I've been speaking publicly for years, and I love doing it. I always look for
opportunities to present in front of an audience as a way to build my brand. But
I still remember vividly the first time I tried to speak off a script: I
flailed, stuttered, stammered, sweated and lost my place in my notes. I was
mortified.
I ended up tossing the script in the air, gathering my wits and beginning my
speech again, off the cuff. It went so much better because I told stories about
things I knew rather than quoting statistics.
Are you one of the millions of people suffering from glossophobia? That's the
term for stage fright. Learn from the following female entrepreneurs, who reveal
their feelings about public speaking.
"I am a perfectionist, and I did not want to make a mistake or look bad,"
says Fionn Downhill, 48, CEO of
Elixir Interactive,
about her early fear of speaking. "I also had a fear that a mistake could affect
the reputation of my fledgling organization."
Downhill says she worried as she spoke that the information she was giving
was not correct, even though she had proved and tested her presentations before
she gave them. She soon realized that her perfectionism was driven by her own
ego.
"I finally overcame my fear by realizing that this was not about me,"
Downhill says. "When I realized that the audience was there for information and
spending their valuable time to get that information, I decided I had to make it
all about the audience, not me."
Christina Ann Harbridge's fear of public speaking led her to an unexpected
career.
"Fear is not exactly the right word for it. I got hives from it," the
42-year-old says. "When asked to be the best man in my best
friend David's wedding, I got visible hives on my face and ended up
handing the microphone to his brother."
Today, Harbridge is "mischief executive officer" of
Allegory Inc., a
verbal communications training company expecting to reach $1 million in revenue
within a year. She attributes her early fear of public speaking to being placed
in special education in school for stuttering and stammering.
The tactics Harbridge used to finally overcome her fear of public speaking
originated when she played a daffodil in a preschool play and kept forgetting
her lines.
To distract herself, she recalls, "I started noticing everything I liked
about the car I was in, the room I entered and the people around me." Years
later, she says, "I realized this trick of getting out of my head would create a
better somatic experience."
Downhill took specific steps to overcome her fear of public speaking:
- Studying her topic thoroughly. Says Downhill, "I know that I could
never over-prepare. "I pitch to speak on topics that I am very knowledgeable
on," Downhill says. But she adds, "I know that I could never over prepare."
- Practicing in front of a mirror repeatedly to ensure that she is
not gesticulating too much or making nervous gestures that could distract the
audience.
- Allowing time to practice just before the presentation so it will
be fresh in her mind.
- Looking out into the audience while focusing on a spot in the back of
the room. However, she says, "Now I can make eye contact, and it does not
make me nervous."
- Starting out with small local groups to build up her confidence
before presenting at bigger events.
"Be yourself," Downhill says. "Authenticity is key and greatly appreciated by
your audience."
Harbridge agrees: "Be the exact same person you are with your closest friends
on a good day. It is the 'acting' that is the kiss of death for women. Relive
a story--don't just tell it."
For more tips on overcoming your fear of public
speaking, see Suzannah Baum's story,
"Speak Better: 5 Tips for Polish Presentations"