There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.
-Mark Twain, American Author and Humorist
According to researchers, Richmond and McCroskey 70 percent to 75 percent of adults fear public speaking. Amazing since so much of an executive’s responsibility includes public speaking of one aspect or another.
Then, when you consider what Hahner, Sokoloff and Salish tell us that 76 percent of even the experienced speakers feel some level of fear prior to giving a speech.
If you give in to the fear instead of moving through it, your fear may be holding you back from being all you can be. It may have you remaining silent when you conceive a great idea yet find it uncomfortable speaking the idea in a business meeting. Fear of public speaking has you hanging back rather than pushing forward. It has you remaining in the shadows instead of standing up front in the light where you can make a difference.
If you want to overcome this business stressor in your life, try:
- Reframe Your Perception: Some can truthfully reframe an experience to support their future others not so much. Think about the great songster Carole King, who also has written or co-written over 400 songs. Her extreme stage fright caused her to say, “No” more often than “Yes” to performing at live events. This fear kept her off stage when so many of us wished we could see her talent on stage more frequently.
On the other hand, Bruce Springfield, “The Boss,” has all of the same jumble of feelings prior to performing; yet instead of interpreting them as debilitating stage fright, his narration says it is the juice that makes the performance great!
These two artists reveal very different internal conversations regarding the same feelings. In business, you cannot afford to stay behind the curtains, as Carole King did,—that is if you want to be an influencer who has a voice in your company.
Why not begin reframing your fear of speaking so that it works for you rather than against you? Stop defining your reaction to public speaking as stressful and bad. Start embracing these feelings as necessary and all part of the build up to a great talk because it is.
Do not think reframing your resistance of public speaking as a fanciful concept; it is not. New evidence supports this approach does improve performance.
You will find how much power you gain as you steadily move toward the front of the room and enjoy your new level of influence in the organizing. Hello, leader, it is good to have you in the mix. Your gifts will make a difference.