September 21, 2009

"I'm shy.  How can I go about giving an interview or professional talk to prospective employers or a class?  Do you have any tips?"

Professional speaker Lenny Laskowski presents the following ten steps to reduce speech anxiety:

1. Know the room. When possible, try to familiarize yourself with we're you're giving the presentation or interview.

2. Know the audience. Greet people as they arrive and chat with them before you begin.

3. Know your material. Practice your speech or presentation and revise it until

4. Learn how to relax.

5. Visualize yourself speaking. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.

6. Realize people want you to succeed. All audiences want speakers to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining.

7. Don't apologize for being nervous.

8. Concentrate on your message, not the medium. Your nervous feelings will go away if you focus on your message and audience and not on your anxiety.

9. Turn nervousness into positive energy.

10. Gain experience. Most beginning speakers find their anxieties decrease after each speech they give.

Taken from: LJL Seminars