hey I'm Riaz Meghji founder of the every conversation counts platform and
17-year television broadcaster this is the channel that helps you make deeper
connections ask the questions that create breakthrough moments and become a
captivating storyteller on every stage the need for human connection right now
is everywhere difficult conversations about the future creative pitches to
reinvent your reality or maybe a high stakes presentation in a virtual setting
now why do we get nervous about these situations when we put ourselves out
there with no guarantee well our bodies fight-or-flight response takes over
adrenaline gets released and our body prepares to combat our perceived threat
and we might feel threatened for various reasons because we might fear that
people see that we're scared we might fear being judged or maybe
we've had a previous failure in front of people that lingers in the back of our
mind this is why we feel physical symptoms like our hearts are racing our
stomachs are turning and let's not forget the flopsweat that can be in full
effect that everyone can see well how can you calm your nerves and confidently
connect with others the next time you're asked to speak we'll consider these five
ideas at the beginning of my broadcast career I used to feel like I was an
amateur for getting nervous fast-forward two decades I can say I
still feel that rush of excited energy right before I appear on camera or walk
onto any stage why because they care about the outcome whenever anyone asks
hey are you nervous before an important presentation the way I answer that
question is I'm excited Allyson burns of the Harvard Business School did a study
on anxiety producing situations and found that if we reframe our nerves as
excitement in our minds this helps enhance performance versus saying I am
calm which is essentially lying to yourself when your body is in a
fight-or-flight mode nerves are normal and your nervous energy can be your ally
to help amplify your delivery because think about this if you're indifferent
and too relaxed that can work against you because it can come off to your
audience that you're not emotionally invested in your own words
number two good preparation is kryptonite to that anxiety and the best
way to manage your nervous energy know your material in and out and not
memorizing it verbatim but being confident with your key points consider
having all of your prep done 24 hours before you need to speak to help support
you being in a commerce state going into your presentation anticipate questions
that might be asked and thoughtfully prepare some answers and above all
practice yeah we're talking about practice and practice out loud because
it makes a huge difference one of the scariest things I remember doing when I
wrote my first professional speech was to practice delivering it out loud in
front of 10 of my closest friends in a small room this was terrifying because
they know me my nuances saw my weaknesses but gave me very honest
feedback and hearing this allowed me to make necessary adjustments if you can
deliver your material successfully in front of five to ten of your closest
supporters it will give you confidence when speaking in front of a bigger group
of people in fact it will feel less intimidating with a bigger audience once
you've done this and when you practice record it the more you practice and
review your work the better you will get number three focus on connection not
judgment at some point we all fear being judged am i standing confidently am i
moving around too much am I saying the right thing am i smiling enough once you
start shifting your energy outward and focusing on connecting with your
audience what they need what they're feeling what they're saying this will
allow you to begin to relax when live events start up again show up early
watch the other speakers meet and talk to people before you present so you can
understand what's on their mind you want to create a dialogue by asking them good
questions and getting them to participate interact and report back
this will really help channel your focus on them and the contribution you can
make in the virtual space the video of captivating a virtual audience right
here on this channel that covers some key ideas of showing up early to your
virtual meeting chatting with people beforehand if you can and getting their
thoughts in the chat right out the gate to make the experience
interactive these types of ideas will allow you to get out of your own way
versus getting consumed with how you're coming across number four make your
audience the hero remember there are three key audience factors consistently
in play if you've been asked to speak number one
they believe you're the expert honor that belief with your research and help
them work through their pain points number two they've invested their time
and want you and this experience to be successful just know they are in your
corner and number three if you forget something or make a mistake most of the
time they won't know in fact if it's a visible gaffe on your mistake they'll
appreciate you and your realness even more if you make the audience your hero
you will feel the difference of how they support you number five on your
imperfections if you're nervous check in with yourself and take a deep breath
just breathe sometimes we forget to breathe because we're so tense but I
guarantee you that oxygen to your brain will help you relax if you're nervous
instead of racing through your delivery take that breath and pause sometimes
that silence can speak wonders and where appropriate can add a powerful realness
to the experience and if you're nervous own it the audience loves an underdog
share your honest feelings with them and they will appreciate your authenticity
real connection isn't about perfection real connection is the ability to admit
your imperfections if you can shift your focus to connecting with your audience
and helping them with their pain points you will slowly realize that your
nervous energy is your ally not your enemy now to your turn
in the comments section below let us know what has worked for you to help
handle those dreaded nerves share your secrets below for more ideas on building
human connection you can also download the free guide the five secrets to
making every conversation count and that link you can find in the description
below thanks for watching this video for more ideas on how you can have better
and become a better listener check out these videos if you liked this one hit
the like button subscribe to this channel and feel free to share the
content well see you in the next video