Overcoming Speaker Panic: Six Tips

by Christina McKenna

Not long ago, while attending an industry conference I bumped into a smart, professional woman I know. She asked what tips I had for people, like her, who panic when they speak.

"Just power through it," I said. "We all get nervous."

"No, not NERVOUS," she said. "I don't get nervous. I PANIC. I'm petrified. My throat tightens, I get cold sweats, my skin gets blotchy and I feel like I could faint."

Oh. That's different.

We're all a little uneasy when we speak, or at least we should be. Often, merely stepping into the spotlight triggers a burst of adrenaline that manifests itself as nervous energy. That's just our body's way of helping us rise to the occasion. For most, the stage fright wears off once we settle in. 

But for others, the reaction and recovery time are far more severe. For those poor souls, public speaking isn't just unnerving. It's debilitating. 

If you suffer from severe stage fright, a professional speaking coach is likely the surest route to success. A speaking coach can address your specific anxiety and customize a plan to help. Consider interviewing a handful of coaches to find one whose style is a good fit. 

In the meantime, there are strategies you can try on your own. Here are a few of our favorite tips for overcoming speaker panic:

1) Speak as often as you can in low-risk situations.

Make a toast at a dinner party. Stand and speak before immediate family. Lead a meeting or speak at a non-work function. No doubt, those situations bring anxiety too. But they provide a safer environment for gaining confidence. 

2) When preparing your remarks, mentally divide your material into small sections. 

The Open, the Product Overview, the Case Study, the Pitch, the Close. When it's go-time, you won't feel as if you're crossing a raging river, rather stepping from stone to stone until you're safely on the other side.  

3) Rehearse. Out loud and repeatedly. 

I know, initially practice may seem to make things worse. But keep at it. In the end, every minute of rehearsal translates to greater confidence on stage.

4) Physically calm yourself before you speak.

Fifteen minutes prior, step into the restroom and take three or four "cleansing breaths," by fully inflating your lungs, then slowly and completely emptying them. Or try the "power pose," holding your arms high above your head for two full minutes (so long as you don't feel dizzy.) Both cleansing breaths and the power pose send biological signals that stem the physical symptoms of panic.  

5) Begin with a story to create a personal connection. 

This is always a good idea, but particularly for the panicked speaker. By telling a story, you'll create a connection with the audience, then sense their approval and start to calm down. Practice your story beforehand to ensure it's relevant, succinct and on point. 

Finally my favorite tip:

6) Forget about you; worry about them.

When I get too spun up before a speech, I step aside and imagine one person in the audience who desperately needs to hear what I'm about to say. Maybe my remarks will save them money or time or even their job---but they need this. Suddenly my self-consciousness falls away and I'm focused squarely on making a personal connection and driving home key points. Better still, if I fumble or lose my place, I get right back on track, knowing my audience is counting on me to pull it together.

Yes, speaker panic is a real and often debilitating condition. But the good news is, it's also curable. Follow these tips and remember you're in good company. As Mark Twain said "There are only two kinds of speakers in the world. 1) The nervous and 2) the liars."

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