Mic Check Nerves Wrecked

Ever felt your heart race and your palms sweat at the thought of speaking in front of a crowd? You're not alone. Public speaking is a fear that many of us share, including one of my employees.

Lynn often stayed quiet in meetings, secretly envying those comfortable in the spotlight. However, she wanted to be promoted and knew presenting to leadership would be part of the job.  Just thinking about it sent her into a panic. What advice did I give?

1. Start small by practicing before a few trusted colleagues to build confidence.

2. Be prepared by clearly outlining presentations, rehearsing multiple times, anticipating potential questions, and not reading directly from the material.  Don’t know the answer?  Admit it and follow up later. 

3. Visualize delivering a great presentation to shift the mindset from fear to excitement.

4. Embrace Mistakes!  Take a breath, shake it off, and continue.

Months later, it was time for her to face her fear and present to the company's senior leaders. Though nervous, she took a deep breath and began. And guess what? She survived!  Not only survived but did incredibly well!  Although she immediately started critiquing herself like a harsh judge on a cooking show, you could see glimpses of pride shining through her self-doubt. What a great start!

Watching her during the meeting brought happy tears to my eyes. I could not have been prouder of her for tackling her fear head-on.  She still gets nervous but she doesn’t avoid presenting now. 

Lynn’s story is a familiar one.  We all have been there! Overcoming your biggest fear is a journey.  With the right mindset and support, you can conquer your fears and emerge stronger.  The only thing standing between you and your goals is a little courage—and maybe a little practice.