11.7: Conquering Speech Anxiety
- Page ID
- 134901
This page is a draft and is under active development.
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Speech anxiety, also known as glossphobia, is the number one fear of 75 percent of people, according to the The National Institute of Mental Health. (1) Symptoms may include sweaty palms, shaky voice, and rapid heartbeat. Knowing you are not alone, and you can overcome your fear, will enable you to appear poised and well-prepared during your business presentation.
Figure 1: Scared Cat
Overcoming Fear
In the article, “Fear of Public Speaking: How Can I Overcome It?,” Dr. Craig N. Sawchuk (2024) provides ten tips for managing performance anxiety or stage fright.
- Know your topic. Be passionate about your topic and understand your material. Being prepared for questions will help you to keep your composure.
- Get organized. The more organized you are—regarding information, materials, and logistics—the less nervous you’ll be.
- Practice. If possible, practice your speech and request feedback from friends, family, and colleagues. You can also record and critique yourself.
- Challenge negative thoughts. Identify worries; reality check your negative projections. What is the worst that could happen?
- Visualize success. Picture yourself delivering a great presentation.
- Breathe deeply. Calm yourself with slow, deep breaths before and during your presentation.
- Focus on the message. Concentrate on delivering your content rather than worrying about yourself or your audience.
- Embrace pauses. If you lose track, take a few seconds and regroup. Silence is okay!
- Recognize your success. Reflect on what worked well and note areas for improvement.
- Seek support. Join a public speaking group to help develop your skills in a supportive setting.
The good news is that you’re not in it alone. You can join a local Toastmasters group, a campus speech and debate team or a speakers bureau. You could also take a Dale Carnegie course. If you’re an introvert or want to do some research first, start by analyzing TED Talks and reading related articles and books on public speaking skills.
Contributions and Attributions
- Overcoming Fears and Anxiety. Authored by: Nina Burokas. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution
1. LaDouceur, P., Ph.D., Mental Health.com, What We Fear More than Death. September 25, 2024. https://www.mentalhealth.com/library...ore-than-death
Sawchuk, C. N., Ph.D., L.P., Fear of Public Speaking, How Can I Overcome It. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...g/faq-20058416
Figure 1: Umansky, A. Unsplash.com, June 25, 2018. https://unsplash.com/photos/gray-cat-l5truYNKmm8