Tackling anxiety: overcoming a fear of public speaking
This one-day course is designed to help you overcome fear of public speaking to become a confident and engaging presenter. You'll learn invaluable techniques for overcoming fear of public speaking and develop your speaking skills through a variety of practical exercises.
The key to overcoming fear of public speaking is practice, so you'll be speaking a lot throughout the day to desensitise how you experience speaking in a group. The environment will be safe, informal and supportive as you build your confidence step by step.
Prior to the course, you will have a pre-course coaching call with the trainer to explore your personal challenges around public speaking, review objectives for the training and identify key areas to work on in the session.
You can also attend our half-day Beginners Course: Public Speaking Essential Skills or get Private Coaching for 1-to-1 support.
COURSE OUTLINE:
We’ll begin by exploring what triggers public speaking anxiety and what happens in your body when you have a fight or flight response, before you learn practical techniques for overcoming stage fright. You'll learn about why you react the way that you do when you have to speak in front of people and how you can change your thinking habits so that you react differently.
Drawing on techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and mindfulness, we’ll help you change your ‘self-talk’ around public speaking and break any existing negative associations you currently hold.
You’ll take part in a positive visualisation exercise to build your confidence and learn how to use this technique at home for when you have speaking events coming up.
We'll teach you body language and voice techniques that build rapport with your audience, before you put them into practice in a series of speaking exercises. You'll receive specific feedback on your presenting style from both the trainer and other participants, as you discover your natural strengths and learn how to build on them.
In the afternoon, you'll learn how to structure a presentation that it has a lasting impact, and we'll share 12 practical tips on how to mentally and physically prepare in the days leading up to a big meeting or presentation.
Finally, you'll complete a goal-setting worksheet where you set yourself challenges and goals around public speaking to ensure you continue making progress after you leave. We encourage you to swap contact details with other delegates on the course so you can form a peer group and support each other in meeting your goals after the course.
We'll finish the day on a confidence-building meditation session to leave you feeling ready for your next speaking opportunity.
TAKE AWAY:
- Post-course mentoring call to review progress
- A positive visualisation audio to listen to at home to prepare you for a public speaking event
- A hard back copy of GROW – a book on managing your thinking to overcome perfectionism and fear of failure
- A goal-setting action plan to develop your public speaking skills over the next 6 months
- Course handbook with practical tips and advice
- Free access to our Taster Workshops to practise your speaking skills
Agenda
10.00am — Course opens
- Understanding stage fright and how to control the fight or flight response
- Reprogramming how you feel about public speaking
- 15 minute positive visualisation exercise
- Techniques for cultivating charisma on stage and getting your message across: body language, voice and content
13.00 — Lunch
- How to structure a presentation to maximise audience impact
- 10 practical tips to help you prepare mentally and physically in the week before a presentation
- Goal-setting exercise: 6 month plan
- Confidence-building meditation session
16.30 — Course ends
Video tips:
This course is delivered as in-house training for companies, and also runs as a public course on dates that are mutually convenient for attendees. To register interest to attend the course, please submit your email address below:
"I attended this course in March 2017. The course was not only great for practising public speaking, as there were many opportunities to stand up and speak in front of the group, but also very helpful in understanding the reasons behind the fear and anxiety that comes with public speaking. The course was well structured and very informative, in a friendly and welcoming environment. I now feel more comfortable speaking in public and know how to effectively control my nerves. There's also follow-up practice that makes sure you continue to build your confidence. Would definitely recommend this course to anyone who feels dread when thinking about speaking publicly!"Chloe Bemrose, Events and Marketing Assistant, Southbank Consulting
"5/5. Really enjoyable and practical workshop. A must for anyone who has a fear of public speaking and is trying to grow their own business with public speaking."Kate Windebank, Personal Branding Coach