ASK HR: Help! I am terrified of speaking to big groups...

Q. I studied PR and marketing at the university and recently got a job with a PR firm. I look forward to my new job but I am very terrified of speaking to big groups or people that I don’t know very well. Basically, I am an introvert in an extroverted career. How do I go about overcoming this fear?

The university offers the academic preparation for a future career while the workplace offers the practical aspect of what you learnt in class.

There is a misconception that PR is about speaking to groups of people, which is far from the truth because most PR professionals are never required to address large gatherings of people.

The basic responsibility of a PR professional is to manage the client or employer’s corporate image. What is required is the ability to communicate effectively and clearly while protecting the employer’s brand image.

This can be done through CSR initiatives, online engagement and issuing statements of the employer’s position on an issue through various media outlets.

Being an introvert therefore is not necessarily a disadvantage, if anything, most organisations have a policy prohibiting employees other than the CEO or MD from making statements on behalf of the company.

In this case, your role will be to prepare the speech for the authorised spokesperson, who will then engage with the media and other external stakeholders.

You may however work for a company that expects you to engage with the public, in this case, you have to develop this skill set through various interventions such as coaching or counselling.

Counselling will help you deal with underlying issues such as phobia while coaching will provide a safe environment in which to express yourself. The coach’s motivation will enable you to deal with your fear by taking actions that allow you to practice speaking in public. Seek a qualified coach to guide you.

You could start by speaking at small family gatherings or office meetings to practice and overcome your fears. It will comfort you to know that most people have a similar challenge, so don’t beat yourself up.

You might also be surprised to find out that most renowned speakers rehearse before addressing a big gathering.

That said, it a good thing that you are aware of your challenge, because you can then consciously invest your time and resources to become a better speaker.

***

Do you have a question? Send it to our team: [email protected]