If you want to be a leader in any profession, you need to be comfortable speaking in front of crowds. Yet, I've worked with too many students who've told me: "I've avoided pursuing opportunities because I was too afraid to speak."

That's why I'm passionate about teaching communication. I believe anyone can speak confidently and eloquently when taught the right techniques, because that's the exact transformation I went through from a struggling corporate marketing coordinator in 2014 to a head of business development who's given hundreds of talks in the past decade.

We go way more in-depth on techniques to stay calm before speaking in the ​Impromptu Speakers Academy​, and I also made a video breaking down my top 3 techniques to calm your nerves before speaking publicly ​HERE​. Below are my three favorites.

Technique #1: Shift to a "Gift" Mindset

Instead of viewing your talk or presentation as a daunting expectation you have to meet, reframe it as a gift you're giving your audience. Before speaking, write out this gift statement template:

For example:

• I want my sales leadership team to feel more confident about our enablement plan in order to endorse it this quarter.
• I want my customer to feel hopeful that we can solve her biggest problem in order to hit their revenue targets this month.
• I want my patient to feel assured in our ability to execute the procedure.

You don't need to fill out every blank. Some gift statements are more focused on informing their audiences, while others are meant to inspire more emotion without clear CTAs.

But this mindset shift reminds you that it's not about the expectations you're putting on yourself to perform well. Instead, it's about reminding yourself that every time you speak, you are doing an act of service for your audience.

 

Technique #2: Use the "And It's Alright" Technique

Right before you start speaking, your adrenaline and nerves will spike. This is normal and natural. But if you let anxious thoughts spiral by saying "Oh no, I'm so nervous!" it will make you even more jittery.

Instead, I like disarm the negativity by doing a simple 10-second exercise privately before I walk on stage.

I smile, nodding my head slowly and simply say aloud, "And it's alright."

This is a somatic feedback loop. A somatic feedback loop occurs when a physiological action (e.g., saying "And it's alright" while nodding your head) causes a mental reaction (e.g., initially feeling calm), which then causes another physiological reaction (e.g., release of tension in your body and allowing adrenaline to pass through your body).

 

Technique #3: Practice the E-I-E Breath Exercise

The fastest and the best way to de-stress in real-time, according to renowned neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, is the following:

I love this. The technique I've used for years is a similar deep breathing exercise called the EIE, which stands for:

1. Exhale as much air out of your lungs as physically possible, constricting your stomach, by .
2. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, fully reinflating your lungs.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth.

A full EIE should last between 30 and 45 seconds.

Repeat this cycle at least 3 times before speaking, ensuring your lungs are adequately filled with air and your nerves can't as easily hijack your voice control. During your last EIE, say a short sentence like, "I'm excited to be here." Notice how your voice sounds deeper, calmer, and has more projection.

We all feel nervous, particularly right before we speak, and I hope these tips -- especially the last two -- help you calm down to perform at your best.

Just remember, staying calm is only part of the battle. You need to be concise and clear when you speak, especially when you’re not prepared, in order to command respect at work and grow your career. 

If you found this helpful, the Impromptu Speakers Academy is my 3-week bootcamp to help you become a clear and confident speaker at work. Reserve your spot today while they're still available.

 See you next week.

Preston