How to Avoid 3 Common Mistakes As a Confident Speaker

Let's talk about three common mistakes I've made as a brand-new speaker. You can learn from them if you aspire to become - a confident speaker. 

Here are the three mistakes to avoid when speaking so you won't put others to sleep or feel they have wasted their time in your presence.

Steer clear of these mistakes, and you're well on your way to mastering the art of public speaking.

Mistake #1: Technical Hiccups 

We've all observed it before.

The speaker steps up and begins with,

"Is this microphone working? Let me sort out the screen sharing. Just a moment..."

Be prepared and test all your tech before the talk!

Instead, commence your talk with confidence and vigour!

Walk up to the stage, look at your audience with a warm smile and ground yourself. Then you start your talk.

Mistake #2: Going off a tangent

Some speakers start with, "Before I go into this talk, I was reflecting on..." Then they digress; you're thinking, where is this going??

Resist the temptation! 

After your opening, start with a captivating story!

This approach keeps your audience engaged and fixated on your message.

Mistake #3: Expressing Nervousness

It's normal to feel jittery, but publicly acknowledging it diverts attention from your audience when the focus should be on them.

As a speaker, your role is to hold space for the audience.

If you sense nerves creeping in, take a deep breath and redirect your brain to why you're here.

Focus on serving your audience with your message and share insights with people looking forward to receiving your message.

By avoiding these three mistakes, you'll undoubtedly shine on the stage! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Please share. Have you experienced these challenges? Let's learn from one another and elevate our speaking skills.