Master Your Adrenaline.
Instead of fighting adrenaline, use it to power your presentations.
Does this sound familiar?
Have you ever gone to speak in a meeting and felt your face flush with that warm sensation?
Have you ever known you’re about to present and all of a sudden felt your throat dry up?
Do you magically need to go to the bathroom before a scary meeting?
If so, your adrenaline may have been sending you a message: I’m here to help you nail this.
Why does adrenaline take over?
Adrenaline is the hormone your body reserves for emergencies, when you’re stressed, or excited.
If you’re nervous, stressed and/or excited at work, and sometimes you can be all three, it will turn up the volume.
What does it look like?
Here are examples of our students who have experienced adrenaline when public speaking:
‘My mind goes blank’.
‘My neck goes red.’
‘I get super sweaty’.
‘I talk like a chipmunk’.
‘I swear like a pirate.’
‘I want to throw up’.
Do any sound like you?
It’s not a mystery that you feel wild when you present.
It’s biology.
Given adrenaline is the hormone that is produced when you feel scared, stressed, or excited, and you can be all of those things at work, especially when presenting, it’s to be expected that you’ll have adrenaline make a cameo.
Fun fact: did you know most people hate public speaking?
Approximately 75% of people experience some form of anxiety or fear of speaking in front of an audience. One study found people would rather do anything other than public speaking, including moving house and getting a divorce.
Some people also feel uncomfortable with the idea of being ‘seen’ or ‘perceived’. And a smaller percentage also experience ‘glossophobia’ (a fear of public speaking).
If you get hardcore adrenaline, you’re actually in the majority.
If you expect adrenaline, you can find ways to manage it.
Adrenaline is a part of the gig of public speaking. Even when you’re experienced.
Adrenaline = you’re doing work you care about.
If you didn’t care, your adrenaline wouldn't bother. It has better things to do.
Instead of saying ‘get calm’ try excitement.
Did you know nerves and excitement are both states of arousal?
In one study by Harvard Business School, people who mentally reframed ‘nervousness’ into ‘excitement’ performed 17% better in public speaking and karaoke, and 22% in maths tests.
In our Presenting with Confidence workshops, we get people to create a mantra that helps them reframe their natural nervousness into productive thinking.
Here are examples:
‘I am nervous because I’m excited. I’m excited because I want this to go well.’
‘I am nervous because this is important to me. Because it’s important, I am going to do the best job I can.’
‘What a good opportunity today is. I’m going to learn how to work with my adrenaline today.’
What do you think your version of this could be?
For many students, they are not sincerely ‘excited’.
They are sincerely terrified. That’s where a gateway statement can come in handy.
Examples:
‘Hello adrenaline. Thank you for helping me. I’ve got it from here.’
‘Aah, the hot flush cameo returns. I guess I’m doing work I care about.’
‘At least this’ll wake me up today. Hello, adrenaline’.
When you look at the above statements, do any seem closer to your experience?
Present over perfect.
Having less to remember puts less pressure on being ‘perfect’.
Instead of wanting to achieve the perfect presentation, figure out how you can convey a simpler message.
Write down your key points.
If your mind goes blank, write down your most important points or play yourself an audio memo before you speak. This’ll help you keep to your message.
Give the audience a job.
Take the spotlight off you, and give your heart rate a chance to settle.
By giving your audience a job, you buy yourself time and give your adrenaline a chance to settle in.
Examples of jobs include: getting them to grab a workbook, write down one question they have about your topic, or introducing themselves to each other and why they are here.
When it feels like your face is on fire.
You are not a beetroot although it might feel like it. But, what can give you confidence is making a plan for it.
Find an outfit that masks it, while you get comfortable. Examples include a power blazer, a high neck shirt or a hoodie if that’s your work style.
Create a ‘comfort routine’.
The idea is that you’re reminding your nervous system you’re safe. Doing things that are professional but comforting can help you feel more present in your body while adrenaline does its thing.
Examples include: wriggling your feet in your shoes, pinching your thumb before you speak and if you’re at home, kicking off your shoes to have your feet on the ground.
Practice for case scenarios.
It sounds depressing but having a back up plan in case everything goes wrong gives you a sense of security on the day.
That could mean having a copy of your presentation printed out; having your first word written down on a note page somewhere if you get lost; making a plan to ask the audience a question in case the projector turns off randomly (this happens more than you think).
Say it out loud in front of an audience.
The reason public speaking freaks so many people out is because the adrenaline feels like a foreign object in their body.
Instead, by practising ‘role playing’ your adrenaline before the big meeting or presentation, you’re more in control come show day.
Improve your ability to manage your adrenaline by practising it in low stakes environments. Role playing the real thing, with a trusted audience can be a huge confidence booster.
By doing so, you can then reflect on what you noticed, and workshop ideas on how to manage your body's response next time.
Looking at this list, do you see any inspiration for your own practice?
Instead of fighting adrenaline, accept it.
Sure adrenaline is wild. But you’re feeling that way because it’s important to you. Consider finding creative ways to work with it.
Consider whether your adrenaline is a bit like a helium balloon, that slowly deflates once you've settled in. Once you get going, and remind yourself that it’s more important to be present vs a perfect message, it starts to deflate.
Help your people put their best foot forward.
Presenting with confidence gives access to endless opportunities and greater influence.
In our presentation training, leaders and individual contributors alike learn to engage audiences, manage nerves, and present with confidence.
Presenting with Confidence Programme.
Any time you’re communicating, you’re presenting.