Seven steps for overcoming stage fright and overconfidence

It won’t be long until we meet in person again. After months of online presentations, how comfortable will you feel presenting to a live audience? Fear of public speaking is already a concern for most, so being out of practice could increase anxiety. As a public speaking instructor and coach, I have seen the gamut of nervousness—from tears to overconfidence. Yes, overconfidence can be as crippling as fear. These seven steps will help you conquer either, putting you on a path to deliver effective, meaningful, and memorable presentations.

First, know that a small case of the jitters is actually a good thing when you are about to make a presentation, especially if you know how to channel it. Severe nervousness, however, is the reason most people either loathe speaking in public or avoid it altogether. When you understand the two most common sources of nervousness, you will be better able to control it.

Each of us has a negative chatterbox in our head. The ability to control that negativity directly affects anxiety levels. For example, if you fear you’ll forget to deliver key elements of your presentation, the negative chatterbox will be happy to reinforce that fear. The trick is to squelch the bad voice by replacing it with a positive alternative a la Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret. Harness the law of attraction. Remember, the secret is to train the subconscious on positive reinforcement. If you fear you’ll forget what you want to say, constantly repeat an affirmation such as, “I know my subject and I know exactly what I want to tell my audience.” If you simply repeat, “I won’t forget my topic,” your subconscious will only hear “forget.” Choose the right phrase so your subconscious delivers the positive result you seek. Try this on anything that gives you agita.

The other most common source of public speaking anxiety stems from a sense of hyper-responsibility. This is when we feel responsible for every little thing going on at the time of our presentation, including with each member of the audience. Freeing yourself of this burden requires you consciously remind yourself that you are not responsible for the amount of sleep anyone in the audience got, whether anyone had a bad day, the weather, or the construction across the street (unless you also happen to be the developer who won that bid, in which case, kudos to you). You get the point. Also, in most cases the speaker is not responsible for a lousy sound system, lighting, seating arrangements, etc. For this reason, I strongly advise against apologizing to your audience for any of the aforementioned. Doing so will only chip at your credibility. Why draw attention to anything unpleasant? It won’t score you points.

While most people have some level of fear about speaking in public, those who are over-confident have some serious obstacles to overcome, too. Over-confidence could lead to a false sense of security, a cockiness that quips, “I got this. The audience will melt like butter in my hands.” On the surface, that might sound like just the attitude to adopt to overcome stage fright but something eerily ironic happens to the over-confident. They often appear aloof, seem disjointed, are prone to freezing, become repetitive, or lack authenticity.

Follow these seven steps for organizing your presentation to build confidence without stumbling into the perils of crippling fear or over-confidence.

  1. Get to know your audience. 

Surely there is some research you can do to get an idea about who will be on the receiving end of your presentation. Whether it is live or online, your job is to speak directly to your audience, keeping their interests a priority.

  1. Prepare with focus.

Once you have defined the purpose of your presentation and chosen a topic, choose two to five main points you want to impart. Most people cannot remember more than three main points, so keep your presentation focused.

  1. Build your presentation from the inside out. 

Develop your key points by supporting them with evidence—sourced data, a story, or a hypothetical example. Create transitioning statements that will guide you and your audience as you move from one point to the next.

Only after you develop the main part of your presentation should you create a clever, attention-grabbing opening. Once you do, be sure to create an equally memorable closing statement. I’ve seen countless speakers prepare all but the close, leaving the audience confused. The close is your opportunity to drive home your message and to make a lasting impression.

  1. Choose your visual aids.

Only after you’ve researched your audience and topic and prepared and organized your message should you consider visual aids. This includes creating a PowerPoint. As I state in Impact, Deliver Effective, Meaningful, and Memorable Presentations, you are the presentation; PowerPoint is just a visual aid. Prepare only slides or visual elements for that which needs further explanation or emphasis. Visual aids should support what you are saying. They are for the audience. They should not be your crutch or cue cards.

  1. Practice!

Imagine going through all the trouble to prepare as describe above only to leave the delivery to chance. That’s not a winning strategy. Think of your presentation as a sporting event. You would not go onto the field or court without having practiced. Why go onto a stage without practicing every last detail of your presentation? Professional athletes employ deliberate practice tactics, where they purposely get out of their comfort zones to master even the most minute aspect of their form. Professional speakers do the same.

  1. Prepare stage notes.

Reading is boring and memorizing is risky. Both remove spontaneity from your talk, so do neither. Instead, take the outline you likely created while organizing your speech and craft a presentation outline, something to which you can refer as you cruise with the top down. Think of your outline as a roadmap and use it to keep yourself on a logical path. Whether your outline is riddled with bullets, littered with numbers, punctuated with boldface and italic text, or a combination of all those elements is up to you.

  1. Practice!

This is not a typo. Practice may not make you perfect, but it will make you better. You will be less anxious, more confident yet considerate of the audience, and ultimately more effective.

The audience will only buy what you are saying if they buy into who you are—your credibility, integrity, and demeanor. These seven steps will help you get there, and if they leave you a little jittery, great! Turn those jitters into adrenaline. Make them work for you instead of against you. Your enthusiasm on stage is a contagion that will motivate you and your audience.

Lorraine Ranalli

Lorraine Ranalli

Lorraine Ranalli is Chief Storyteller & Communications Director, as well as published author. Her most recent work, Impact: Deliver Effective, Meaningful, and Memorable Presentations, is a pocket book of public ... Web: LorraineRanalli.com Details