Can introverts become confident public speakers?
Part 2 of 2
In my last blog, I shared my experience of managing shyness when speaking. In this part, I’ll address the problems that introverts face, whether shy or not.
As introverts, we restore our energy when we have time alone, but there are additional traits that often come with that
- We may feel more comfortable in small groups rather than large ones and often build stronger relationships with fewer people.
- We tend to focus inward rather than outward, often reflecting on our on thoughts and actions.
- We can become overwhelmed in hectic or noisy environments.
- We may prefer to learn by watching others and when we are ready, we prefer to practise in private first.
Dealing with large groups
If you hate large groups, you might wonder how it’s possible to deliver a talk to a room full of people. Surprisingly, you can harness this as a strength. Use techniques to treat the audience as several smaller groups; you’ll connect on a more personal level with each audience member by doing so.
Reflection
A tendency to reflect can be an introverted speaker’s strength simply because we are more likely to ask what we could have done to improve. We need to be mindful that this doesn’t overwhelm us though. Try to accept that there will always be room for improvement and that doing your best as you are is enough for now.
Environment overwhelm
Environment overwhelm can occur when you are in a large group with multiple distractions. Even when the group is quiet it’s easy to become very self-conscious and feel isolated. Surprisingly, I found that once I was used to being ‘centre stage’ I felt much more comfortable on stage than off. Essentially you have the control here, of who is speaking and what is said. There are some great techniques for managing your time and energy before and after speaking to reduce that overwhelm too.
Remember, shyness also causes overwhelm but differs from introversion. If shyness is a problem for you then read my previous blog for tips.
Skills development for introverts
Let’s face it, we really don’t like being watched doing something new. Yet, we need to do something badly if we’re ever going to do it well, particularly when it comes to public speaking. The right coach will understand how to build your confidence without landing you in ‘never again land’ and appreciate your introversion for the strength it is.
If you would like to discover your power as an introverted speaker arrange a free call with me now
