Fear of Public Speaking

  Presentation anxiety and public speaking go hand in hand. When we listen and watch the most seasoned presenters we assume they are long past having to battle public speaking anxiety. It’s not true. It would be fantastic if it were true but no one goes unscathed. It’s often the elephant in the room. No one wants to talk about the anxiety they feel before giving a presentation. Just to let you know… As a public speaking coach, I can tell you that every client I work with—no matter how experienced—tells me they always have pre-presentation jitters. The secret is how to handle it and to better use the energy. Here’s three techniques to quell your anxiety: 1) As Amy

Sometimes life gives you a big nudge and asks you to listen. After dinner, I slipped on my shoes, picked up my keys and headed for the seawall. Five minutes into my walk I met a women who was about my age. We’re spring chickens. We’re not strangers to our hairdressers’ “cover the grey formula #99”. This amazing women was doing something I’ve never in my wildest dreams imagined myself doing—she was learning to ride a unicycle. She had figured out how to balance and propel herself. She was directing that one wheeled anomaly to follow a straight path with the help of her left arm graciously positioned for balance. Her right arm was holding onto the  seawall railing for support. Which she did

I would never have suspected that Gloria Steinem was afraid of public speaking. I’m an executive public speaking coach, and Steinem is one of my heros. She saw the need for change and she caused change to happen. Steinem is an articulate and well researched woman whom I would never have considered having such fear of public speaking and being so scared of presenting that it stalled her career and the change she sought. When Steinem’s career took off she was often asked to give public presentations. Did you know that she adeptly outmaneuvered the requests to escape the invitations? And sometimes not so adeptly she just plain out cancelled at the last moment. Ouch. She believed that her energy