5 Steps to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

A few years ago, I got invited to speak at an event for the first time. I accepted it then, and it was a great mistake, as panic overwhelmed me. I remembered the anxiety I felt when I had to participate in class projects, speak in front of my peers, or participate in activities.

Note: This article is by Adam Grant, who shares 5 steps to overcome the fear of public speaking based on his personal experience.

I feared forgetting the ideas and points I intended to present at the event. Just a few days before the planned event, I nearly succumbed to the extremes of stress and anxiety, even though I had prepared, was ready, and had received public speaking training.

The speech went reasonably well, and I felt comfortable until I heard from the audience. Here are the following observations from their feedback:

• "Try to calm down. Your delivery was unimpressive; it appeared as though you had memorized the information and were not passionate or enthusiastic about it."
• "The presentation lacked vitality, enthusiasm, and interaction. Try to relax and speak naturally while engaging with the content."
• "I felt uncomfortable and disturbed while listening to you because you were so tense and anxious."

After that, I gave many well-received presentations and spoke at several events as the main speaker. Even though I still get nervous sometimes, my performance greatly improved, and I started to enjoy public speaking.

5 Steps to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

1. Avoid Forcing Yourself to Calm Down and Relax

Professor Alison Wood Brooks from Harvard Business School conducted a research study on public speaking. Participants were asked to deliver a speech about the ideal colleague. They were filmed and evaluated by a specialized committee.

Most participants underlined how crucial composure is to give successful speeches. However, trying to force calmness didn’t actually help them. The committee observed that participants who tried to relax during their presentations showed a decline in persuasiveness and self-assurance.

When speakers emphasize passion and energy over composure, their performances shine, and they succeed in convincing the audience. Encouraging passion improves vocal and chanting performances, as well as public speaking.

The human body consists of two different systems, one responsible for stimulation and the other for inhibition. In her book Quiet, author Susan Cain describes how she overcame her fear of public speaking to give a highly successful TED Talk. She explains, “The stimulation system is responsible for energizing the body and arousing excitement, while the inhibition system's function requires reducing activity levels and increasing caution and vigilance.”

Cain explains that overcoming anxiety requires activating the stimulation system. Also, she emphasizes that trying to eliminate fear and tension by shutting down the inhibition system is ineffective for overcoming negative emotions.

Anxiety is an intense emotion that’s difficult to overcome when doubts and uncertainty prevail. The solution is transforming anxiety into a positive, powerful emotion like enthusiasm.

I’ve learned to avoid dwelling on factors discouraging or dampening my determination. Instead, I focus on motivating myself and the reasons that drive me to share valuable and applicable information sprinkled with entertaining interludes.

While anxiety gradually decreases with increased enthusiasm, it never completely disappears—and that’s perfectly normal. As entrepreneur Richard Branson wisely said, “Don’t believe anyone who claims they don’t feel nervous when speaking in public.”

2. Train in Front of a Real Audience

In my early years, I used to rehearse giving speeches and presentations by myself. However, research conducted by the late psychologist Robert Zajonc showed that a speaker's emotions are triggered just by the audience's presence. It follows that practicing on its own is insufficient to help a speaker control and adjust to their emotions.

The answer is to practice giving speeches whenever feasible in settings that are close to the real event. It's best to rehearse in front of a small group so you can watch their reactions and get used to the psychological strain of visual communication.

Introverts often experience tension and discomfort when they become the center of others' attention and focus. The issue of visual interaction doesn’t arise significantly in front of large audiences because faces are less distinct—consequently, emotional reactions and anxiety decrease during speaking.

This suggests that giving a speech in front of a small group of people is a way to practice under extreme psychological pressure. For this reason, Susan Cain practiced delivering speeches in front of 20 people before speaking at a TED conference.

3. Reduce Venue’s Lighting Intensity

Reducing the venue’s lighting intensity can help reduce anxiety during speech delivery. This technique reduces emotional responses, disruptions, and anxiety by making faces less visible and reducing visual contact with the audience.

Recently, I discovered that audiences laugh and engage more when the lighting is dim. Most comedic performances take place in subdued lighting. In their book, The Humor Code, authors Peter McGraw and Joel Warner explained that dim lighting gives people the privacy and freedom to express their emotions and laugh at humorous ideas.

However, the downside of dim lighting is that it may encourage drowsiness. Therefore, it’s essential to assess the humor level in your speech before deciding to adjust the venue's lighting intensity.

4. Collect Information About the Audience

Gathering comprehensive information about their audience before an event decreases a speaker's tension level. This information helps customize content to the audience's needs and interests, infusing a personal and human touch into the material that resonates with their common ground.

Every year, I deliver a one-week training course to Master of Business Administration (MBA) students at the Wharton Business School. I don't have the chance to get to know them personally because the course is so short. Therefore, I dedicate a few days to reviewing their resumes and collecting some personal information about them. This makes me feel less anxious and more enthusiastic.

5. Open the Speech with a Riddle, Puzzle, or Story

I learned from the great actor and public speaking coach Dylan Chalfy that opening with a riddle directs the audience's attention away from the speaker and toward the ideas. Similar effects result from questions which draw attention away from passing judgment on the speaker and instead urge participants to reflect.

Author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell recommends storytelling openings because they enhance audience engagement and direct their focus toward the narrative and characters rather than the speaker.

In Conclusion

Public speaking can cause anxiety and fear in many people, which makes it more difficult for them to persuade the audience with their ideas.

The article offered five steps for overcoming public speaking anxiety. Therefore, redirect your attention away from negative emotions and focus on positive ideas to transform anxiety into enthusiasm.