This week, I asked a student why she seldom speaks during class or in team discussions. The otherwise A student confided that she is in awe and often intimidated by others. I, too, recall such trepidation when in the presence of certain individuals until I realized that they become the people they are by listening and learning from others and then articulating informed points of view. So, I hope the following guest post by Nancy Parker helps the shy student and others who need to develop their own action plans to speak up.
Confidence. It is a feeling within that many lack resulting in a loss of beneficial situations. Those who are confident are usually the ones who make a difference in the world. Being able to force yourself to speak up requires a form of confidence that you need to obtain. Regardless of the situation, holding your tongue and speaking softly when you should be commanding yourself could be detrimental. Even if you are intimidated by the situation or being faced with an angry mob.
1. Professionalism – It is easy to trick yourself into being intimidated by various people or circumstances. Your mind can play tricks on you and create a sense of dread or fear from even the most mundane situations. As long as you know your material, providing a professional look when it’s called for will always keep people looking to you for information and/or suggestions. Be confident in what you are saying and always base your words on fact, not fiction.
2. Respect – Sometimes, you are able to earn the respect of those who intimidate you. By speaking up with confidence, those who first believed they can push you around find themselves at a loss. The public eye can be a scrupulous one and unless you can check your fears, others will point out every flaw that you may have. You need to exude a sense of morality and knowledge in order not to be target by vultures of the media. Not everyone is going to respect you. That is something you will have to live with. However, the ones that matter main gain a new-founded respect for you if you speak with a commanding presence. Your voice can do more than just create the sounds of consonants and vowels.
3. Clear and Articulate – Speak with clarity and articulate your sentence well. Many politicians and celebrities fall on the way-side when making public appearances and the media destroys them for it. It’s difficult to argue with a person that articulates and has knowledge of facts. Instead of being intimidated, you become the one who instills panic in those against you. Provide a basis of a straight line of thought that everyone can understand and you will win the approval of many.
4. They Are There for You – For the first few times you approach a large gathering in order to speak, you may have a hard time gathering your composure. Remember, they are there to listen to what you have to say. The people are seeking knowledge that you can provide. Whether this news is good or bad is irrelevant at this point. Those people that may intimidate you are there to learn what you know.
5. Build Yourself Up – Don’t think you are the best. Know you are. Convince yourself that you are the best person for the job no matter what anyone else tells you. This might develop a bit of conceit, but it will help you overcome intimidation. You need to know it within every fiber of your being. Any lapse in this belief could cause a downward spiral on your behalf.
Commanding yourself in front of many can be nerve-wracking for many. If a situation calls for a voice, don’t be afraid to use yours. Intimidation shouldn’t dictate your life or your decisions. Have confidence in yourself and what you are speaking of and all else will fall into place.
Nancy Parker is a regular contributor to www.enannysource.com and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, parenting, child care, babysitting, nanny background check tips, etc. You can reach her at nancy.parker015@gmail.com.