Do you think of big audiences like the people in the photo above—ready to tear down the barricades to get at you? Well, maybe not quite so hostile. But definitely intimidating!
The nation's speech coaches could probably retire tomorrow if you gave them a dollar for every time they heard this from a client: "I'm okay speaking one-on-one or to my team, or even to 10 or 20 people. But once it gets to be [200, 400, 500, depending upon the individual], then I experience speech anxiety."
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4 Ways to Conquer 'Large Audience Speech Anxiety'
#1. Be Thankful. If you have the job of speaking to large crowds, let's face it: you're luckyI Your status, and especially your "reach," have handed you a golden opportunity. So think of your speech or presentation this way.
For one thing, you have maximum visibility in your company and industry. This is a good thing where getting noticed and receiving promotions are concerned. The very thing that may be freaking you out—being in the spotlight—is the thing you should be grateful for.
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Try not to waste your time, either, by repeating the mantra: "I love everything about this job except public speaking." As I tell my clients who say this: you need to stop this habit of separating the "good" aspects of your position, and its demand for speaking publicly. Otherwise, you'll always hate the times you're called upon to speak. Simply accept that getting up on your feet in front of stakeholders is an essential part of your job—but only one part, after all.
#2. Accept the Benefits of Public Speaking. Aside from anything to do with you, speaking to a large audience is doing wonders for the listeners and for your organization. We tend to work alone, in silos, or at best on small teams. Having everyone in your department or company, or a large section of your industry gathered in one place, hearing the same message at the same time is almost miraculous in its potential value and impact.
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And then there's efficiency. What's easier: giving one talk to a thousand people, or having a thousand individual conversations? At the very least, your presentation is something out of the ordinary office routine of every listener. That alone makes it more memorable, with the potential to influence an audience member's actions for some time after the speech has been given.
#3. Relish the Opportunity to Reach These People. The trick here is to remind yourself that these are the same people you have 1:1 conversations with in the office or coffee shop. Stakeholders are stakeholders. Importantly, THEY DON'T CHANGE when they become a member of a large group of listeners.
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Audiences, then, are simply gatherings of the individuals you always wanted to influence! Their personalities don't change when they reach critical mass, morphing into a hive mentality or turning into members of the Borg who become trapped within the shared mind of The Collective. Importantly, that goes for their responses as well. Not only will your influence not diminish from that of your chat in the coffee shop—it will probably grow because your credibility and authority have been established as one of the speakers on this important occasion.
#4. Understand that the Audience Is Rooting for You. This is true for two reasons. First, everyone knows how nerve-wracking public speaking is, for virtually everyone. They grasp that it takes courage to stand before a large assembly of strangers and speak with coolness and composure. Inwardly, they're already applauding you.
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The second reason has to do with the audience members' individual reactions if you're having difficulties. (Or even if you're doing fine but think you're bombing because of your anxiety.) It's common to think that large audiences don't care about us, and may even be resistant to us or our message. That's because they don't show their support openly. But it's there.
Let's put it this way: nothing is more embarrassing than sitting in an audience watching a speaker fail. We want to help that person, and we know we can't. "Poor guy/poor woman. I wish there were something I could do," is what most of us think at these moments. The listeners aren't itching to tear down the barriers at all—unless it's the barriers that are making things difficult for you. And the opposite feeling among them? — That's when you succeed, and the individual audience member goes home or back to the office, thinking, "I'm glad I listened to that talk. It was well worth my time and effort to get there."
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Gary Genard is an actor, author, and expert in public speaking and overcoming speaking fear. His company, The Genard Method offers live 1:1 Zoom executive coaching and corporate group training worldwide. In 2022 for the ninth consecutive year, Gary has been ranked by Global Gurus as One of the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals. He is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller How to Give a Speech. His second book, Fearless Speaking, was named in 2019 as "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time." His handbook for presenting in videoconferences, Speaking Virtually offers strategies and tools for developing virtual presence in online meetings. He also the author of Speak for Leadership: An Executive Speech Coach's Secrets for Developing Leadership Presence. His latest book is The Confidence Book: 75 Ways to Reduce Your Anxiety, Let Go of Your Fears, Change Your Negative Thinking, and Live Fully in the Moment. Contact Gary here.
Photo credit: Alexandr96 on Pixabay.com
