| POTENTIAL PROBLEM | | LIKELY SOLUTION |
| You will be at your most nervous in the 15 minutes leading up to your speech | ...so | take five deep breathes during this time [breathe in for four counts, hold for seven counts and breathe out for eight counts] - it forces you to focus on something other than your nerves |
| The initial couple of minutes of your speech will be the most stressful | ...so | prepare the first five minutes of your speech really well - you'll set the right tone and create a great impression ... cool, calm and collected ... and after that you'll have settled into your speech |
| Your mind will conjure up a long list of potential things that may go wrong | ...so | choose the worst top three potential problem and create anticipated solutions - "I'm sure I'll forget my words"; "No, hang on - I have my speech outline on key cards to help me through any tricky moments" |
| You may feel a little wary of your audience initially | ...so | it helps to arrive relatively early and chat informally to some individuals in your audience - you'll see that they are sensible people who are interested in what you have to say |
| You may feel that you are not qualified or knowledgeable enough to present this address to your audience | ...so | prepare you content exceptionally well and remember that you are the expert - after all they invited you to speak to them today |
| You may want to rush up and "get this over and done with" | ...so | don't! Take your time as you walk to the podium; take a moment to look at your audience; take one or two deep breathes - pause to collect your opening line - and only then should you begin speaking |
| Your body language may distract your audience from the excellent content in your speech | ...so | assume a balanced stance with your weight evenly distributed on both feet - it will minimize swaying and rocking |
| You may feel that you don't look the part | ...so | take note of color and clothing criteria so that you are dressed for success |