Get Rid of Your Fear of Public Speaking Once and For All (Just Like Diane Did!)
The Problem
Diane, a new executive director, was given new responsibilities at her organization that included standing before the board to talk about current company projects. Her presentation skills, however, were not at that level. She knew she was in trouble because she feared public speaking so much that it nearly immobilized her. Not being able to speak in front of groups is real career stopper and nearly became a career stopper for Diane. As much as Diane wanted to be a credible, and an influential authority on her topic…
She had distracting word fillers, she spoke really quickly (because she couldn’t wait to be done), and since she was so nervous, she had a thin, shrill, high-pitched voice.
The Solution
Through coaching, she became aware of her distractions and learned the substitute behavior. To calm her nerves, Diane become crystal clear on her messaging, she learned breathing techniques to use before she presented and she practiced her material so that she knew it inside and out. Through this process she discovered that she was the expert in the room and had a responsibility to help others understand the material.
The Results
Her first presentation went really well. She was engaging and dynamic and her boss marveled at the transformation. Her voice was strong and she was more relaxed than she had ever been. She spoke slowly and took slow breaths between sentences. (That one technique alone gave her presence of mind and eliminated her word fillers.) Her audience was responsive and asked questions which Diane was prepared to answer. Here’s what Diane had to say about eliminating her fear of public speaking:
“I no longer panic or rush through presentations. I look forward to speaking to audiences to help them understand. It’s fun to create messages that resonate. I am so much more comfortable speaking to any audience.”
Diane’s problem is very typical of many women. Given that you already have higher pitched female voice, when you are nervous, it is likely that the tension that you feel manifests in your voice causing a shrill, high-pitched voice that is “thin” and doesn’t project. You may be so tense that your voice shakes.
Women, in particular, tend to have a few voice issues that occur more frequently than the speech, language and voice issues of men. Let me help you understand the issues that we have that prevent a confident and influential image.
If you are looking to elevate your brand, have you considered changing the way that you sound? My book will help you get started with awareness of the speech, language and voice characteristics that contribute to your brand. Learn and master them.