As an introvert myself, I am hugely passionate about this topic. I wanted to share tips and strategies for all the introverts out there who are trying to balance their quiet nature with their desire to express themselves.
Use these strategies to build your confidence and grow your professional presence.
#1 Planning is your friend.
Introverts generally do better when they’re prepared. Spending a few minutes upfront preparing will make a huge difference when you’re speaking in front of other people.
Start by getting really clear on what you want your audience to walk away with.
It’s important to think about your topic from the audience’s perspective. I like to use this template to set objectives with my clients:
At the end of my presentation, I want the audience to remember______________ and/or take action step ___________________.
#2 Map Out Your Speaking Points Take a moment to jot down your 2 or 3 most important points. If you have more than 3, narrow them down. Sharing too much information will overwhelm your audience.
Even if you prefer to improvise, a few minutes of planning can go a long way. It will help you stay on message and play in the moment.
#3 Use Your Strengths
If you’re quiet by nature, don’t feel like you need to be a big, charismatic performer. Instead, lean into your strengths.
If listening is your biggest strength, know that it’s a really powerful skill to tap into your audience. If you’re not sure what your strengths are, reach out to me. I can help!
#4 Tell Stories
You may not like talking about yourself or bragging about your accomplishments, but I bet you can tell a story.
Stories are relatable and give you a way to connect with your audience, even if you’re shy. That’s why I help my clients build their story bank.
#5 Focus on Mindset
If you’re worried about worst-case scenarios, you’re going to look and feel more nervous.
Instead, focus on your objective and what you want to accomplish. It’s much easier to connect with the people in front of you when you get out of your own head and think about the gift you can give by sharing your ideas.
Practice reframing your thoughts. For example, if standing in front of people with all eyes on you triggers the thought “They’re judging me,” you might instead tell yourself “They’re paying attention to me.” Similarly, when the thought comes up “This is terrifying” you might swap in “This is an experiment.”
Remember that nervousness is a natural human emotion so it can be helpful to observe the physical sensations that come up (such as shaking hands and pounding heart) and visualize other areas in your life where you feel more confident.
#6 Practice
Practice out loud. More than once.
Don’t read your notes to yourself. Read them out loud, do a run-through in front of other people, for your dog, in front of your kids, or on the subway. Get more practice ideas here.
But practice.
And if you’re looking for the magic formula to create a presentation that engages your audience and establishes you as the expert, let’s talk. I’ll walk you through how to write and practice your presentation, 1 step at a time, so you can stop rambling and start speaking like the expert.