Handling Stage Fright with Dr. Bill Lampton

Making the Right Choice

Speakers have 3 choices when they stand up to speak:

1. Focus on themselves entirely

2. Do they like me?

3. Did I wear the right outfit?
4. Am I going to stammer and stumble?
5. Is the audience paying attention?

Result: Every mistake becomes magnified in importance. We get so wrapped up in performance that we forget what we want to achieve. Paralysis by analysis turns us into robotic reciters not speakers.

1. Focus on the audience

2. Change your opinion about audiences. The vast majority of listeners aren't critics, they are cheerleaders and they want you to succeed.

3. Pick out the most responsive listeners as soon as you can. They are easy to find, attentive, usually smiling and physically alert. Look at them often to draw strength from their feedback.

4. Involve the audience when you can. Ask participants to shake hands, raise their hands, stand up and stretch or carry out brief assignments with partners.

5. Focus on the message

6. When you are genuinely involved in your message, you are determined to persuade others about your conviction.

7. Speaking changes from a chore to a privilege
8. Your creativity increases and you come up with catchy word combinations you had not even planned.
9. You become animated and more impressive than ever.
10. You are not preoccupied with the impression you are making.

Links: ChampionshipCommunication.com