STEPS TO

OVERCOME YOUR FEAR

8

of public speaking

Make thyself a craftsman in speech, for thereby thou shalt gain the upper hand.

– INSCRIPTION ON 3,000 YEAR OLD EGYPTIAN TOMB

REMEMBERThe 3 objectives of any good speech are:

REMEMBERThe 3 objectives of any good speech are:

Make an impression.

1

REMEMBERThe 3 objectives of any good speech are:

Make an impression. Provide your audience with 2 or 3 takeaways.

1 2

REMEMBERThe 3 objectives of any good speech are:

Make an impression. Provide your audience with 2 or 3 takeaways.

Enjoy yourself (so the audience can

enjoy themselves too).

1 2 3

1

FIND A TOPIC THAT “CLICKS” WITH THE AUDIENCE

1

FIND A TOPIC THAT “CLICKS” WITH THE AUDIENCE

ASK YOURSELF:

Who’s in the audience?If you know who’s showing up, you can speak to their demographic.

1

FIND A TOPIC THAT “CLICKS” WITH THE AUDIENCE

ASK YOURSELF:

Who’s in the audience?If you know who’s showing up, you can speak to their demographic.

What am I passionate about?If you don’t care, neither will your audience.

Choose something that excites you in order to excite others.

They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you

made them feel. - MAYA ANGELOU

2 • FIND A TOPIC

2

TELL A STORY

2

TELL A STORY

Stories resonate with audiences and are easier to remember.

LIKE ANY GOOD STORY, your speech must have an intro, a body, and a conclusion.

2 • TELL A STORY

LIKE ANY GOOD STORY, your speech must have an intro, a body, and a conclusion.

INTRODUCTIONPresent the problem.

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2 • TELL A STORY

LIKE ANY GOOD STORY, your speech must have an intro, a body, and a conclusion.

INTRODUCTIONPresent the problem.

BODYShow the conflict.

1 2

2 • TELL A STORY

LIKE ANY GOOD STORY, your speech must have an intro, a body, and a conclusion.

INTRODUCTIONPresent the problem.

BODYShow the conflict.

CONCLUSIONOffer a solution.

1 2 3

2 • TELL A STORY

3

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

3

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Repetition is the mother of skill.– ANTHONY ROBBINS

FOCUS ON YOUR DELIVERY

3 • PRACTICE

FOCUS ON YOUR DELIVERY

Once you’re confident you can recite your key talking points from memory, either film yourself or watch yourself

in the mirror.

3 • PRACTICE

WATCH THE WAY YOU MOVE, AND

LISTEN TO THE WAY YOU TALK.

3 • PRACTICE

WATCH THE WAY YOU MOVE, AND

LISTEN TO THE WAY YOU TALK.

If it appears robotic or strange, keep practicing until it looks natural.

3 • PRACTICE

WATCH THE WAY YOU MOVE, AND

LISTEN TO THE WAY YOU TALK.

Memorising your speech doesn’t mean reciting it word-for-word. Leave

room for natural improvisation.

TIP

If it appears robotic or strange, keep practicing until it looks natural.

3 • PRACTICE

SLOOOOOW DOOOWNDon’t speak fast or run over your words.

3 • PRACTICE

SLOOOOOW DOOOWNDon’t speak fast or run over your words.

The most precious things in speech are pauses. – RALPH WALDO EMERSON

3 • PRACTICE

USE GESTURES

3 • PRACTICE

USE GESTURESBe expressive with your hands and face, and move around occasionally to complement what you’re saying.

3 • PRACTICE

USE GESTURESBe expressive with your hands and face, and move around occasionally to complement what you’re saying.

Try to avoid continuous pacing, or waving your hands around the whole time. It can be distracting.

TIP

3 • PRACTICE

4

CALM YOUR NERVES

4

CALM YOUR NERVES

Before you go on, find a place where you can be alone with your thoughts for a minute or two.

REMIND YOURSELF

WHY YOU’RE THERE.

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What’s the main lesson you want

to teach your audience?

4 • CALM YOUR NERVES

REMIND YOURSELF

WHY YOU’RE THERE.

CLENCH YOUR FISTS

FOR 3-5 SECONDS.

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What’s the main lesson you want

to teach your audience?

This will relax your shoulders

and jaw.

4 • CALM YOUR NERVES

REMIND YOURSELF

WHY YOU’RE THERE.

CLENCH YOUR FISTS

FOR 3-5 SECONDS.

BREATHE DEEPLY,

1 2 3

What’s the main lesson you want

to teach your audience?

This will relax your shoulders

and jaw.

inhaling slowly and exhaling completely.

Repeat.

4 • CALM YOUR NERVES

5

START STRONG

5

START STRONG

THE FIRST FEW MINUTES ARE CRUCIAL.

Show the audience you’re confident, sincere, friendly and worthy of their attention.

START WITH A QUESTION, A FUNNY ANECDOTE, OR A SHOCKING FACT OR STATISTIC.

5 • START STRONG

START WITH A QUESTION, A FUNNY ANECDOTE, OR A SHOCKING FACT OR STATISTIC.This is how Steve Jobs started his speech at the 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University:

5 • START STRONG

START WITH A QUESTION, A FUNNY ANECDOTE, OR A SHOCKING FACT OR STATISTIC.This is how Steve Jobs started his speech at the 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University:

Truth be told, I never graduated from college, and this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation.

5 • START STRONG

6

USE YOUR EYES

6

USE YOUR EYES

To truly connect with your audience, you need to look them in the eye.

TRY THIS APPROACH:

6 • USE YOUR EYES

TRY THIS APPROACH:Find 5 friendly faces in different areas of the audience.

Then move your focus between them.

6 • USE YOUR EYES

AVOID THESE MISTAKES:

TRY THIS APPROACH:Find 5 friendly faces in different areas of the audience.

Then move your focus between them.

6 • USE YOUR EYES

AVOID THESE MISTAKES:

TRY THIS APPROACH:Find 5 friendly faces in different areas of the audience.

Then move your focus between them.

• Looking across the room.• Focusing on the back row.• Looking above people’s eyes.• Locking on to just one person.

6 • USE YOUR EYES

GIVE YOUR AUDIENCE THE SENSE YOU’RE TALKING

TO ALL OF THEM

6 • USE YOUR EYES

GIVE YOUR AUDIENCE THE SENSE YOU’RE TALKING

TO ALL OF THEMLook left, then right, then

center, then back and front.

6 • USE YOUR EYES

GIVE YOUR AUDIENCE THE SENSE YOU’RE TALKING

TO ALL OF THEMLook left, then right, then

center, then back and front.

After you finish expressing an idea or thought, shift your focus to the next person.

TIP

6 • USE YOUR EYES

7

END WITH A BANG

Starting strong is good.Finishing strong is epic.

– ROBIN SHARMA

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END WITH A BANG

MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FEEL THAT YOU’RE LEADING UP TO

SOMETHING SPECTACULAR

7 • END WITH A BANG

MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FEEL THAT YOU’RE LEADING UP TO

SOMETHING SPECTACULARFinish up with a rhetorical question,

a quote, something funny, or a startling statement.

7 • END WITH A BANG

MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FEEL THAT YOU’RE LEADING UP TO

SOMETHING SPECTACULARFinish up with a rhetorical question,

a quote, something funny, or a startling statement.

And finally, always end with a powerful call to action.

7 • END WITH A BANG

On the brink of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln closed his speech with:

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy

present and future. As our circumstances are anew, we

must think anew and act anew.

7 • END WITH A BANG

8

HOW DID YOU DO?

8

HOW DID YOU DO?

Review your performance and see what you can do better.

THEN, DO THE UNTHINKABLE

8 • HOW DID YOU DO?

THEN, DO THE UNTHINKABLE

Speak in public again.

8 • HOW DID YOU DO?

THEN, DO THE UNTHINKABLE

Speak in public again.

Because the only way you will truly overcome your fear,is by facing it over and over.

8 • HOW DID YOU DO?

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. -DALE CARNEGIE

8 • HOW DID YOU DO?

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