5 WAYS TO MANAGE YOUR NERVES IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

Getting nervous is not a sign that public speaking is not for you! In fact nerves have the power to propel you as a public speaker and are really helpful. The aim should therefore never be to eliminate nerves completely. The aim should be to learn how to manage and channel your nerves so they work with you and not against you.

Whilst there is no magic pill or a quick fix to learning how to manage your nerves, the good news is there are solutions available which work. Like any learning process, it is a case of trial and error and learning from experience to find out what works best for you.

Regardless of whether you are starting out or have years of public speaking experience, here are our top tips for how to manage and channel your nerves to help you take your public speaking to the next level.

1. Change your mindset about nerves

Battling continually with your nerves makes public speaking an exhausting experience. It can start weeks before a public speaking event with side effects such as sleepless nights, upset stomach and random brain freezes. During speech delivery, unmanaged nerves commonly cause a shaky voice, weakness in the legs and in extreme cases fainting. With all of these side effects it is no surprise that many speakers we work with say that they hate the fact that they get nervous. Ironically, in contrast, we would be concerned for any speaker that claims to not get nervous! Lack of nerves rings alarm bells because it indicates that the speaker may be over-familiar and uninterested in the topic and/or in building a connection with the audience. Not having any nerves at all can therefore have a detrimental impact on the public speaking experience for all involved.

Changing your mind about how you perceive your nerves is vital and can assist enormously in managing and channel them effectively. This is possible when you have an appreciation for how your nerves can help you.  Here are just some of the ways your nerves can help when they are managed properly:

1. Gives you the physical energy you need to deliver the speech
2. Enhances the pitch and tone in your voice
3. Causes your body language to be more animated
4. Positively changes the atmosphere
5. Brings your ideas to life as your passion is unleashed

Changing your mind about your nerves and perceiving them as a positive as opposed to a negative not only gives you access to all these benefits but public speaking can become a exciting experience as opposed to an exhausting one.

2. Know your introduction

Most speakers experience a rush of nerves immediately before starting to speak and then in the first few minutes of the speech itself. This is totally normal and in general, once a speaker gets the first few sentences out, most speakers find the nerves settle down, they get into the groove and the speech naturally flows.

The most effective way to manage and channel the rush of nerves at the start of a speech is to really know the introduction. Many speakers dedicated all their time and energy to the body of the speech but don’t give the introduction the required attention that it needs. If you write an attention grabbing introduction and really practice it to the point you know it more than any other part of the speech this can help immensely in managing your nerves. Mainly because  you don’t need to be concerned about the first words that are going to fly out of your mouth as you know what they are.  If you can successfully master your nerves in the introduction which is the most challenging then you can manage and channel your nerves throughout your speech with ease.  For more tips on introductions see How to write a speech in our free ebook. Subscribe below to get a free copy.

3. Take a few deep breaths

In the delivery phase, unmanaged nerves can cause your body to react in a number of different ways. As indicated above these can include, and are not limited to, a shaky voice, weakness in the legs and in extreme cases fainting. An effective and very practical way to manage your nerves and your physical reaction to them, is to slow your breathing down and take a few deep breaths ensuring your breathing properly from your diaphragm just before you get on stage. This will increase your supply of oxygen, bringing a sense of calm to your body and prevent breathlessness which negatively impacts the stability and quality of the voice. Once you’re in delivery mode, being mindful of your breathing is still very important and pausing regularly can provide the opportunity to take a few deeper breaths.

A few deep breaths has a myriad of benefits and is a very simple yet practical way to manage your nerves.

4. Watch what you say

Nerves can very quickly spiral out of control when all you do is talk about your them in the weeks prior to a public speaking event and at the event itself. Words are powerful – if we did not believe this we would not believe in the power of public speaking.  As such, the more you talk about your nerves, the more your body reacts, and the more your body reacts, the more you run the risk of talking about them. You can work yourself up into a frenzy simply by what you say. This cycle is only broken when you choose to watch what you say or if needed don’t say anything about your nerves at all. You may feel nervous but rather than constantly repeating “I am so nervous, I hate my nerves” simply reminding yourself with phrases such as “I may feel nervous but I know they will help me” or “I may feel nervous but it means I am exciting about sharing it with the audience” can really help.  Watching what you say about your nerves can have a profound impact on your ability to manage and channel them and yet is simple and practical.

5. Practice

If you are serious about mastering your nerves and not letting them master you, the absolute best way is to practice, practice, practice! Waiting until you have to ‘perform’ by delivering your speech in front of an audience is too late. However, if you invest time and energy in practicing this will help you identify what helps you manage your nerves most effectively and the techniques can be applied when it matters the most. Whilst practicing by yourself is an option, progress is limited in the absence of an audience. Enrolling on a public speaking course, being part of public speaking club or getting coaching can provide great ways for you to speak in front of an audience of one or more, make mistakes and learn from them, and receive support from others.

Practicing regularly is a very powerful way of finding out what works for you in mastering your nerves!

If you are interested in practicing your public speaking in a friendly environment check out our website for details regarding our courses, club and personal coaching.

In public speaking the aim should never be to eliminate your nerves completely.  Rather we recommend that you embrace your nerves and learn to manage and channel them effectively to make you the best speaker possible. If you apply the tips we have suggested we hope you master the ability to embrace and channel your nerves so they work with you and not against you.