• Unit 11: Overcoming Anxiety and Uncertainty

    The unpredictable nature of live real-time presentations causes most of us to feel some apprehension before speaking in public. One factor in managing public speaking anxiety is becoming familiar with our responses (physical and psychological) to speaking in public and developing strategies for managing that anxiety. Another important part of managing public speaking anxiety is learning how to control the unexpected things that commonly occur. In this unit, we will examine outside factors that affect presentations, such as the audience, question and answer sessions, the location and time, and last-minute changes. This way, we can develop contingency plans to respond appropriately.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • describe strategies for managing public speaking anxiety; and
      • describe common external factors that can impact presentations and plans for managing them.

    • 11.1: Reducing Anxiety of Public Presentations

      Most presenters, even those who regularly present, get anxious before giving a speech. If you are feeling nervous, you are not alone! Know that there are many techniques to help you manage your anxiety before and during your presentation. For example, it usually helps to arrive early for your presentation, be prepared, and know your subject matter well. It also helps to practice slow, paced breathing to help counter the physical symptoms that accompany speaking anxiety and help calm your body. This section will give you additional strategies to discover what works best for you.

      • Communicating with a Live Audience Book

        Read this chapter for an overview of the issues and potential complications of public speaking.

      • How to Overcome Stage Fright Page

        Watch this video, which explains what public speaking anxiety or "stage fright" is and what you can do to manage it.

      • Managing Speech Anxiety Page

        Watch this video, which introduces the concept of communication apprehension (the umbrella term that includes public speaking anxiety) and offers some techniques for managing it.

      • Speaking with Confidence Page

        Read this chapter, which offers advice and encouragement to help you manage your anxiety, reduce stress, and confidently present in a public setting.

      • Speaking Anxiety Tip Sheet Page

        This tip sheet includes a helpful summary of practical strategies you can use when you give your next presentation. Take a minute to review the tips, and keep this graphic handy for future reference.

      • Managing Anxiety Page

        Watch these short videos to explore some additional tips you can use to manage your anxiety.

    • 11.2: Adapting to Your Audience

      Audiences are unpredictable. Your research may be able to anticipate how they will react to your message, but nothing is certain. If you are delivering your presentation to an audience in a "live" setting, you should always try to monitor their faces and reactions to make sure they understand what you have said so you can respond accordingly.

      For example, you may need to stop and explain a concept differently if the audience looks confused. You may also need to animate your presentation with a story, talk more quickly, or skip ahead to your next slide if your audience looks bored.

      Suppose you are presenting to an audience in a remote location and cannot see their faces. In that case, you may try to incorporate technology-based communication tools to obtain audience feedback, such as a chatroom, email, social media, or text messaging. You might try to recruit someone to monitor the messaging system you choose and devise a plan for how your assistant will alert you as the feedback comes in. This should make it easier to monitor the responses while you are presenting.

      • Adapting to Your Audience Book

        Read this advice on how to read your audience and respond to their feedback during your presentation.

    • 11.3: Preparing for Questions from the Audience

      Presenters often invite audience members to ask questions during their presentation, such as at the end of a designated section or after they have finished their presentation. This helps further engage your audience and make your conversation more meaningful. You might use technology platforms like email or a social media backchannel to gather questions and comments from within the room and elsewhere. How you gather audience questions depends on your style. For example, some presenters thrive on interruptions during their presentations, while others find them too disruptive.

      Before your presentation, spend some time anticipating potential questions and preparing your responses in advance so you are not surprised while you are in the spotlight. You might also ask your colleagues or friends for their ideas to obtain different perspectives.