problems public speaking holding my career up
Discussion
Hi bit of a problem in that I've got to the stage were when I resume my career after changing companies the next stage will comprise getting up and talking in front of groups.
For years I have found this to be a debilitating thing to do. No matter what I do or how much I practice my hands sweat and I clam up and panic. Has anybody ever had this and how did they solve it?
For years I have found this to be a debilitating thing to do. No matter what I do or how much I practice my hands sweat and I clam up and panic. Has anybody ever had this and how did they solve it?
pimping said:
Hi bit of a problem in that I've got to the stage were when I resume my career after changing companies the next stage will comprise getting up and talking in front of groups.
For years I have found this to be a debilitating thing to do. No matter what I do or how much I practice my hands sweat and I clam up and panic. Has anybody ever had this and how did they solve it?
Loads of material for you to Google on the net - good luck For years I have found this to be a debilitating thing to do. No matter what I do or how much I practice my hands sweat and I clam up and panic. Has anybody ever had this and how did they solve it?
Be honest and use your background experience. ATB.
Edited by quiraing on Monday 30th December 20:00
2 bits of advice which I have followed
1. Always 'talk' to the person at the back of the room. This way your voice will always be loud and clear
2. Research what you are taking about until it's second nature. The one thing I used to worry about is the questions people could ask. I figured if I knew more than they did then I had nothing to worry about.
Best of luck in the new role!
1. Always 'talk' to the person at the back of the room. This way your voice will always be loud and clear
2. Research what you are taking about until it's second nature. The one thing I used to worry about is the questions people could ask. I figured if I knew more than they did then I had nothing to worry about.
Best of luck in the new role!
I also hated it. However, I became more confident when I knew I knew what I was talking about and could counter/answer any questions. Most of the people I was dealing with had little/limited knowledge, or thought they knew, of my subject (Ships Agency BTW) I'm not an arrogant type I just make sure that I know the in's and out's of my knowledge and can argue my point with that knowledge.
I guess it comes down to experience and age in the long term, in my case. I know some people in their early 20's who have no fear of standing up in front of hundreds of people.
Sorry, I doubt that helps.
I guess it comes down to experience and age in the long term, in my case. I know some people in their early 20's who have no fear of standing up in front of hundreds of people.
Sorry, I doubt that helps.
I used to be quite terrible with presentations and my nerves.
As the market strategy has become more and more successful the demand for presentations has grown in equal measure.
I really had to face my demons and find a way forward.
I started by spending hours practicing and videoing my presentation until I was more or less word perfect and composed.
The improvement was there for all to see ( pun. ) and I have continued to improve since.
It was watching my awful performances that showed me all of the bad that I needed to cut out.
Video, video, video it's painful but hilarious.
As the market strategy has become more and more successful the demand for presentations has grown in equal measure.
I really had to face my demons and find a way forward.
I started by spending hours practicing and videoing my presentation until I was more or less word perfect and composed.
The improvement was there for all to see ( pun
. ) and I have continued to improve since.It was watching my awful performances that showed me all of the bad that I needed to cut out.
Video, video, video it's painful but hilarious.
I think you just get used too it tbh.
Had to present all the time at uni (design course), as said try a joke or funny comment at the start to get a chuckle at the start.
Also I find it easier without notes as remembering keeps your mind more occupied that stammering through a few que cards.
Good luck!
Had to present all the time at uni (design course), as said try a joke or funny comment at the start to get a chuckle at the start.
Also I find it easier without notes as remembering keeps your mind more occupied that stammering through a few que cards.
Good luck!
You need a performance coach - your new HR department should be able to recommend one. It's the kind of thing coaches deal with all the time - there are quite a few who specialise in exactly this sort of thing. You'll also need plenty of practice, but this is easier to find than you think.
As an example: I am an experienced presenter, facilitator and speaker, but last week I had to write and deliver the eulogy at my best friend's funeral. I couldn't talk about her without bursting into tears, and I had no idea how I was going to talk about how much we all loved her in front of 100 crying people without losing it completely. So I went to see a very good coach. One long session with her, and I delivered the whole thing without cracking once. My voice wobbled a bit once, but I recovered it and gave the best performance I've ever given. Coaches can help you give of your best in all sorts of situations.
Where are you based? I may even be able to suggest one....
As an example: I am an experienced presenter, facilitator and speaker, but last week I had to write and deliver the eulogy at my best friend's funeral. I couldn't talk about her without bursting into tears, and I had no idea how I was going to talk about how much we all loved her in front of 100 crying people without losing it completely. So I went to see a very good coach. One long session with her, and I delivered the whole thing without cracking once. My voice wobbled a bit once, but I recovered it and gave the best performance I've ever given. Coaches can help you give of your best in all sorts of situations.
Where are you based? I may even be able to suggest one....
I hate social situations yet can quite happily stand in front of a room of 100-odd people and speak at length, with technical detail and accuracy and with the odd joke thrown in. It quite something to make some off the cuff remark and have a hundred or so people laughing along with you. And all this in a formal setting, too.
How did achieve this?
A little bit of coaching in NLP methods (visualition mainly) and having it pointed out to me in that training that these people in the room have given up their time to come and listen to you. They want you to succeed in telling them what they need to know.
As the years have gone by, I've focused more on voice projection (extremely difficult if it doesn't come naturally and, indeed, the only aspect of the whole performance that I still find myself consciously focusing on as it is happens). I also continue to work on pacing, pausing and emphasis.
Above all, so long as you know the actual topic inside out, the rest will either flow or can be worked at. I firmly believe that, with core knowledge in place, you can engage the audience in a discussion (even if it's just reading their body language and adapting as you go in response), rather than lecturing at them. Lectures are boring. Talks are fun. Discussions are far better. I'm yet to give the perfect presentation.
How did achieve this?
A little bit of coaching in NLP methods (visualition mainly) and having it pointed out to me in that training that these people in the room have given up their time to come and listen to you. They want you to succeed in telling them what they need to know.
As the years have gone by, I've focused more on voice projection (extremely difficult if it doesn't come naturally and, indeed, the only aspect of the whole performance that I still find myself consciously focusing on as it is happens). I also continue to work on pacing, pausing and emphasis.
Above all, so long as you know the actual topic inside out, the rest will either flow or can be worked at. I firmly believe that, with core knowledge in place, you can engage the audience in a discussion (even if it's just reading their body language and adapting as you go in response), rather than lecturing at them. Lectures are boring. Talks are fun. Discussions are far better. I'm yet to give the perfect presentation.
Really feel for you. I had a very strong fear of presenting, to the point that I'd have sleepless nights and moments of panic months before a presentation I had to give. It was a largely irrational fear as the presentations may only have been for several minutes, amongst people I knew and felt comfortable with, on topics I knew well.
I lived with that for about ten years.
How did I get over it? I deliberately changed roles to face it head on - moving to a role that required me to present for an hour or more to 100+ people in foreign countries, to local government departments.
Two years on I still dislike presentations, and there are certainly better presenters around, but it no longer has a hold over me like before.
Hope you can find a way to overcome it too.
I lived with that for about ten years.
How did I get over it? I deliberately changed roles to face it head on - moving to a role that required me to present for an hour or more to 100+ people in foreign countries, to local government departments.
Two years on I still dislike presentations, and there are certainly better presenters around, but it no longer has a hold over me like before.
Hope you can find a way to overcome it too.
I have been doing presentations for 20 years, and still get nervous before hand. But it's a good nervous. Bit nervous now as I have a reading to do in a few hours at my farther-in-law's funeral.
Some practical tips...
Know your subject matter inside out, upside down and back to front. The confidence you have through knowledge will help.
Don't worry about being nervous, perfectly normal!
For a small group, try to make eye contact with as many people as possible, don't end up focusing on just one person, it's easily done.
Concentrate on speaking slower than you think you should. Nerves make you speak faster, and you won't breathe properly, increasing the stress.
Know your subject matter!!
Practice, practice practice.
You will be fine!
Some practical tips...
Know your subject matter inside out, upside down and back to front. The confidence you have through knowledge will help.
Don't worry about being nervous, perfectly normal!
For a small group, try to make eye contact with as many people as possible, don't end up focusing on just one person, it's easily done.
Concentrate on speaking slower than you think you should. Nerves make you speak faster, and you won't breathe properly, increasing the stress.
Know your subject matter!!
Practice, practice practice.
You will be fine!
By far the most effective means to overcome this fear is to know what you are talking about to the point that you don't need notes or even a Power Point presentation. The only way to achieve this is to keep doing presentations. The more you do, the more comfortable and confident you become.
Develop an ego too. I know it sounds a bit shallow but it does help.
Develop an ego too. I know it sounds a bit shallow but it does help.
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