How to leapfrog into the top 25% of speakers

November 25, 2022 Liam Sandford

Overcoming your fear of public speaking helps you:

• Make more sales

• Get leadership positions

• Build relationships easily

6 principles to help you overcome your fear of public speaking.

Let’s be clear — public speaking takes work.

But if you build confidence and get your preparation right it can be stress-free and effortless.

Principle 1: Get comfortable.

Get reps in where you are comfortable before trying to speak to big crowds.

Consider:

What do you know?
What are you comfortable sharing?
What stories can you tell?

Shape everything around what you are comfortable with.

Principle 2: You know your stuff

You wouldn’t be speaking if you knew nothing about the topic.

Either you:

Chose to speak
Have been asked to speak
Are presenting on your work

In all these situations you have knowledge to share.

Everyone experiences imposter syndrome.

You don’t have to let it define you.

The reality is that not everyone has the knowledge from your perspective.

Your perspective adds value and diversity of thought.

Back yourself, because you know your stuff.

Principle 3: Shape your narrative

What story are you telling yourself?

Is it that, ‘this will be stressful.’

Or, ‘This will be hard.’

If that is your narrative, it will become your reality.

When your heart beats fast.

When you start to sweat.

When you get nervous.

These things are preparing you to deliver at your best.

Being nervous is not the same thing as lacking confidence.

Principle 4: It’s not about you, it’s about your audience.

The worst speakers focus on themselves. The best speakers focus on their audience.

Specifically define your audience promise.

If your audience don’t need it, don’t include it — that goes for content & PowerPoint.

Principle 5: Embrace silence.

People are uncomfortable with silence.

But silences do not need to be filled.

Replace filler words with pauses and use silence to land your message.

Give the audience time to think about what you just said.

Principle 6: Tell stories that resonate

People love a story.

If you can tell the audience their story, they will resonate with you as a person.

If they resonate with you, your messages will land.