When creating the curriculum for the workshops I host through Empower HerFuture, I decided it was incredibly important to focus on the art of public speaking, since so many people (including myself) seem to struggle with this for years. One of my motivations behind creating this organization was to change the fact that there is a lack of curriculum instituted within high schools and middle schools to practice public speaking, especially in a feminist context. It is valuable to recognize that women and men face different challenges with public speaking, and in order to progress, recognizing these challenges is

paramount to positive development. I would like to share a few of the tips that I have found very helpful over the years. These are some tips I share when facilitating workshops to different age groups in high schools and middle schools. Although they may seem simple, their impact can be great when practiced and put into play during public speaking: 

1. Videotape yourself giving a speech. Play it back to see how you can improve your body language, speed and content. Watching yourself on tape may be uncomfortable, but it helps make you more self-aware. If you really don’t feel comfortable doing this, ask someone you trust to watch you and provide honest feedback. The first time I videotaped myself saying a speech, I noticed that I had been playing with a button on my shirt the entire time, completely unconsciously. Noticing these small details is so important to developing as a stronger overall speaker-now, I never wear clothes with buttons or zippers that may tempt me to fiddle while speaking. 

2. Slow down. Practice your speech twice as slowly as you would normally speak since we have a tendency to speed up when under pressure. Remembering to enunciate your words is also crucial. I personally fall victim to this constantly. The more you practice speaking at a slower pace, the more natural this speed will become. Taking breaths between sentences can also help with pacing.

3. When speaking to a big group, eye contact can be nerve-wracking. Looking directly above peoples’ heads is an easy way to not get distracted, but still make it seem like you are making direct eye contact. One of the most important aspects to being a great public speaker is engaging with your audience through eye contact. So ensuring that you are looking up, rather than down at your feet or at a notecard, and engaging your audience with your speech, will drastically alter how the audience perceives you as a successful speaker.

4. Establish a pre-routine. If you know you get nervous before a presentation or public speaking, create a routine that you know will calm your nerves beforehand. Something as simple as a breath of fresh air right before can be tremendously helpful and centering. Especially when waiting your turn to perform a speech, the nerves and anxiety can build-up. I’ve been in this situation so many times that I started going outside before it was my turn to speak, to shake out the anxiety and find my center before going back in.

5. Don’t apologize. This point is specifically important for women to remember. We are constantly over-apologizing for our mistakes, even when it may not be our fault. If you mess up, chances are the audience won’t even notice. Apologizing only makes your nerves more obvious. It is totally ok to backtrack if you did make a mistake, but be cognizant that your audience most likely didn’t notice, which allows you to maneuver in what you may have left out at another point in your speech. The key is to stay confident and carry on.