10.3: Overcoming Anxiety: Some Simple Steps
- Page ID
- 175733
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- Analyze your audience:
listening traits, needs, desires, behaviors and educational background. This will reduce your fear of the unknown and the resulting nervousness. - Check out the place where you’re speaking.
Is it large enough to accommodate the number of people? Does it have a video screen, projector, white board, microphone, tables, chairs, ventilation, lighting, pencils, paper, telephones, etc. - Practice, practice, practice.
Using a recording device, video camera, full-length mirror or even your peers can be really helpful. Try doing a "dry run" in the room you’ll be in. - Memorize your introduction and transition into the main point.
It’ll help you through the first and most difficult minute. - Smile and be positive!
Your audience wants you to succeed! Keep your nervousness to yourself; chances are your audience won’t even notice if you don’t mention it. - Take a short walk
right before you "go on stage" to help release some energy. - Deliver your message.
Focus your attention where it belongs, not on yourself. - Make eye contact and look for feedback.
Let them know you are looking at and talking to them. It holds their attention. If you look only at your notes, you may lose your listeners - Use simple, everyday language appropriate for your audience.
Use contractions and keep sentences short. Use personal pronouns, if appropriate. Repeat key words and follow with specific examples if you get into abstract or complicated reasoning - Involve members of your audience
by soliciting their answers and information. - Enhance your presentation
through creative use of multi-media examples to get a point across. - Use your excess energy naturally:
facial expressions, pertinent gestures, walking, or pressing fingertips or thumbs against lectern or chair. Use your facial expressions, hands and arms to reinforce your speech and your points of emphasis-just don’t overdo them. Leaning on the lectern, rocking back and forth or side to side or slouching on one leg and then the other is never a positive way to use your excess energy. Read on for more tips on those dreaded nervous habits. - Looking good builds confidence and builds your credibility with the audience.
Do you need a haircut? Is your uniform pressed? Are your ribbons, nametag and insignia attached correctly? Your buttons buttoned? Your shoes shined? Are you standing erect and feeling alert, but relaxed? Remember, in your audience’s mind, a frumpy uniform and sloppy bearing equals an equally frumpy presenter. Fair or not, that’s the way your audience’s mind works. We’re all critics!