A major reason people don’t enjoy giving speeches or speaking in public is because they suffer from nerves. Seeing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin speak last weekend when she was nominated by John McCain, it would be hard to think that she was nervous – but I bet she was. She just knew how to handle her nerves! Here are some tips for dealing with nerves:

1. Saying “er” or “um” are irritating. The bond of trust with the audience is broken. If you feel the urge to say “er” or “um”, pause and use silence instead. Practice this in every day speech until it becomes second nature.
2. If you are not pumping with adrenaline before you speak, you may be suffering from complacency. Harold Macmillan used to be physically sick before Prime Minister’s Questions. It’s ok to feel nervous!
3. The better prepared you are, the less likely you are to feel nervous. If you leave anything to the last minute or worse, to chance, this will only make you feel nervous. Eliminate as many uncertainties as you can before you start.
4. Walk slowly and purposefully towards the lectern (if there is one). Breathe deeply and take time to adjust your posture. If you exhibit confidence, the audience will be receptive.
5. Once at the lectern, adjust the microphone. Survey your audience, make eye contact. Get your notes ready. Breathe. Pause before you begin.
6. Radiate a sense of warmth, caring, sincerity and credibility. If you project a sense of liking yourself, your audience will like you too.
7. If it all goes wrong, it’s not the end of the world. Nobody will have died. Keep things in perspective and resolve to learn from any avoidable mistakes.