Today more than ever, whether it’s a Zoom meeting, onstage, or in the boardroom, highly skilled professionals in all industries are experiencing anxiety when they are called upon to speak in public. Even though they may be valued for their creativity and know-how, they are often thrust into the limelight to give a presentation with little or no training to do it effectively.
It’s no wonder the fear of speaking in public affects about 75% of the world’s population, and the discomfort is only increasing – particularly for those presenting in a second language.
On a recent episode of Influencers Radio with Jack Mize, Voice and Performance Coach SJ Harrison discussed how she helps smart professionals overcome their performance challenges to become effective presenters and achieve the highest results.
During the interview, Harrison broke down some of the most common misconceptions that strike fear in otherwise smart and skilled professionals when it comes to speaking in public.
Explaining how many people feel that they can’t give a good presentation if they are nervous, Harrison said, “That ties into a sense of perfection. (people think) I can’t reach my audience or do a good enough job if it’s not perfect. And really, we’re just human beings speaking to other human beings. So as I’m sitting here talking to you, and I know that we’re on the air, even though it’s pre-recorded, I feel a little bit of nerves. We’re not going to erase that and somehow become this perfect person. We’re all imperfect. We’re talking to imperfect people. So we ourselves don’t need to be perfect to perform. We just need to connect.”
Admitting that she herself is an introvert by nature, Harrison debunked the misconception that only extroverts can be charismatic performers, saying, “Many actors are introverts, but they’re able to compartmentalize these moments of performance. And that’s, in fact, what I do myself. You just tell yourself, it’s for this hour and then I get to go back and be quiet and renew. A lot of what it means to be an introvert is that you renew by quiet and by being by yourself.”
Listening to this episode, it’s easy to understand why Harrison is so highly regarded and trusted by professionals when it comes to overcoming the fear of speaking in public by developing the skill and confidence to find their authentic “Voice”.
SJ Harrison is an internationally trained performer with a strong background in organizational culture and development. As the creator of the “Unlock Your Performance Power” coaching program, she helps skilled professionals who are anxious about presenting and public speaking turn their challenges into triumphs by teaching highly effective performance techniques, starting with the voice.
To listen to the full interview visit https://InfluencersRadio.com/sj-harrison
To learn more about SJ Harrison, visit https://sjharrisoncoach.com