UPDATE: Based off this blog post, a CNN producer reached out and asked me to give public speaking tips live on air about how to overcome public speaking nervousness. See the video from CNN below:
The internet was set ablaze last night by film director Michael Bay's meltdown on stage at CES when the teleprompter apparently malfunctioned and didn't show his prepared remarks properly. As you can see below, he became so flustered that he walked offstage entirely and abandoned the talk altogether.
At first it's entirely shocking that a man that has no problem managing enormous pyrotechnic explosions and film budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars would be so afraid of speaking off-the-cuff to a few hundred or thousand people. But when you do the research, you'll realize that statistically people rank public speaking as scarier than death. That's right, standing and addressing a crowd seems worse than dying to most.The truth behind the whole meltdown is that Michael Bay was exposed as a normal person, someone who's not so different from you and me. Movies themselves are the ultimate in rehearsed and edited performances, so it actually shouldn't be that shocking that someone who's carefully curated everything we know associated with his name would be so petrified of delivering an address where the exposure to mistakes and miscues have no limiting safety barriers.The first time I had to give a standing speech to an audience of one I was petrified. It was only through hundreds of talks that I learned the keys to public speaking. So here's my four best tips to anyone who shares Michael Bay's fear of the open stage:
I would get so nervous before speeches I thought the mic would pickup the sound of my heart pounding out of my chest. But after one talk, I stayed on to watch the following speaker who was a self-defense expert. She explained that in fight-or-flight moments we freeze because the heart pumps blood to our extremities, which provides less blood to the brain. By pumping your fists, it helps reset the normal rhythm, effectively returning blood to the brain and slowing down our racing heart. (who knows if this is scientifically true, but she said it and even if just a placebo effect it's worked for me and others)
The easiest way to fill time on stage is by telling a story you've told before, in particular one you've personally lived. By beginning with your own experience, you'll open with a narrative that requires little thought (less chance of freezing up trying to recall a fact or reference) and allows you to establish a more trusting relationship with the audience.
I guarantee Michael Bay could have easily gone off the teleprompter to explain how he edits a film, but he was onstage to speak about the new curved Panasonic TV, which both he and the audience know he's probably clueless about. The fear of being wrong is part of what makes us so afraid of speaking, so make sure the topic of your talk is a subject or experience you are confident in, and your nerves will be soothed on stage as a result.
The worst speeches are the ones that can't find their way into an ending. Make sure you come up with a kickass closing line before you get on stage, something you know will leave the audience feeling good that drives your point home. Knowing you have that bit of turbo boost in your back pocket will give you peace of mind throughout your entire talk, and most importantly you won't fumble your way into a series of rambling final sentences. Plus, confidence in the close will overcome mediocrity in the middle.Good luck with your speeches, and if you want to get more advanced I'd highly recommend reading Nancy Duarte's book Resonate or reading Chapter 18 of The Promise of a Pencil which explains exactly how to make a large room feel like you're speaking to an audience of one.
