Can Visualization Help Cure Speaking Phobias?

In the past the term ‘Visualization’ may have brought up images of hippies or perhaps the ‘new age movement’. But now thanks to various important doctors, physicians, motivators and psychiatrists, evidence is building to suggest that visualisation can actually play a huge part in helping to cure people with public speaking issues.

Powerful people such as Tony Robbins and Paul McKenna have all dedicated large sections of their books and seminars to explain the importance that visualization has on your life. Simply saying that the way you view future events in your mind effects the way you react towards them and essentially the way you deal with them when the actually come about. For example the thought of you future speech fills you with dread and you can just imagine yourself messing up or shaking then how do you think you are going to deal with it? Of course you are not going to be able to perform your best with these negative thoughts flying around your head. However if you make an effort to consciously think only positive thoughts, and see yourself speaking with ease and confidence then you are going to have a much easier time when it comes to your speech.

If you have trouble holding an image in your mind that’s okay to. Start with your own thoughts, notice how you feel and try and change any of the ‘negative’ internal dialogue into positive things. You may also want to write a list of everything that will go right with your speech. Everybody is individual, just find what works for you and you will be sure to notice improvements in no time. Good Luck!

What Causes Public Speaking Phobias?

Having a fear of Public speaking is a completely normal, and in a phobia that many people have to deal with in their life at some point. For many just the thought of standing up and speaking in-front of a large group of people is enough to send shivers down their spine. But for others perhaps a past incident of public speaking that didn’t go quite to plan is now the root cause of their issues. This previous occurrence may now be playing in the speakers mind, causing them to doubt their abilities. These thoughts can be very detrimental, as once this has happened it is very difficult to shake. The main thing you can do is learn from your mistakes and think positively. Instead of playing over past errors, focus on what is going to go right and how good your speech will be.

For others the whole idea of public speaking is scary, it may be their fist time to give a talk and they are fearing the unknown so to speak. In this instance the best advice is to learn your speech, not word for word as under pressure a single word may slip your mind and you could be thrown off the whole speech, but simply getting a feel for the piece topic for topic. A good hint is to write areas of the speech onto little post its notes or revision cards. By being fully prepared it will give you more confidence and allow you to focus on delivery rather then ‘remembering’ all your words.

Nerves are an issue for many people. When getting up in front of a large group of people, the ‘fight or flight’ response is often triggered. Causing an increase in heart rate, sweaty palms, and often nervous shaking or twitching. This is due to a sudden release of adrenaline in the body. But it can be contained, when many people start feeling this way they panic which only speeds up the unpleasant symptoms you are already feeling. You can take steps to eliminate this, including controlling your breathing. Remember to inhale slowly and deeply. And by converting this extra adrenaline into energy you can add extra ‘oomph’ to your speech, rather then letting it take over your body.

5 Ways to Liven Your Audience

Has a boring speaker ever put you to sleep? Your head begins to nod as you fight off the urge to slip mercifully into the Land of the Z’s. Or has your mind ever wandered during someone’s dull presentation? Although you appear to listen intently, what you are really thinking about are the million tasks waiting for you at home.

Sure, this has happened to all of us, more than we would like to admit. However, don’t let it happen to you when you are the speaker. The key to keeping your audience from taking a mental exit is to involve them in your talk. Yes! Studies show that the more you involve your audience, the more they retain. Why? Because they are listening!

You can involve your audience in several ways, and I have listed 5 of my favorites below. Select those that will work well with your presentation and that feel genuine to you. If it feels uncomfortable, it will look uncomfortable—so don’t use it.

1. Ask questions.
Questions will cause your audience members to try to think of an answer. They can’t help it – it is simply how our brains are wired. If the energy in the room starts to drop, ask a question and select a member of your audience to respond. Then, thank him or her for participating and move on to the next person. Don’t worry about loosing control of your audience. Sales guru Brian Tracy emphasizes, “He (she) who asks questions is in control.” I personally prefer questions like “How many of you . . .,” and then I ask for a show of hands. These closed-ended questions get your audience involved both mentally and physically.

2. Finish your sentence.
For example, if you said to your audience, “Lions and tigers and bears . . .” and did not finish the sentence, what do you think they would say? As long as they are familiar with the movie The Wizard of Oz, they would respond with “Oh my!” This is a fun way to get your audience to participate. If they know the answer, they will blurt it out. If they don’t, you answer it. Choose something that should be so obvious they will absolutely get it.

3. High-five.
This is one of my personal favorites, and if you have attended one of my talks you have experienced it firsthand. If you ever feel like the energy in the room is heavy, you can change it by using this technique. Simply ask a question (remember the power of asking questions). Ask, “Is this good stuff?” When your audience responds with “Yes,” say “Then, turn to the people on either side of you and give them a high-five and say ‘This is good stuff!’” Most people get a kick out of it. However, if you have an individual in your audience who does not want to participate, don’t worry about it. Some people simply just don’t want to have fun.

4. Do exercises.
I learned this trick from the famous millionaire T. Harv Ecker when I took his “Train the Trainer” course. He says, “Get your audience to do the work.” To accomplish this, ask them to break into groups of two or three (with people that they don’t know) and give them an exercise that is congruent with your presentation. Afterward, ask them to share openly with the rest of the group and thank them for doing so.

5. Give them candy.
Reward your audience for participating, and they will participate even more. Simply ask a question and when someone answers it, gently throw a small piece of candy to that person. I find that chocolate works best. You will find that it becomes a game and people will compete for the chocolate. I don’t use this throughout my entire speech, only for a few minutes in the middle of my talk.

There are many other ways and techniques to get your audience involved. What is important as a speaker is for you to come up with as many different ways as you can think of that are appropriate for your audience and for you as a speaker. Believe me, your audience will thank you.