“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” ~ Anne Lindbergh
“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” ~ Anne Lindbergh
In my 20-year career working at six major corporations, I witnessed many people who were passed over for promotions. Many found their ideas were not taken seriously. They just didn’t seem like “management material.” Most of them had the knowledge they needed to do the job. So why didn’t they advance in their careers? Answer: the fear of public speaking. They lacked the confidence to speak up and the communication skills to stand out, and it cost them.
Conversely, I’ve seen people who were very good talkers but didn’t necessarily have as much knowledge as others on their work teams. They often times were taken more seriously and got promotions they perhaps didn’t deserve. Ideally, those who advance in life should be good communicators and know what the heck they are talking about.
Don’t let fear paralyze your career. Before you can gain the confidence to speak and learn the skills to stand out in this highly competitive world, you have to first put fear in your rear view mirror.
You can begin to eliminate your fears of public speaking long before you step to the front of the room to deliver your business presentation or speech. You can take steps in the preparation phase that will reduce stress, anxiety and your fears of failure.
A speech or presentation begins as soon as you accept the assignment. That’s when you begin to do your audience analysis, content development and rehearsals.
The more prepared you are, the less fearful you will be. We will look at additional steps to overcome public speaking fears future posts. So, don’t be afraid to check back frequently!
Related Post: No. 1 Fear: Public Speaking
Are you afraid of public speaking? Well, you’re not alone, as illustrated in the humorous clip above from Jerry Seinfeld. Year after year, the fear of public speaking ranks No. 1 in study after study.
There’s even a fancy word to describe the fear of public speaking – glossophobia. Gloss comes from the Greek word for tongue and phobia, of course, is Greek for fear.
In our next post, we’ll present some tips to deal with anxiety and the fears you face when doing public speaking or making business presentations. But for now, know that you are not alone and help is on the way!