Confident Public Speaking: You Absolutely Can!

Date: 2025.07.10

Confident Public Speaking: You Absolutely Can!

Have you ever felt your heart pounding, palms sweating, and legs trembling when you had to stand up and speak in front of a group of people? If so, you’re not alone. According to a 2016 study by Chapman University, the fear of public speaking ranks 4th on the list of humanity’s most common fears, only behind the fear of snakes, heights, and spiders.

So what can help you speak confidently in front of crowds? The answer lies in understanding the nature of fear and applying scientifically proven methods.

Why Are We Afraid of Public Speaking?

To understand how to overcome it, we first need to understand the origin of this fear. According to research by Dr. Matthew Lieberman at UCLA, the human brain has a natural mechanism called the “fight-or-flight response.” When feeling threatened, the body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, making us feel anxious, with rapid heartbeat and difficulty concentrating.

What’s interesting is that the brain cannot distinguish between real threats (like a tiger) and psychological threats (like being negatively judged). Therefore, when standing in front of a crowd, the brain treats this as a dangerous situation and activates the same response as when we encounter real danger.

Additionally, evolutionary factors play an important role. In primitive society, being rejected by the group meant losing protection and could lead to death. Therefore, the fear of rejection or negative judgment has been deeply ingrained in our DNA through millions of years of evolution.

Positive Impact of Confident Public Speaking

In Career

When you speak confidently, you automatically become prominent in the eyes of leaders. They see in you a natural leadership potential – someone who can inspire and lead teams.

This confidence also opens up powerful networking opportunities. Each successful presentation is a chance to leave an impression on colleagues and partners, creating a foundation for future collaboration opportunities.

In Personal Life

Confident public speaking not only helps at work but also improves quality of life. You’ll be more confident when:

– Speaking at parent-teacher meetings

– Giving speeches at friends’ weddings

– Sharing opinions in group discussions

– Hosting family events

The Secret to Changing Mindset: From “I Can’t” to “I’m Learning”

The first and most important step to speaking confidently in front of crowds is changing your mindset. Instead of thinking “I’m not good at public speaking,” think “I’m in the process of learning to speak better in front of crowds.”

Dr. Carol Dweck at Stanford University has researched “growth mindset” and discovered that people who believe their abilities can be improved through effort and practice achieve much better results than those who believe abilities are fixed.

A typical example is the story of Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist at Harvard. After a serious car accident, she lost part of her cognitive abilities and was advised to drop out of school. However, with the mindset of “I’m learning,” she not only completed her degree but also became one of the most famous TED speakers with her presentation “Your body language may shape who you are,” which has attracted over 60 million views.

Support Techniques to Increase Confidence in Public Speaking

1. Content Preparation Technique: “The 3P Formula”

Purpose

Before preparing any presentation, ask yourself: “What do I want the audience to do after hearing my speech?” A clear purpose will help you focus on key points and eliminate unnecessary information.

Point

Limit your content to 3-5 main points and develop each point in detail.

Proof

Each main point needs to be supported by specific evidence such as statistics, real stories, or scientific research. This not only increases persuasiveness but also helps you feel more confident because you have solid information to share.

2. Body and Mind Relaxation Techniques

Deep Breathing: The 4-7-8 Method

The 4-7-8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil has been proven to effectively reduce stress and anxiety:

– Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds

– Hold your breath for 7 seconds

– Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds

– Repeat 3-4 times

Research from Harvard Medical School shows this technique can reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels in blood by up to 23% after just 5 minutes of practice.

Power Posing

Amy Cuddy researched and discovered that maintaining confident postures for 2 minutes can change hormone levels in the body. Specifically, power posing can increase testosterone (confidence hormone) by 16% and decrease cortisol (stress hormone) by 25%.

Some effective power poses:

– Stand straight with hands on hips:

– Sit straight with hands behind head, legs stretched out

– Sit straight with arms crossed behind head, relaxed sitting posture

– Stand with arms spread wide as if celebrating victory

– Hands on desk, leaning forward

Cognitive Restructuring Technique

Instead of thinking “I’m worried,” tell yourself “I’m excited.” Research by Dr. Alison Wood Brooks at Harvard Business School shows that redefining anxiety as excitement (arousal reappraisal) can improve performance by up to 17% compared to trying to stay calm.

3. Practice and Training Techniques

“Small Steps” Method

Don’t try to present to 1000 people right from the start. Begin with small steps:

– Talk to the mirror (1 person – yourself)

– Present to family (3-5 people)

– Share with friends (10-15 people)

– Present at company (20-30 people)

– Speak at larger events (50+ people)

Recording and Review

Recording or videotaping yourself presenting and reviewing it can improve skills by up to 35%. This helps you recognize bad habits like saying “um,” “ah,” or repetitive gestures.

4. Audience Interaction Techniques

The 3-3-3 Rule

When starting your presentation:

– Look at 3 different people in the audience

– Maintain eye contact with each person for 3 seconds

– Repeat this after every 3 sentences

This technique helps create a sense of personal connection with each audience member without making you feel pressured.

Start with Questions or Statistics

Instead of starting with “Hello, I’m…,” try:

– “Has anyone here ever felt anxious about speaking in front of crowds?”

– “According to recent research, 75% of adults fear public speaking more than death.”

This opening immediately captures attention and creates interaction with the audience.

5. Techniques for Handling Difficult Situations

When You Forget Content

Instead of standing still and looking panicked:

– Pause and take a deep breath

– Say: “Let me emphasize this important point again…”

– Return to the last point you remember and continue

When Facing Difficult Questions

– Thank the questioner: “Thank you for that excellent question”

– Acknowledge if you don’t know: “That’s a very good question that I need to research further”

– Promise to follow up: “I’ll look into it and send you the information”

6. Leveraging Technology Support

VR (Virtual Reality) Applications

Virtual reality technology is now being used to train presentation skills. Applications like VirtualSpeech allow you to practice in virtual environments with virtual audiences, helping you get used to the feeling of standing in front of crowds without real pressure.

Heart Rate Monitoring Apps

Devices like Apple Watch or Fitbit can help you monitor heart rate during presentations. Research from the University of California shows that being aware of heart rate can help control anxiety 23% better.

7. Building Long-term Habits

30-Day Challenge

Commit to doing a small communication-related activity every day for 30 days:

– Days 1-10: Express opinions in meetings

– Days 11-20: Tell short stories to colleagues

– Days 21-30: Give short 2-3 minute presentations

Join Speaking Clubs

Vietnam currently has over 50 Toastmasters clubs and many other soft skills practice groups. These environments provide safe spaces for you to practice and receive positive feedback.

Examples: Vietnam Online Toastmasters, Broward Vietnam Toastmasters, ACI Toastmasters Online, Saigon Toastmasters Club, Hanoi Toastmasters Club…

8. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Trying to Be Perfect

Listeners don’t expect you to be perfect. They want to hear things that are genuine and useful.

Reading the Entire Script

Reading verbatim not only makes presentations boring but also prevents connection with the audience. Instead, use brief notes and speak in your natural language.

Avoiding the Audience

A common mistake is looking at the ceiling, floor, or behind the audience to avoid eye contact. This loses connection and makes the audience feel ignored.

Conclusion: The Journey from Fear to Confidence

Confident public speaking is a learnable skill, not an innate talent. Start today with a small step: practice in front of a mirror, join a speaking club, or speak up in your next meeting.

This journey is worthwhile because ultimately you’ll gain not just presentation skills but also the confidence to express yourself most completely.