If you’d rather listen, here’s the audio version. Just turn up your speakers and click on the PLAY arrow to hear it.
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You have many opportunities to “perform” in your business. Basically , that’s any time you’re talking – on the phone, in your mastermind group, coaching clients, and in more formal presentations. For a lot of people, those are times when stage fright kicks in.
This fear of speaking affects most of us in some form. In fact, surveys find that we’re more afraid of speaking than we are of dying! Because stage fright is so common, Jerry Seinfeld joked that “at a funeral, the average person would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy.”
So some people avoid speaking in their business as much as they can, preferring to hide behind the computer. It’s understandable, but unfortunate. Other people forge ahead by bucking up and powering through their fear. Hats off to you! At least you’re out there doing it.
And many speaking coaches and psychologists endorse this as the best approach to getting over that fear. I disagree. I believe that’s only because they don’t know there’s another way to eliminate the anxiety.
Here’s why bulldozing through your fear is not effective as a business strategy: Your anxiety is still high.
- You’re on edge and can easily be thrown off course by a microphone that doesn’t work, or an introduction that’s not quite right.
- Your listener or audience senses your tension.
- Your creativity is cramped, making it hard to think on your feet for answering questions well.
- Your voice is affected – maybe shaky, maybe too soft, or monotone, so you don’t sound strong.
- It’s hard to convey either compassion or certainty, so there’s a distance created between you and your audience.
These stage fright factors present problems in coaching, teaching or selling – all of which are built on the relationship you build through your speaking.
So powering through your stage fright is a poor choice. OK – It’s true — some people just keep doing that and over time they reduce their anxiety. But there are people who have been speaking for 20 years and the fear is still there!
What’s the answer? Concentrate on eliminating the fear first. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn-out process. That’s old school thinking.
There are several rapid-change techniques and processes available now to help get rid of that anxiety permanently. That’s what I use with my clients. If I can help you with your speaking fears, contact me so we can get started.
And if you choose another path, that’s great – just be clear that you DON’T have to “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Find a way to get rid of that stage fright and start enjoying all your opportunities!