If you’d prefer to do just about anything rather than speak in front of a crowd, here are seven tried-and-tested tips to help calm your nerves and project confidence.
1. Start with a bang
Seasoned public speakers often begin with a joke to grab the audience’s attention. When you sense the audience is engaged with what you’re saying, you naturally start to relax. Alternatively, begin with a short video or compelling story.
2. Practise over and over
You may think that public speaking comes more naturally to some than others, but everything comes with practice. Just as you would train for a race, preparation and practice are essential to a good presentation. Know your topic so well that you can’t possibly get derailed mid-speech.
3. Be yourself
When the stakes are high, so is your anxiety. Instead, pretend like you’re chatting with someone at a dinner party. It’s ok to interact with people in the audience who are nodding or otherwise showing interest. Make eye contact and smile at individuals just as you would when talking with someone face-to-face.
4. Show expression
As the speaker, you are the subject matter expert, which means you’re passionate about the topic. Share your enthusiasm and excitement with the people in the audience. This will mask any worries or anxiety.
5. Slow down
You have something important to share, so talk slowly and project your voice. Talking fast can be seen as nervousness – instead, an occasional pause will also make you sound more thoughtful and in control. Also try to avoid filler words such as “like” and “erm.”
6. Make some moves
Use your head, arms and hands to vary your gestures throughout the presentation. Small, restrained gestures convey authority and confidence, helping draw attention to your message. Try walking around and moving closer to the audience for better engagement. When you want to make several points, it helps to physically move a few steps for each one.
7. Use the right body language
To appear confident and relaxed, stand up straight with your head and chin up. Keep your hands out of your pockets and use them to gesture when appropriate, preferably with palms up. Most importantly, don’t forget to smile!
Next steps
To prep for your next speaking gig:
Ask a friend to critique your body language while you speak.
Practise smiling throughout the day so it will come naturally when you speak in front of a crowd.
Sources: huffpost.com; psychologytoday.com; inc.com; businesscollective.com; businessinsider.com; liveboldandbloom.com; blog.hubspot.com; ragan.com; rocketmatter.com
Black MondayOn 19 October 1987, the stock markets experienced a dramatic plunge that prompted many firms to shut down their trading desks and turn off their phones to minimize internal losses. Raymond James refused to do the same. Our desks stayed open to help meet clients’ needs, resulting in our first and only unprofitable quarter since the firm went public in 1983. |
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Who was Raymond James?The Raymond in our name is actually from Edward Raymond, owner of a 15-employee mutual fund sales group, Raymond and Associates, along Florida’s west coast. He sold his company to Bob James on 15 July 1964, on condition that the surviving firm be called Raymond, James & Associates. Three days after the sale, Ed Raymond was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident and never joined the firm. Nonetheless, even after Raymond had passed away, Bob James insisted that his name remain on the door – ahead of James’ own. That was a promise he made to Ed Raymond three days before the accident, and Bob James was a man who kept his promises. |
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Bear Market of 1974The severe bear market of 1974 threatened the existence of Raymond James, which was bleeding capital by the day. Tom James, his father and other leaders took extreme measures to keep the firm afloat, slashing costs, foregoing paychecks and even attempting to sell the firm for just enough capital to protect client assets and retain as many associates as possible. The story could have ended very differently if not for a sharp upturn and continued rebound in the stock markets late in the year. |
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Taking Raymond James PublicWhen consideration was being given to taking Raymond James public, Tom James penned a letter to shareholders (largely employees at the time). ” … the public offering should be considered as a statement of our independence. While this is a psychological rather than an economic rationale, it is nonetheless very important. We have asserted for some time that we are not interested in becoming a small part of a very large corporation. That assertion results mainly from the inclinations of management rather than the economic benefits associated with either alternative. The public stock offering affords us the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of the best of both worlds. While shareholders will be given liquidity at fair market value, we will still have the ability to control our own destiny.” After 40+ years of Tom’s leadership, upon becoming CEO, Paul Reilly was often questioned about whether the company might ultimately surrender its cherished independence and be acquired by some larger entity. His response: “Not while I’m around.” It’s a theme that continues today. |
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