7 Easy Steps to creating Your Positive Public Performances

“You’ll only be speaking for thirty minutes. You know the pharmaceutical industry inside out. And you’ll be representing the company and explaining the latest research findings. It’s a huge honour. You’ll be great, Karen”, said, Michelle, her boss of ten years.

Karen didn’t want to let Michelle or the company down. She really liked her boss, however, the thought of speaking to over three hundred well-educated knowledgeable specialists filled her with dread.

It was the final straw for Karen when her boss asked her to do a presentation on behalf of their company.

“It’s time to do something about my public speaking fears. I’m tired of missing opportunities because I’m shaking in my shoes at the thought of speaking to groups”, she said to herself with new-found determination.

Knowing that you need to speak publicly can be one of the most nerve wrenching experiences you can have. Whether you’re doing your first presentation or speaking professionally, a level of fear is almost always present.

Steve Siegold, the Mental Toughness Coach, explains that when we put ourselves under too much stress our performance goes down. He calls it a “performance break down”. He explains that when we get stressed our IQ also drops! However, when someone doesn’t perceive something as a threat it is because they have learned how to manage their emotions.

When we get stressed a section of the brain, called the Amygdala, triggers an emotional response to the thing with which we feel threatened. A flight or fight reaction occurs and the impact of this on our bodies can be a dry mouth, pounding heart, trembling and many other uncomfortable feelings.

“The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” George Jessel (1898-1981, American actor, known in his lifetime as “Toastmaster General of the United States”)

Does this or something similar happen when you know you need to speak in public?

Ultimate Speaker Steps

You may be curious to know how you can manage your emotions so that you can move from fearful to fabulous wherever or in whatever speaking situation you find yourself.

Here’s your 7 Step System in order to create your positive experience for your next speaking opportunity: