Speak Up with Confidence: Tips to Overcome Your 10 Common Fears of Public Speaking

Business leaders worldwide agree that speaking English well is crucial for international business success. However, even experienced speakers and native English speakers can feel stressed and anxious when giving an important presentation to a key client. This can be even harder when English isn't your first language.

Not having good communication skills and confidence can hurt your company's strategy and profits through a lack of impact. Your valuable ideas might not land or are not adopted because they are not presented well. In our busy, competitive business world, it's critical that people hear your voice and ideas. If you don't communicate effectively, your company might miss valuable opportunities to grow.

In this article, you will learn about the 10 common fears in public speaking and how you can overcome them. 

Presenting is hard. I’m Afraid I Will Never Acquire the Skills to Present Well for My Organisation.

Becoming a great public speaker is possible for everyone, and I'm here to help you do it. The way to achieve this is by learning specific tools which have already been tested and found to work well, and using these new techniques to build up your communication skills, step by step. This will give you confidence and enable you to speak in public more effectively.

It's understandable that you might feel nervous about presenting in front of people, but it's important to know that practice and hard work are the keys to success. No magic formula can make you an excellent speaker overnight, but the rewards will be tremendous if you're willing to put in the effort.

One way to start improving your presentation skills is by developing a growth mindset. This means believing that you can improve, even if you're not already good at it. A growth mindset encourages you to take risks, experiment with new techniques, and learn from your mistakes. This will help you to grow both professionally and personally. Without a growth mindset, you will find yourself stuck and unable to change. This can lead to a great deal of frustration and false beliefs. That is why your mind should be focused on growth. 

So why not take the first step towards becoming a skilled presenter today? You deserve to feel confident and empowered in your ability to communicate effectively. Remember, it's not about perfection but progress and growth.

I Know I Speak Too Fast. It’s Because I Can't Wait to Get to the End of My Speech.

You're often sharing new information with your audience when you're giving a presentation. Giving them time to process this information is fundamental, or they might miss out on key points.

However, it's common for people to speak at the same rate they would in a normal conversation, but it's essential to slow down when presenting. This allows your audience to fully understand and retain the knowledge and ideas you're sharing.

If you speak too quickly, it can be a sign of nervousness. By slowing down, you demonstrate that you're in control and confident in your material. Don't be afraid to take a pause or a deep breath to collect your thoughts and ensure that you're speaking at a comfortable pace.

Effective communication is about connecting with your audience and clearly delivering your message. By slowing down and allowing your audience to process your information, you'll be able to make a stronger impact and leave a lasting impression.

I Feel So Stressed When Speaking in Public. I Start Shaking, My Heart Beats Fast, My Mind Goes Blank, and I Have This Horrible Feeling in my Stomach.

It's completely normal to feel stressed and anxious when speaking in front of others. That intense feeling of anxiety is something that many people experience, including professionals in both high and lower positions. You're not alone in feeling this way.

Public speaking anxiety has been widely researched and given an acronym, PSA. Studies have shown that as much as 40-70% of the population experiences some form of PSA. This can manifest as a racing heart, sweaty palms, or difficulty concentrating.

The good news is that you can reduce your anxiety over time by learning proven techniques and even turning your fear into excitement. The first step is to acknowledge that you're feeling afraid and take note of your physical reactions. This can help you identify when you're starting to feel anxious and take steps to manage your stress.

Remember, taking care of yourself and your mental health is important. Start by acknowledging your fear and developing strategies to manage your anxiety. Record yourself and take notes on how you perform as you speak. You will build your confidence and deliver your message effectively as you watch for patterns in your speech delivery. Self-awareness and acceptance are key. You can significantly reduce your public speaking fears and achieve your goals with practice and persistence.

Many of My Colleagues are Charismatic When They Speak. I’ll Never Be Like Them.

It's important to push negative thoughts away and believe in your ability to improve your presentation skills, even if you don't have the same level of charisma as your colleagues. Remember, each presentation you make will be unique, just like you.

Your goal is to remain authentic while incorporating a range of presentation techniques that will help you engage your audience. You shouldn’t compare yourself to others, as your own progress is what matters most.

First, focus on celebrating your current strengths, such as your knowledge, career experience, qualifications, and other powerful skills. Recognise the unique qualities that you bring to the table, such as the languages you speak, and leverage these in your presentations.

After each presentation, take time to reflect on your progress and celebrate your wins, no matter how small they may seem. This will help you build self-autonomy and a growth mindset, enabling you to continue improving your skills over time.

Remember, great presentation skills are achievable for anyone, and focusing on your own progress and unique qualities is important rather than comparing yourself to others. With practice and dedication, you can become a confident and effective presenter.

My Speech is Full of “ers’ and “ums.” I Just Can't Help it.

When giving a presentation, speaking with clarity is essential. However, many people habitually use filler words like "um" and "er," which can detract from the effectiveness of their message.

To combat this habit, one technique that has been proven effective is to replace filler words with a short pause or moment of silence. This eliminates the filler words and adds weight and authority to your speech.

When you feel the urge to use a filler word, pause briefly. This will allow you to gather your thoughts and choose your words more carefully, resulting in a clearer and more effective presentation. It may take some practice, but you'll find that you can slowly reduce your filler words altogether over time.

Remember, even small changes like this can greatly impact your presentation skills. By incorporating this technique and practising regularly, you can become a more confident and engaging speaker.

I Have So Much Information I Want to Share that I Often Go Over My Time Limit.

As an expert, you likely have a lot of valuable information to share with your audience. However, it's crucial to remember that there's a limit to how much information people can absorb at one time. When you overload your audience with too much information, it can lead to cognitive overload, causing them to disengage. And that's not your goal!

To prevent this, it's essential to structure your presentation carefully and break the content into manageable pieces. Ask yourself if all of the information you're including is necessary to achieve your communication goals.

In some cases, it may be necessary to cut out large pieces of content to keep your presentation at a manageable length. Remember, less is often more when it comes to speaking, and your audience will appreciate a concise and focused talk.

By reducing cognitive overload and effectively structuring your presentation, you can ensure that your audience remains engaged and receptive to your message. Do the work for your audience beforehand and take time to consider the information you're including, and aim to deliver it in a way that is clear and easy to digest.

I Prefer to Read My Slides as They Give Me Great Comfort.

While slides can be a helpful visual aid, it's important to remember that they should support and amplify your message rather than take centre stage. If your slides are packed with text, your audience will struggle to listen to you and read your slides at the same time, which can lead to disengagement and a lack of focus. And again, that's not your goal! You don’t want to compete with your slides. You want the audience to listen to you and your key points.

To avoid this, it's critical to reduce the amount of text on your slides and focus on sharing one message at a time through animation or other visual aids. This can help keep your audience engaged and ensure they can follow along with your message without feeling overwhelmed.

It's also important to devote time to practising your presentation so that you can deliver your message confidently, manage the animations with your clicker, and skillfully use the slides as your visual prompts. By practising, you'll become more fluid with your delivery and be better equipped to engage your audience meaningfully.

Remember, your slides are a tool to support your message, not a replacement for it. Using them strategically and purposefully rehearsing your presentation skills can help you deliver a clear, engaging, and impactful presentation.

Some People Tell Me That My Voice is Monotonous.

When presenting, it can be easy to fall into the trap of sounding monotonous, particularly if you're feeling stressed or anxious. However, it's important to remember that enthusiasm and positivity are contagious and can have a powerful impact on your audience.

To inject more energy and passion into your presentations, try to focus on the aspects of your topic that excite you the most. When you're passionate about your subject, your tone of voice will naturally become more dynamic and engaging.

Challenge yourself to push your energy level and be as enthusiastic and positive as possible when presenting. Remember, the more engaged and excited you are, it's likely your audience will feel the same way.

You can overcome the fear of sounding monotonous and become a more engaging and impactful presenter with practice and persistence. So why not take the challenge and come alive when you speak? Your audience will thank you for it!

I Can't Look at My Audience. I'm Too Uncomfortable to Focus on Them.

Making eye contact with your audience is an important part of effective communication, as it helps to establish trust and build rapport. However, feeling nervous or uncomfortable when looking people in the eye is totally understandable.

You could begin experimenting with this technique in your internal meetings before moving on to larger, scarier audiences.

As you become more comfortable with eye contact, you'll be able to gauge your audience's engagement better and adapt your own delivery in real-time. Pay special attention to their facial expressions and body language, and adjust your approach accordingly.

Remember, eye contact is a powerful tool for establishing connections and building trust with your audience. With practice and persistence, you can become more comfortable with this critical aspect of public speaking and communicate more effectively with your listeners.

I'm a Bit of an Introvert and I Don't Like Being in the Spotlight.

Public speaking can be daunting as an introvert or ambivert (neither an introvert nor an extrovert). However, it's key to remember that the focus of your presentation should be on your communication goal, the key points you want to make, and how you can help your audience.

Whether you're an introvert or an ambivert, you can be a great presenter and deliver a presentation that inspires your audience to think, feel, and take action.

Remember, your presentation is not about you - it's about your audience and how you can help them. By focusing on your communication goals and the needs of your listeners, you can overcome your fears and become a more confident and effective presenter.

So, if you're anxious about public speaking, try to shift your focus to the value you can provide your audience. With practice and determination, you can become a skilled presenter and impact your listeners meaningfully.

Break Free From Your Fear of Public Speaking

I have helped countless people develop and strengthen their public speaking skills, and all too often, these are the fears they voice the most. However, public speaking does not need to be so scary. With the right tools and techniques, you can learn to master the 4 pillars of communication and become a powerful public speaker.

If you want to discuss your organisation’s (corporate, NGOs, Associations and Universities) Public speaking or Presentation skills needs, I offer free 30-minute consultations through my site. I’d love to meet you.