How to overcome the 7 most common public speaking fears
According to a recent study from the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety and fear surrounding public speaking affects approximately 73% of the population. This fear often begins to manifest in our younger years but becomes more prevalent in adulthood, when public speaking plays an important role in our professional development.
However, if there is anything to learn from acclaimed keynote speakers or motivational speakers who work for motivational speaker agents, then these fears or anxieties can be bypassed. In fact, with the proper preparation, giving a speech in front of hundreds of people can feel as easy as delivering a speech in your bedroom mirror.
Why are public speaking skills useful?
Many careers require some form of public speaking. For example, you may have to present your ideas at an important client or company meeting or even host a Q&A at an industry event. Being able to navigate these situations with confidence and ease will not only help you excel in your career, but could also widen your job prospects quite considerably. For example, public speaking skills are often listed as required or desired traits in most job applications.
What are the most common Public Speaking fears?
Fear is often the biggest barrier that the average person will face when working to become a keynote speaker. There are various reasons for this; you may be looking to impress your boss or have an important deal relying on your speech. Alternatively, you may even be considering a career within a global speakers bureau.
Fear always manifests itself in different ways, but there are seven common fears surrounding public speaking engagements in particular. They are:
- The fear of forgetting.
- The fear of looking foolish.
- The fear of being judged.
- The fear of technology failing.
- The fear of time.
- The fear of competition.
- The fear of the unexpected.
How to overcome the fears faced by motivational speakers.
The fear of forgetting.
Everyone has faced the fear of getting up in front of a crowd and completely forgetting what they are about to say. After all, when nerves kick in, it's easy to lose your train of thought. However, this fear can easily be remedied through preparation. Give yourself plenty of time to write and learn your speech, so that you are able to recite it easily, even on the day of the event itself. You may also benefit from keeping cue cards of prompts close by.
The fear of looking foolish.
Nobody wants to look foolish; but the worry of this occurring at an event is often higher, due to the fact that more people are present to witness you making a mistake. However, this fear can be resolved by remembering the fact that you would not have been asked to speak if you were not qualified to do so. Your experience and credentials in your chosen field mean that you’re in the best possible position to give that speech to the audience.
The fear of being judged.
The fear of being judged is similar to the fear of looking foolish, however, this often means you feel as though you will be judged for anything you say, regardless of whether or not you make a mistake. In this case, it's important to remember that the audiences in attendance are present because they are interested in what you have to say. As a result, they are actively rooting for you when they sit down - as opposed to looking for a reason to judge you.
The fear of technology failing.
The best motivational speakers will use technology to elevate their talks and pitches. For example, they may use tech to provide a visual aid to better demonstrate their ideas. However, technological errors can also be a cause of concern - especially if you’re wanting to appear as professional as possible. As such, you should ensure that your speech is engaging and informative even if technology decides to work against you on the day.
The fear of time.
Whether you are the key speaker at an event or one of many, you will likely be required to speak for a set amount of time. This means that overstepping or speaking for longer than required could result in you getting cut off before you’ve got to the really important part of your speech. As a result, it's important that you time yourself carefully when practising, being mindful of the fact that you may speak faster when nerves kick in. Typically, you can figure out how long your speech will be based on the number of words you have written. For example, “In the English language, people speak about 140 words per minute.”
The fear of competition.
If you’re speaking at an event with lots of other keynote speakers, you may be worried about the competition you face from your peers. After all, nobody wants to give a speech that isn’t as good as everyone else's. This fear is resolved by quite simply working on your self-confidence, perhaps by listening to speeches from inspiring speakers who touch upon topics such as confidence.
The fear of the unexpected.
One of the biggest lessons that motivational speaker agents share with their clients is to prepare for the unexpected. For example, members of the audience may choose to interrupt or ask questions during your speech, and you may need to think fast to come up with the appropriate response. One way in which you can prepare yourself for this is by practising your speech in front of smaller audiences and encouraging them to ask questions so you can practise thinking on your feet.
Final Thoughts On Becoming the Best Keynote Speaker.
If you’re looking to take your public speaking skills to the next level, you simply need to find a way to eliminate and banish fear. This can also be achieved through learning from the best - such as one of the many talented speakers represented by Speaker Agency. You can find many of their speeches on our site by browsing their profiles - which is sure to give you some inspiration as you move forward.
