Most people experience feelings of fear, anxiety or panic attacks when faced with
the idea of speaking in public. This usually involves delivering a speech,
making a business presentation to your manager and a team of colleagues,
announcing a toast at a wedding or talking to a small group of people in a team or
committee setting.
These feelings are perfectly normal and even the most seasoned speaker will tell
you that he or she feels nervous before facing an audience and also struggles with
the occasional “ums” and “ahs” during their speech. Often people will avoid
speaking in public at all costs because they may be afraid of failure,
criticism or a previous public speaking experience may evoke bad memories.
Not confronting your fear of public speaking can impact negatively on your social,
academic and career opportunities. The best way to conquer any fear is to
face it head on by taking action. Remember, even if you struggle while speaking, at
least you tried and that is a start!

 Follow these useful tips to help you cope and manage the fear of speaking in public
effectively:
● Ensure that you are properly prepared by practicing and rehearsing your
speech or presentation many times to boost your self confidence
● Accept the fact that you will experience nervousness and anxiety when you
have to speak in public
● Visualize yourself speaking well in front of an audience by training your
brain to think positively
● Anticipate and prepare ahead of time that difficult questions and critical
comments may be passed. If you cannot answer an audience member’s
question, admit it and tell him or her that you will look into it.
● If a difficult audience member asks you a question, the best way to deal with
it is to agree or pay him or her a compliment – for example, “Thanks, that’s
a great question.”
● Exercise by running or having a cardiovascular workout on the day of the
speech to work off excess nervous energy
● Calm yourself before speaking by listening to soothing music, practicing
deep breathing exercises, meditation or yoga
● Attend public speaking courses to help you deal with speech anxiety
● Dress for success on the day of the speech or presentation
● Maintain good eye contact with your audience by shifting your focus around
the room
● Stay positive and focused by repeating affirmations such as “I am confident
that I can do this”.
● Combine humility and humor to make your speech more interesting or
entertaining for the audience

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