Workplace Wellbeing: Silence the fear to amplify your voice and speak publicly

On the nights before she had to give presentations, Sonia couldn’t sleep. “Thoughts would go round and round in my head,” she says. “My nerves would hit my stomach and I’d be constantly on the toilet. I’d be overcome with fear.”

Public speaking is one of our greatest worries. A renowned study carried out in 1970s America found that fear of public speaking ranked higher than fear of death.

Croatian researchers reaffirmed this finding in a study published earlier this year. Of the 536 adults they interviewed, 88% named public speaking as one of their biggest fears, compared to 79% who named death.

Chartered psychologist Corina Grace explains why speaking to a group makes us feel intimidated. “It relates to the anxiety we feel when we make ourselves vulnerable to judgement,” she says. “Some say it links back to early evolution when our survival depended on not being shunned or excluded by our community. Others argue that it has to do with early childhood experiences, particularly if we were harshly reprimanded by adults.”

Whatever the cause, glossophobia (the medical term for fear of public speaking) typically manifests as a physical response. “It can mean shaking hands, shallow breathing, difficulty thinking, or an upset tummy,” says Ms Grace. “In the most extreme cases, it can tip over into a full-blown panic attack or cause someone to faint.”

Orlaith Carmody is a communications trainer and author of Speak Now, a guide to communicating well in the workplace.

Having seen hundreds of people prepare to speak publicly, she believes everyone experiences this response to some extent.

“Anyone who tells you they don’t get nervous is lying,” she says. “Even the most experienced speaker in the world feels a frisson of anxiety. The difference is that they know how to manage it.”

Perhaps we should all take heart from this. If these people have learned how to manage their nerves, surely we can, too. Ms Grace certainly believes so. “There are people out there who have limited their career progression because they don’t speak up at meetings, don’t give presentations, and don’t put themselves forward for interviews because they have such an aversion to public speaking,” she says. “But everyone can train themselves to be better public speakers and everyone increases in confidence the more they do it.”

Ms Carmody compares it to bodybuilding. “Public speaking is a muscle like any other — you take it to the gym and work it out,” she says. “The more you do it, the better you’ll get.”

Preparation is key

So, what lessons do we need to learn? One is the importance of preparation. The more comfortable you are with the content you deliver, the more relaxed you are likely to be.

Preparation should also involve familiarising yourself with your audience. Knowing who you will be speaking to will help you to tailor your presentation accordingly, says Ms Carmody.

“A mistake people often make is to focus only on what they have to say and not on interacting with their audience,” she says. “But putting your audience first and explaining why the information you’re presenting is important is how you make it meaningful and interesting.”

Ms Grace recommends paying attention to your inner voice while in preparation mode. “We often sabotage ourselves by telling ourselves that we’ll mess up,” she says. “We should try to catch and interrogate that self-talk instead. What part of it is true and what can we do about it? And what part of it is not true and is not serving us? Reframing our thinking in this way can be really helpful.”

So can visualising success. Closing your eyes and imagining yourself smiling, greeting your audience, and speaking clearly and confidently can maximise the chances of doing so in reality. “Top-end sportspeople do this all the time,” says Ms Grace. “They visualise their desired outcome because they know that it helps them to achieve it.”

Practising is vital, too. This doesn’t just mean memorising the words but rehearsing the delivery. Using a mirror, recording yourself, or having a trial run with a trusted friend will allow you to identify improvements you can make to your look and sound, Ms Carmody advises. “Practice really does make perfect.”

If your anxiety is extreme, she recommends starting small. “The next time you’re at a school meeting and have something to say, say it,” she says. “Or if someone has to say a few words at the rugby club dinner, volunteer. It’s all about getting your flying hours up. All these little opportunities to stand up and speak will make you feel less scared about speaking in a work scenario. You can also get help from Toastmasters or professional presentation coaches.”

The Wonder Woman pose

We can also use tactics in the moments before we have to speak to calm the sense of rising panic. “Deep breaths relax us by lowering our heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels,” says Ms Grace.

Moving our body can dissipate the build-up of adrenaline. “This is why you often see experienced speakers walking up and down before they step out on stage,” says Ms Carmody. “They are managing their nerves.”

Ms Grace suggests adopting a power pose in these moments. “Social psychologist Amy Cuddy has written about how we hold our bodies can impact our performance,” she says. “Simply standing like Wonder Woman, with our legs shoulder-width apart, our chest out, and our arms placed on our waist, can help us to feel more confident and capable.” It’s wise to anticipate problems too. For example, if your voice dries up when you’re nervous, be sure you have water on hand.

“There’s so much we can all do to get better at public speaking,” says Ms Carmody. “I firmly believe everyone can improve.”

A year into her job as a safety training instructor, Sonia certainly has. “I still get nervous,” she says. “But I’m so much better than I used to be.”

What helped her most was preparation and practice. “I make sure I know my material upside down and back to front,” she says. “That way, even if something goes wrong, I know what I’m supposed to say and can carry on. I also find out a little about the group I’m speaking to so I can adjust my presentation, if needs be.”

Being prepared also extends to arriving early. “It gives me time to check my equipment, get everything ready, read over my materials, and settle my nerves,” she says.

Sonia has also picked up some other tips along the way. “I get a flushed chest when I’m nervous, so I now know how to wear a high-necked blouse to work,” she says. “I find that a walk the night before I’m presenting helps to clear my mind.

“We all get nervous but, with practice, we can learn to overcome those nerves and maybe even begin to enjoy public speaking.”