaking and Self-Confidence
Public speaking is in some ways tied to self-confidence. Every time you step in front of an audience, you’re presenting not only your message but also yourself. And that’s what scares people the most, other people’s judgement about you. Everyone's eyes staring at you! The fear that you might not meet those expectations of the people sitting in front of you or rather the expectations you put on to yourself when you are faced with that situation. Fear of failure is where many people impose those high expectations on themselves. The desire to meet personal or societal standards can result in an overwhelming fear of not succeeding. This fear can overshadow the content of the speech, leading to anxiety and a lack of confidence. And also the fear of negative evaluation where the belief that their own performance will be scrutinized can create immense pressure. We often worry about how we will be perceived, whether we look silly, or if their message will resonate. This hyper-awareness of an audience’s gaze can lead to paralysing self-doubt.
The Symptoms Of Public Speaking Anxiety
Every speaker has experienced that heart-pounding moment when they realise they must present. For many, this feeling begins not on the stage but the instant they receive the invitation to speak. The body’s physiological response can be overwhelming:
Sweating
Heart racing
Tightness in your chest
Becoming more restless
Feeling nauseous
The Expectations Of Public Speaking
I know from experience that your heart starts pounding long before you step onto that stage. You are reminded of those school days when being called upon unexpectedly felt terrifying. This fear is often rooted in a deep down where we feel that we must meet certain expectations, which can lead to a paralysing fear of failing to meet them. This has been conditioned within us that we must get the answer right or we have failed and when we don’t get the answer right, we are a failure or we haven’t been listening properly. This is the same thought process that most of us come across when we step into the spotlight. We put our body into fight or flight mode and we have to choose. For some of us, we don't like it but we feel we have to do it and for others we freeze and back away from the idea completely. This fear is known as public speaking anxiety or glossophobia.
Changing The Narrative Around Public Speaking
But we can change how we feel about speaking in public. In fact, we need to change the way we think about public speaking. The word public speaking sometimes scares people when it just means speaking to another other person or people. We talk to our friends without this fear, so why do we fear talking to some and not others? By redefining our understanding of public speaking, we can cultivate a more positive relationship with this essential skill. Speaking comes in all forms not just at work but in your personal life as well and we need to recognise that public speaking is part of our everyday life not just those big events.
We engage in discussions with our friends and family, this is a form of public speaking. Recognising the way we speak in this environment and transfering it to a more formal setting we can reduce our fear of speaking when we are on stage. When we talk to people we are familar with, we are relaxed and our body language is more open. We focus on the connection and engagement rather than the perfection with what we are saying. But this isn't enough. We also have to have self-compassion, we have to encourage our mindset with resilience as it allows us to accept mistakes without harsh judgment. You don't see a baby learn to walk or talk straight away. We have to learn to practise this skill. Having a space to practise and allow supportive feedback creates a safe environment for improvement without judgment. Most imortantly we need to practise deep breathing to help us stay grounded so our body and our brain can be aligned and work together.
Now that you understand the transformative power of public speaking, it's time to take the next step in your journey. Whether you're looking to improve your skills for professional growth, personal development, or simply to gain more confidence in social situations, remember that practice makes perfect.
Ready to transform the way you speak? Book a phone call with me today, and let’s discuss how we can work together to achieve your goals. Don’t let fear hold you back, take action now!
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