Presenting with Confidence for natural Introverts

Presenting With Confidence ForNatural Introverts

You may feel that if you are a natural introvert, public speaking is just ‘not for you,’ and that presenting with confidence is a fantasy that you simply cannot achieve. This is definitely not true. It’s important to know that speaking in public with confidence is a learned skill like any other, and that harnessing your innate abilities and tendencies as an introvert can help you immeasurably.

We tend to believe that the best orators are hilarious and dynamic performers with a range of performance skills under their belts. In actuality, you’ll find that content will always be king. The best speakers are those with interesting, valuable things to say, that add to their listeners' lives in some way. Don’t underestimate or devalue the importance of valuable content and storytelling. You don’t need to be a stand up comedian to be a good presenter.

On the other hand, remembering that public speaking has aspects of performance can also empower you. A lot of famous performers, comedians and musicians are introverts, and use the idea of playing ‘dressup’ to mask themselves while in front of an audience. Consider your on-stage self as a persona that you can put on or take off as required, and you’ll be able to set yourself apart from who you are on a day to day basis in this way.

Your natural inclinations as an introvert can also hold you in good stead. You’re likely to be an incredible listener, who is tuned into the emotions, needs and desires of others. That kind of empathy is what may make being the main speaker an unnatural state for you - but the trick is to realise that in actuality, public speaking is more about the audience than it is about the speaker. Your role as a public speaker is to take care of those who are listening to you - either to educate, inform or enlighten in some form. When you reframe public speaking in this way, you may find it is more natural to you than you think.