Red = Physical/Behavioral
Teal = Cognitive
Orange = Affective
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Before
Presentation Day
After
Cognitive modification is proven useful for reducing speech anxiety. A coping statement could be "I can handle this by taking deep breaths" or "I feel tense, but it won't affect my presentation." Download worksheet.
Karen Kangas Dwyer, iConquer Speech Anxiety: A Workbook to Help You Overcome Your Nervousness about Public Speaking, (KLD Publications, 2012).
Graham Bodie, "A Racing Heart, Rattling Knees, and Ruminative Thoughts: Defining, Explaining, and Treating Public Speaking Anxiety," Communication Education, Vol. 59, No. 1 (2010), pp. 70–105. doi:10.1080/03634520903443849
In one study, when people increased their workout intensity, duration, and frequency, they experienced less anxiety in communication situations.
Janette Thomas, Karen Dwyer, and R. Rose, "Communication Apprehension and Exercise Adherence: There Is a Relationship," paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, Atlanta, GA, November 2001.
Speech anxiety is often "self-focused"—a "self-preoccupation." Instead, think about the audience, and know they want you to do well! In one study, people who suffered the greatest anxiety before a speech had the biggest change in how they perceived the audience after the speech perhaps because they thought the audience would react very negatively.
Peter D. MacIntyre and J. Renee MacDonald, "Public Speaking Anxiety: Perceived Competence and Audience Congeniality," Communication Education, Vol. 47, No.4 (1998), pp. 359-365.
Graham Bodie, "A Racing Heart, Rattling Knees, and Ruminative Thoughts: Defining, Explaining, and Treating Public Speaking Anxiety," Communication Education, Vol. 59, No. 1 (2010), pp. 70-105. doi:10.1080/03634520903443849
Barry R. Schlenker and Mark R. Leary, "Social Anxiety and Communication about the Self," Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 3-4 (1985), pp. 171–192.
Colin Boyd, "How to Calm Your Nerves When Presenting," Video, April 10, 2014, http://youtu.be/5Z9WCZLpl_A, accessed September 28, 2014.
Nerves aren't the problem (that's just the effect of adrenaline, which can add energy to a presentation). Don't worry about nerves or let them affect your performance. Your audience expects you to be nervous. If your voice shakes a little (if they can even hear it), so what? Being nervous doesn't mean you're a bad speaker; it just means your body is reacting naturally.
Judith A. Rolls, "Facing the Fears Associated with Professional Speaking," Business Communication Quarterly, Vol. 61, No. 2 (1998), pp. 103-106.
Chris Anderson, "How to Give a Killer Presentation: Lessons from TED," Experience, Harvard Business Review, June 2013, http://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation.
Sit in a chair with your hands on your knees and say, "I am sitting on a chair with my hands on my knees." Pause between each word and lift your hands off your knees a few inches before lowering them. Try walking from one end of a room to another, slowly describing each step you take.
Marjorie Brody, cited in "Getting Over Speech Anxiety," Harvard Management Communication Letter, February 2001.
Contrary to what people think, mindfulness is not "stopping thoughts" or "controlling the mind." Rather, it's about observing what's happening, including emotions, but without judgment. Familiarize yourself with the present moment.
Andy Puddicombe, "All It Takes Is 10 Mindful Minutes," Video, TEDSalon, November 2012, http://www.ted.com/talks/andy_puddicombe_all_it_takes_is_10_mindful_minutes.html, accessed October 10, 2013.
People think they look more nervous than they actually appear to an audience. Research shows that how a speaker rates his or her own behavioral (visible) anxiety doesn't correlate highly with audience ratings. When students in a study learned about this "illusion of transparency," they became better speakers: their audiences evaluated them as more composed and judged their presentations more favorably.
Thomas L. Rodebaugh and Dianne L. Chambless, "The Effects of Video Feedback on Self-Perception of Performance: A Replication and Extension," Cognitive Therapy and Research, Vol. 26, No. 5 (2002), pp. 629-644
Chris R. Sawyer and Ralph R. Behnke, "Public Speaking Anxiety and the Communication of Emotion," World Communication, Vol.25, No. 1 (1996), pp. 21-31.
Kenneth Savitsky and Thomas Gilovich, "The illusion of transparency and the alleviation of speech anxiety," Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 39, No. 6 (2003), pp. 618–625, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1031(03)00056-8.
Try anxiety-release strategies, such as deep breathing, to reduce your symptoms.
Martha Davis, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, (Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2008).
People who have physical reactions to the prospect of speaking in front of a group may simply have a more reactive nervous system. You may not be able to control your body's natural reaction, so focus on how you interpret and handle the physical signs instead.
Amber N. Finn, Chris R. Sawyer, and Ralph R. Behnke, "A Model of Anxious Arousal for Public Speaking," Communication Education, Vol. 58, No. 3 (2009), pp. 417–432.
People who practiced their presentation in front of 4 or more people received higher speech evaluations. (But students chose their own method of practice. Maybe a more confident speaker would choose this method?)
Tony E. Smith and Ann Bainbridge Frymier, "Get 'Real': Does Practicing Speeches Before an Audience Improve Performance?" Communication Quarterly, Vol. 54, No.1 (2006), pp. 111–125. doi: 10.1080/01463370500270538.
In one study, practicing a presentation in front of a mirror was the only preparation method positively correlated with better performance. (But students chose their own method of practice. Maybe a more confident speaker would choose this method? Also, this may not be the best approach if you're very critical of your appearance.)
Tony E. Smith and Ann Bainbridge Frymier, "Get 'Real': Does Practicing Speeches Before an Audience Improve Performance?" Communication Quarterly, Vol. 54, No.1 (2006), pp. 111–125. doi: 10.1080/01463370500270538.
A "performance orientation" causes some people to worry about being judged or evaluated negatively. Instead, think about connecting with the audience and talking with them, as in an informal conversation. Spend time speaking with people casually before the presentation begins.
John A. Daly, et al. (Editors), Avoiding Communication: Shyness, Reticence, and Communication Apprehension, (Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, 2009), pp. 23–52.
Conversation with David Lennox, senior lecturer of management communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, December 2013
Chris Anderson, "What Makes a Great Talk, Great," Video, TEDGlobal 2013, July 8, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhbvUZOLTQY, accessed September 22, 2014.
Instead of telling yourself to calm down or relax, which doesn't work, tell yourself you're excited. Your body reacts the same to anxiety and excitement, so focus on the positive emotion.
Alison Wood Brooks, "Get Excited: Reappraising Pre-Performance Anxiety as Excitement," Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol. 143, No. 3 (2015), pp. 1144–1158.
We are most sensitized to threat in the first minute of a speech, and our heart rate is at its peak. Taking just a moment to collect yourself and breathe may help calm your nerves.
Graham Bodie, "A Racing Heart, Rattling Knees, and Ruminative Thoughts: Defining, Explaining, and Treating Public Speaking Anxiety," Communication Education, Vol. 59, No. 1 (2010), pp. 70–105. doi: 10.1080/03634520903443849
Doing or thinking about something else can help right before a presentation. TED speakers often sit in the audience and watch the presentation just before theirs to keep themselves distracted.
Chris Anderson, "How to Give a Killer Presentation: Lessons from TED Experience," Harvard Business Review, June 2013, http://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation.
Don't tell yourself or other people that you're nervous. Instead, say "I'm looking forward to telling people about my idea" or "I know this topic really well."
"Getting Over Speech Anxiety," Harvard Management Communication Letter, February 2001.
For a natural, conversational style, practice using different words so you don't get stuck on a word you can't remember.
Amy Newman, Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online, 10e, (Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2016).
Although this may not work with the "extremely terrified," who will only picture failure, try to imagine your presentation going well. Imagine all of the details—the people, the room, the technology, and yourself—working well. Run through everything in your mind, including getting accolades at the end.
"Getting Over Speech Anxiety," Harvard Management Communication Letter, February 2001.
Breathe deeply through your nose from the diaphragm. Hold it for 5 or 6 seconds as you tighten every muscle in your body; make a fist, scrunch up your toes. Exhale through your mouth and release everything together. This will slow your heart rate down and help you focus on your body—not the presentation.
Marjorie Brody, cited in "Getting Over Speech Anxiety," Harvard Management Communication Letter, February 2001.
Eric Arceneaux, "Voice Lesson: How to Sing from the Diaphragm (Part 1)," Video, March 14, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SeSL9WdVBo, accessed September 28, 2014.
Anxiety release (one minute after a speech) is the final milestone, when your symptoms should dissipate. However, highly anxious speakers show higher stress levels, possibly because of "remorse or fear of negative evaluation." Try other anxiety-release strategies, including distraction, to reduce your symptoms.
Paul L. Witt, Kennaria C. Brown, James B. Roberts, Jessica Weisel, Chris R. Sawyer, and Ralph R. Behnke, "Somatic Anxiety Patterns Before, During, and After Giving a Public Speech," Southern Communication Journal, Vol. 71, No. 1 (2006), pp. 87–100. doi: 10.1080/10417940500503555
We tend to focus on the negatives, but studies show that anxiety may be reduced when students watch a video of their speech with some "cognitive preparation"—help to evaluate self-perceptions and watch the video objectively. Watching with another person may help you do this.
Thomas L. Rodebaugh, Richard G. Heimberg, Luke T. Schultz, and Michelle Blackmore, "The Moderated Effects of Video Feedback for Social Anxiety Disorder," Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Vol. 24, No. 7, (October 2010), pp. 663–671.
Don't be too hard on yourself. How you view your last presentation sets you up for the next. Focus on what you did well, and write down all of the positives that you can. Look at these periodically.
University of Wisconsin, "Taking Center Stage: Coping with Public Speaking Anxiety," http://www.uwstout.edu/counsel/speechanxiety.cfm, accessed September 22, 2014.