How can you conquer your fear of public speaking?

How does the thought of public speaking make you feel?

Does it make you sweat?

Maybe your heartbeat starts to race.

Or your body trembles.

The good news is you are not alone.

According to a YouGov survey, half of Britons have a fear of public speaking, known as glossophobia.

It was second only to a fear of heights.

And it showed more people have a fear of public speaking than spiders or snakes.

Another survey has revealed that 63 per cent of Gen Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – would avoid public speaking if there were no repercussions.

But public speaking and delivering presentations are vital skills in the workplace.

So, how can you conquer these fears?

Victoria Smith, one of the brilliant tutors who deliver our presentation skills training and a former BBC journalist, recently appeared on The Sound Leadership Podcast to discuss overcoming public speaking fears.

And she shared lots of advice, tips, and actionable insights you can use now.

Victoria began the podcast by discussing why presentations and public speaking cause so much anxiety.

She said: “I think most people do not wake up and think ‘Yes, I’m presenting to the board today’.

“Some people enjoy it, but most have some degree of apprehension, if not nerves.

“Sometimes you have to accept the nerves. Confidence is such a slippery thing. You can be confident one day and not the next.

“You are not always going to be in the best of moods or shapes.”

So, what can you do about public speaking nerves?

Nerves are normal (but can be eased)

A good starting point is to remember that nerves are normal.

Few of us like the idea of being in the spotlight.

“Nerves are normal and make for a better performance,” Victoria said.

“You need adrenaline. “

But there are things you can do if those public speaking nerves become too much and you feel they are taking control.

Victoria said: “Breathing exercises are excellent. People sometimes feel a bit funny about doing them. But they work.

“If you breathe out for longer than you breathe in, you start to feel calmer. Actors do this to get over nerves.

“You might just need to do it for longer than you think.”

“Another good thing is to get your voice ready, so you don’t have to worry about coughing and spluttering. I hum in the shower and then some tongue twisters in the car.

“It is often the case when you are presenting first thing in the morning that you haven’t really spoken to anyone.

“Hydration is crucial as well. And moderate your pace – it helps me to think if I speak more slowly.”

Is there anything else you should do to warm up?

“Go over some of the things you want to say out loud,” Victoria said. “Not in your head.

“If you go into any newsroom, people are wandering around talking to themselves because they are about to go on air and need to know what they are going to say.”

Our new AI-powered coaching companion - Thirty Seven - can help with your practice. And it will give you instant feedback on how you are performing. 

Stop thinking about yourself

Victoria believes changing your mindset and focusing on your audience is vital.

“One thing I tell my presentation skills training delegates is that ‘It’s not about you’.

“Because people often think it is ‘my presentation, I need to give a good performance, what will people think about me’.

“But if you shift that a bit, you can take the pressure off yourself by thinking instead about what you can offer the audience, how you can best communicate what you want to say, and make it accessible and simple.

“Now you are thinking more about what you are doing it for and who you are doing it for.

Audience judgements

While we are discussing audience, let’s think about audience judgements and how they can make you feel more nervous.

“When you can see your audience, it can be easy to make a judgement about them and how they are reacting to what you say, and pass that on to yourself.

“Twice when I have presented, someone has fallen asleep.

“First of all, you probably judge them and then you judge yourself thinking, ‘It’s me, I’m boring’.

“But on one of those occasions, it was a junior doctor who had been on shift for about 75 hours and was sat on a comfy chair in a warm room.

“And on the second occasion, it turned out that the woman had narcolepsy and had someone there taking notes for her.

“What I tell my clients from this is to not let what happens in the audience impact you too much.

“People have lives to live and reasons why they may need to check their phone, close their eyes, or even leave.

“Don’t take it personally.”

Don’t aim for perfection

Forget the idea of delivering the perfect presentation – it only adds to the stress.

“Perfectionism is the enemy of good,” Victoria said.

“Theres’s no such thing as perfect. We are humans, and humans are imperfect.

“And remember that people are never going to know what you don’t tell them. Don’t beat yourself up if you forget to say something. No one is going to beat you up for it other than yourself.”

Own mistakes

Not aiming for perfection leads us neatly to owning mistakes.

“Presentations go wrong a lot,” Victoria said.

“And if it does go wrong, it is not the end of the world.

“The key is to own it.

“I was delivering an online course, and my chihuahua sneaked into the room, hopped on the sofa behind me, and was sat just above my shoulder as I was delivering the course.

“When I realised – and it was clear people were finding it funny – I had to own it. So, I introduced her to everyone before moving her out of the room.

“And that’s life.

“There will always be something that doesn’t go right. So, don’t be hugely embarrassed or try to hide it.”

The power of preparation

Preparation is crucial to your presentation being delivered successfully.

It is the starting point of any good presentation or speech. But you can over-prepare.

“There are all kinds of ways to prepare,” Victoria said.

“At one end, there are those who wing it, which is risky. And at the other, are those who write loads of script and read it when they present. They tend to be the more nervous ones.

“But this approach makes it sound like they are reading a book. And you don’t make eye contact with the audience.

“If there are bits of a presentation you feel you need to read, memorise, and rehearse, the first 10 to 15 seconds. And go for bullet points rather than script.

“Some people write a script and then leave it behind. Having done the work, it has gone into their head and they are able to deliver it in a more authentic way.”

Part of that preparation should include ensuring you don’t have too many messages.

“I tell my delegates to choose one key message, and people are often surprised.

“But one key message helps you be clear on what you want to get across, and it helps your audience be clear on what they should take away.

“You can reinforce that message, which means repeating it, because it will always sound different.

“And keep the message clear and concise and get to it straight away.”

Know the format

Good preparation involves being clear on the requirements of different presentation formats – it can reduce the nerves and make you appear more confident.

And there are lots of different presentation formats, from presenting in a small room of colleagues to a stage in front of strangers.

“Make sure you know the format so you can think about how you will walk to the stage or stand behind the lectern,” Victoria said.

“If it’s online, through Zoom or Teams, you need to think about where you are looking. Look at the camera. Make sure the lighting is right. And check your background. Don’t put one of those blurs on – people will just think about what you might be hiding,”

Errs and ums

This is something we are often asked about during our presentation skills training courses.

People worry it can make them seem uncertain, unprepared, and nervous. And that they can impact their credibility.

“Public speakers often worry about errs and ums,” Victoria said.

“But I don’t think people notice them.

“We all do it.

“So, I think you can stop beating yourself up about this.”

Be yourself

And that seems like a good point to talk about the importance of being yourself.

But what does ‘being yourself’ mean when delivering a presentation?

Victoria said: “Imagine you are having a conversation with a friend, and that will help with your tone.

“You will be more informal and conversational.

“And that will make you sound more authentic, which is what the audience wants.”

“Practice this with a friend or a family member.”

Feel the fear

And finally, accept the fear that comes when you know you have to deliver a presentation.

“Notice it, accept it, and do it anyway,” Victoria said.

“It will help you more than hinder you. People don’t always believe me when I say that.

“But the adrenaline is important. You will give a better performance.

“And you will feel it is amazing when it is over because you have got through it.

“Every time you do it, it is a bit more practice.”

You can hear Victoria on The Sound Leadership Podcast by clicking here for Spotify and here for Apple podcasts.

Media First are media and communications training specialists with nearly 40 years of experience.

We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications and leadership coaches, and media trainers. 

Discover more about our presentation skills training.