Overcoming on stage nerves

Believe it or not fear of public speaking tops the lists of phobias in various surveys done around the world. Do these statistics really matter? Of course they do! Just imagine, most people rate the fear of public speaking above the fear of death! You may not believe this, but even the consummate pro will suffer nerves prior to going on stage or into a meeting! Adrenalin is good and nerves are good, but the challenge is being able to channel those nerves positively.

We can certainly help. Good preparation will aid the nerve process. Having a ‘wow’ factor presentation will help tremendously. You may choose to adopt a persona that helps you to best overcome an overwhelming feeling that is nerve related. It worked for Denise many years ago!

But generalising….

Key points to help overcome on stage nerves

You need to:

• Focus on being ‘informed’
• Have powerful content
• Believe in your message, be passionate

Focus on the positive reasons why you are delivering a presentation. You are sharing your knowledge, your expertise or your experience. Generally you are more informed than your audience….that’s why you are up there giving a presentation! Dress in comfortable, appropriate attire so that you feel good in your appearance. Use an icebreaker to settle your nerves at the start of your presentation. Interact with your audience. Good knowledge of your audience will better enable you to refer to members in the room and to create a more inclusive feel. To refer to a member of your audience or to include an appropriate humorous comment can help to settle your nerves. You may wish to set your audience a challenge. Turn the focus onto them and away from yourself for a brief time.

...Be different, stand out from the crowd and your nerves will take care of themselves!