Read our tips on how to increase your confidence and appear more in control when you speak in public.
Slow down
Most people speak faster when they’re nervous. So, if you want to sound more confident, try to slow down. Put more emphasis on each individual word, and pause between sentences or between ideas. This will also give you more control over your language. You’ll have more time to think and you’re less likely to make mistakes. It will also help you to look, sound and feel more confident.
Lower your pitchTonlagepitch
The pitch of your voice is how high or low it is. When we’re nervous, the pitch tends to go up. Women already have naturally higher voices than men, so if we add in some nerves, we can end up not speaking but squeakquietschensqueaking! Try lowering the pitch of your voice to sound more authoritativeRespekt einflößendauthoritative. You can try it now, by putting your hand on your chestBrustchest and feeling where your voice is coming from.
Avoid uptalk
“Uptalk” is the habit of making your voice go up at the end of a sentence, making it sound like a question instead of a statement. Like this? If you’re trying to make a statement, the question intonation can make you sound weak and uncertain. So, be careful if this is one of your personal habits, and practise making your voice go down at the end of a sentence instead.
Look up
Your voice doesn’t want to go up, but your eyes do! Whether you’re standing in front of a large audience, or sitting across the table from one person, don’t just stare down at your notes or your shoes. Even if you feel shy, take a moment to catch their eye before you start.
Stand like a superhero
fiddle with sth.an etw. herummachenFiddling with your hair, playing with your nails, twiddle sth.mit etw. herumspielentwiddling your pencil, standing with your ankleFußknöchelankles crossed … these habits tend to lower your status rather than raise it. Practise different stanceHaltungstances and hand gesturesGestikgestures in front of a mirror. For fun, try the classic “power stance” – standing with your feet wide apart and your hands on your hipHüftehips like Superman. Breathe in and feel the power! Then, choose a way to stand or sit in a real-life situation that will make you feel equally confident.
Know when to stop
As well as talking too fast, we tend to say too much when we’re nervous. We start repeating ourselves and gradually run out of ideas, until our words fizzle outversanden, verpuffenfizzle out. It would be better to stop sooner and more decisively. Like this.
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