Paralyzed by Public Speaking? 19 Tips to Get You Started (and Good at It)

What’s the one thing people fear most — even more than death?

Public speaking.

And for finance professionals, who often like to keep their eyes on the spreadsheets and their noses to the books, it’s usually even more difficult to get in front of a group and speak.

Why Public Speaking Is Difficult

In fact, many leaders are just fine speaking at the head of their group meetings. And, naturally, they have no problem talking to people one-on-one. But when they stand in front of a group of people, their mind becomes a barren desert with nothing but tumbleweeds rolling around!

OK, maybe it’s not that bad, but there is some vulnerability in standing alone.

But the good news is there’s hope. Try some — or all — of the tips from this 19-step guide to conquer public speaking fears:

1. Admit You Have A Problem

Perhaps getting this far into this story is enough to admit you have some fear of public speaking. But if you must, go ahead and say it, “Hello, my name is Finance Leader, and I have a paralyzing fear of public speaking.”

2. Face Your Fear Head On

Try to understand the basis of your fear. Could it be you’re afraid people will judge you? Or you’re afraid of making a mistake? Or you’ll lose track of what you want to say?

Whatever the reason, realize people who come to hear you speak do so because they want to. They’re not secretly hoping you’ll be an epic fail. On the contrary, they’re pulling for you to succeed — and they might even be glad it’s not them up there.

3. Commit To Conquering Your Fear

No one can do this but you. People can help you. For example, you can find and join your local Toastmasters, a nonprofit organization that helps people develop public speaking and leadership skills. But you have to want to conquer your fear.

4. Pick A Topic You’re Comfortable With

This is important in the beginning. Speaking about something you’re passionate about will give you confidence and put you at ease. So, yes, it’s probably a good idea to start with a finance-related topic to a group that can learn a thing or two from your experience.

When you don’t have to sweat the details and just talk from the heart, your stress level decreases.

5. Know Your Topic from Your Audience’s View

Sometimes, we’re such experts in our areas we’ve forgotten more than our audience will ever know. That means you run the risk of skipping over information they need to know.

So research what your audience will need to know as your baseline. The better you understand your topic, the more confident you’ll be and the less likely you’ll make a mistake, forget something or get off track. Then you can add what you believe is pertinent beyond that.

6. Organize The Information

What are the main points you want to convey? Write them down, and make an outline. Creating an organized path lowers anxiety levels because it gives you a clear road to follow.

Don’t, however, write out your entire speech and try to memorize it. That’s a bad idea. Reason: If you forget something, you’re more apt to freeze up.

7. Use PowerPoint As A Tool, Not A Crutch

PowerPoint can be your friend. It’s a great tool for keeping your presentation on track. But it can also be your enemy. Putting up paragraphs of text or slides with endless bullet points will only distract your audience from what you’re saying or put them to sleep.

Your slides should contain one to two bullet points or lines of text you can use as a jumping-off point.

8. Make A List Of Questions

A lot of public speaking anxiety comes from being caught off guard with questions. Think about what questions your audience might have and rehearse your answers so you’re prepared for anything.

9. Focus On Your Material, Not Your Audience

Yes, you need to present the material in a way your audience will understand. But don’t worry whether or not you’ll be the best presenter the audience has ever seen.

Focus on the information you want to convey and how you can do it in a clear, concise manner. Give them valuable info, and they won’t care.

10. Practice, Practice, Practice

Want to give a good speech? Practice it! The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll be.

Do it for your friends, family, pets or yourself in front of a mirror. You can even record yourself and look for areas that need improvement.

11. Breed Confidence

There’s nothing like the real thing to build your confidence. The more public speaking you do, the more comfortable you’ll become. Sure, the first few times you may make a mistake. But guess what? Nobody’s perfect, especially when doing something for the first time.

After it’s over, you’ll see you survived unscathed. In fact, you’ll probably benefit from it because you’ll know how to do it better next time.

12. Dress the Part

Consider where you’re presenting and the audience. Are you giving a speech in a park to a group of families? Casual, nice attire would be fine. Are you speaking at a black-tie industry event? Then it’s black-tie for you, too.

While it’s important to look the part, it’s also important to be as comfortable as possible. Giving an hour-long presentation in pants that are too tight won’t help your anxiety level!

13. Don’t Psych Yourself Out

Asking yourself negative “what if” questions will only serve to heighten your anxiety. No one is going to boo you off the stage, so don’t even go there.

If questions like, “What if I forget my speech?” or “What if I pass out?” pop into your head, rephrase them from a negative to a positive. For example, instead of “What if I get booed off the stage?” ask yourself, “What if I get a standing ovation?” or “What if I kill this presentation and get the funding?” This will calm the ugly voices in your head.

14. Breathe Deeply

Deep breathing is a proven calming technique. It relaxes the mind and body. So before you step up to the podium, try this breathing exercise that can help lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Take a slow deep breath in through your nose. You should feel your diaphragm expand, not your chest. Then expel the air slowly through pursed lips. Try it six to 10 times before you go out on stage.

15. Don’t Let Them See You Sweat

Most people can’t tell you’re nervous. The signs are so subtle that the average person doesn’t pick up on them. So fake it till you make it.

Stand tall and smile. Even if someone picks up on the fact that you’re a little nervous, they’ll probably empathize with you.

16. Don’t Freak Out Over Audience Expressions

If you see someone in the audience scrolling on his phone, yawning or even asleep, that’s not necessarily a reflection on your presentation. One person may be dealing with a work emergency. The other yawner may be a new father who was up all night with a crying baby.

You can’t read minds, and even if you could and the person was bored, don’t worry about it. You can’t please everyone all the time. Just keep focused and do your best.

17. Interact with Your Audience So You’re Not Alone

If you want to feel instantly comfortable while you’re presenting, ask your audience questions and have them shout out answers or raise their hands. This immediately draws the audience into your presentation, and you won’t feel like you’re all alone.

Remember, you’re telling them a really good story they came to hear. If you make them part of it early on, they’ll be even more interested.

18. Take a Moment

If you start feeling anxious during your presentation or if you lose your place, pause and collect yourself. While it may seem like you’re pausing for an eternity, in reality, it’s only a few seconds.

A pause also gives your audience time to think about what you’ve said, and it can add anticipation for what you’re going to say next.

19. Evaluate What You Said

Notice that we didn’t say, “Critique yourself.”

If you have a video of your presentation, watch it to see how you did. Some things to consider:

• Is there anything you can do better next time?
• Is there something you did that went over well?
• How was your speaking rhythm?
• How was your PowerPoint presentation?
• How was your audience interaction?

Write everything down so you can use it or improve on it the next time, and keep practicing. The more you do it, the faster you’ll rid yourself of your public speaking fear.