Inspire others with a 'voice of leadership'

Friday June 25, 2010

Overcome your fears  and allow yourself to be heard, writes Sally Maybelle

Would you like people to stop, take notice and really listen to what you have to say?

Would you like more confidence and clarity in expressing your 'voice of leadership' to really connect with people when you stand up and speak?

Would you like that speacial X factor?

If you're like most people you are glossophobic (afraid of public speaking).

Let's look at what makes you afraid when you get ready to speak in public. Dr Roger Flax , an executive consultant in the United States, surveyed 12,000 senior executives and asked them what their reasons were for being afraid of public speaking. His results were published in the American Salesman magazine in 1990: here were the top answers:

• 63 per cent were afraid of being boring.
• 71 per cent were afraid of freezing up and forgetting.
• 77 per cent were afraid of runing their career or reputation.
• 81 per cent were afraid of making an embarrassing mistake.

Can you relate to these fears?

Dr Stephen R Covey cites in his book The 8th Habit the Harris Poll of 23,000 employees - it found that only:

• 15 per cent felt they worked in a high trust environment.
• 17 per cent felt they had open communication in their organisation.

This means there is not much trust or connection happening out there. So what keeps you from being fully confident and connected?

One of the basic emotions which gets in our way is shame.

Did anyone ever say to you "pull your head in"? Have you ever been humiliated? Were you ever told you shouldn't be a tall poopy or a show off? Did you ever feel you just weren't good enough or didn't belong?

We learn to pull our head in not to risk looking the fool - to tone ourselves down abit to keep ourselves safer...yet safer also means less inspiring.

Are you interested in inspiring others when you speak?

Then perhaps you might need to challenge any feelings of "I'm not ready" or "I'm not good enough".

There are some very basic things people can do to counteract the fears.

The first one is to breathe deeply. Breathing helps lower our stress hormone levels of adrenaline and cortisol and literally calms us down to be more resourceful. By breathing fully and consciously at least ten minutes before speaking, as well as while you're speaking, the focus on what you are saying will be clearer.

Secondly, to help with nervousness it is important to maintain an awareness of what the audience needs to feel and to hear. once you feel their connectedness, you will feel better your self-consciousness will begin to melt away. Asking lots of questions to reach out and connect will help.

Thirdly, become aware of your five senses. if your head is spinning, and you're having trouble focusing on the task at hand, simply stop and notice what you hear-traffic outside, a bird singing, a motor humming. What can you see - the colour of the carpet, the number and shape of the windows, the lights, the people in the room? What can you smell? Is the room musty or fresh smelling? Can you smell someones perfume? What can you feel? Can you feel your feet on the ground, the temperature of the air? And finally taste. Have you recently had something to eat? Can you taste mint or garlic?

By experimenting and practicing these techniques you will find your fears diminish and this leads to an increased confidence to make your voice heard.

So are you holding yourself back, not fully allowing your voice to be heard?

In my work with business leaders and in my Voice of Leadership workshop, i teach "Seven Steps to Powerful Presence" and "Seven Steps to Crafting a Presentation" which all support leaders in strengthening their confidence, connection and effectiveness while speaking.

Do you still feel you are "not good enough" to be a speaker?

A few months ago, i was asked to become the new president of the national Speakers' Association of New Zealand's Auckland chapter. I had a little voice come up and say "i'd love to!"...which was drowned out immediately by another bigger voice saying, "I'm not ready...I have to wait until I'm more experienced...a better speaker...abetter leader."

Another voice in me said , "Take the plunge go for it!'

I ended up accepting the challenge and its been a tremendous experience....I've been encouraged to step up and find and express my own voice of leadership.

So, don't wait till you feel good enough-you might never get started...the time is now - not later... remember to consider the reality of your time limit here on earth.

Here's to you stregthing your confidence and connection and moving your communication up the scale from ordinary to inspiring...taming your fears and discovering your 'voice of leadership'.

• Sally Mabelle has been a 'voice of leadership' specialist for the past 20 years. She uses techniques from acting and singing, and has applied insights derived from the disciplines of psychology, communication and pedagogy. She started her career in the US where she gained an M.Ed. (Masters degree in Education),Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia,a B.A. with honors,Rhetoric and Communication Studies,The University of Virginia, and a Spiritual Psychology certification from the University of Santa Monica.

 View our Provider Directory for Sally's contact details.