If you're making a presentation of any sort, begin preparing as far ahead of time as possible. Two days before your presentation is usually too late to go into the ring and come up with a winning idea. (46. Prepare yourself as well as your material, giving special attention to your voice. With energy and enthusiasm in your voice, the listeners say ahhh. tell me more. You read approval.)
Like your voice, your appearance is a communication tool. For example, if you are animated, you are most likely to see animated listeners. You give the audience the message: I'm glad I'm here; I'm glad you're here.
(47.Your approach can, in fact, be a powerful weapon for deflecting hostility—from an audience, an interviewer. an employer.A benevolent aspect says I understand and conveys good will and positive expectations. It works.)
However, don't ever assume that an audience, an interviewer, your boss will be sympathetic. Always be prepared for a grilling. Think beforehand of the ten toughest questions you could get and be ready with your answers. And remember, when you're asked a hostile question, never show hostility to your questioner. If you do, you lose.
Once you're prepared for a situation, you're 50 per cent of the way toward overcoming nervousness. (48. The other 50 per cent is the physical and mental control of nervousness: adjusting your attitude so you have confidence. and control of yourself and your audience.)
I was in the theater for many years and always went to work with terrible. stage fright---until I was in "The King and I". While waiting offstage one night, I saw Yul Brynner, the show's star, pushing in a lunging position against a wall. It looked as though he wanted to knock it down. "This helps me control my 1 nervousness," he explained.
I tried it and, sure enough, freed myself from stage fright. Not only that, but pushing the wall seemed to give me a whole new kind of physical energy. (49.Later discovered that when you push against a wall you contract the muscles that I lie just below where your ribs begin to splay. I call this area the "vital triangle".)
To understand how these muscles work, try this: Sit in a straight-backed chair and lean slightly forward. (50. Put your palms together in front of you, your elbows pointing out the sides. your fingertips pointing upward, and push so that you feel pressure in the heels of your palms and under your arms.)
Say sssssss, like a hiss. As you're exhaling the "s", contract those muscles in the vital triangle as though you were rowing a boat, pulling the oars back and up. The vital triangle should tighten. Relax the muscles at the end of your exhalation, then inhale gently.
You can also adjust your attitude to prevent nervousness. What you say to yourself sends a message to your audience. If you tell yourself you're afraid, that's the message your listener receives. (51. So select the attitude you want to communicate. Attitude adjusting is your mental suit of armor against nervousness. If you entertain only positive thoughts, you will be giving out these vibes: joy and ease, enthusiasm, sincerity and concern. and authority.)
You have the power within you to become a forceful, persuasive and confident communicator. With these techniques, you will be able to ask for a raise, make a sale, deal with a family crisis, feel comfortable in social and business situations. Master the simple principles set out here and you will never be nervous again.
