Category: fear of public speaking

Breaking the Stage Fright Barrier: 10 Techniques

Have you ever experienced stage fright? You know, the butterflies in the stomach, the shaky hands, sweaty palms, and maybe rapid breathing? It’s not fun. This performance anxiety is common in public speaking and other performance-related activities. Many years ago, when my children were teenagers, I experienced performance anxiety when I wanted to encourage them […]

Is Cancel Culture Bullying You Into Silence?

“No Comment.”  Have you ever wished you had simply said, “No comment”? Are you being silenced for fear of backlash? Michael Toebe, the editor of Communication Intelligence Magazine, recently interviewed me for commentary about the rise of online backlash and “cancellations” in THIS article featuring the story of professional golfer, Graeme McDowell, who experienced tremendous […]

Speak with Confidence Today!

Do you have a presentation coming up, maybe in the next day, maybe in a couple of hours? Then, the video below is for you. I’m not going to talk about strategies for building content or creating awesome slides. I’m going to focus solely on what you can do to build confidence on the day […]

Delay Tactics When Asked an Unexpected Question

[Book excerpt from my book on impromptu speaking] There are many impromptu situations and questions that you can anticipate, but often it seems that they come out of left field, surprising you when you least expect them . . .  . . . Sometimes, you need to buy just a little more time; time to […]

The Link Between Performance Anxiety and Stuttering

Performance anxiety (or stage fright) is a subset of glossophobia — the fear of public speaking. It’s estimated that 77% of the population suffers from some level of anxiety regarding public speaking. Some physical symptoms of this are sweating, increased heart rate, and muscle tension. This can also manifest behaviorally through stuttering. How performance anxiety […]

Finding My Voice in Toastmasters

In the video below (6:50), I talk about why I joined and continue to stay involved in Toastmasters. Below the video is the transcript. This is me at age three. Big smile. Big teeth. Bad hair. Maybe you’ve had one of those mom haircuts. My mother was just trying to get my bangs straight. Instead, […]

Virtual Presentation Checklist

Pilots use them. Doctors use them. Checklists. You might use checklists for packing, or for a grocery list. But, do you have a virtual presentation checklist? A presentation checklist can be a lifesaver! Click HERE or on the image below to get your Virtual Presentation Checklist!

NEW! Group Program: Virtual Presentation Success

“Thank you for the outstanding job on facilitating the Virtual Speech training. I learned multiple things, some of them I had an idea, others were new. It provided great value for our time”–training participant Live, online group training + individual coaching Download the complete program description Build fundamental skills essential to presenting in a virtual […]