By: Brittney Prophete, CommCore Fall Intern
Nerves before a presentation are inevitable. Whether you are battling “Flight or Fight” nerves that come from lack of preparation or have a positive adrenaline flow, making sure the audience gets something useful out of your speech. Once you can accept that nerves are normal, you are already on the right path to reducing anxiety.
The Institute of Public Speaking suggests 5 tricks that will calm nerves before a speech. The suggestions: use visualization, perform progressive relaxation, be an inner critic, find your happy place, and conjure positivity.
As communications experts, CommCore offers similar tips to help you deal with nerves and tension. Get To The Point: How To Say What You Mean and Get What You Want, written by CommCore CEO and President Andrew Gilman, is filled with practical communication techniques to prepare you for your next big presentation:
- Warm up the body and voice:
- Do relaxation exercises from your neck down to your hands.
- Hum softly moving your voice up and down to exercise your vocal cords.
- Intercept the “speech” idea. Think of yourself in a conversational situation to increase comfortability
- Be Interactive. Involve the audience by asking for a show of hands on a subject or asking preselected polling questions.
- Use gestures. Gestures help release tension throughout the body while speaking.
- Show Confidence. Confidence comes from a well-prepared presentation and the sum of the above tips.
Do you have any calming techniques that you would like to share? Comment below!