How do you manage storytelling jitters?

Gerenciar o nervosismo da narrativa é fundamental para transmitir uma história de forma envolvente e impactante. Além de conhecer o público, é importante considerar o elemento de empatia. Colocar-se no lugar do público não apenas nos ajuda a compreender suas expectativas, mas também nos permite entender suas emoções e pontos de vista. Ao lidar com o nervosismo, é útil lembrar que a vulnerabilidade é uma força poderosa na narrativa. Compartilhar nossos próprios desafios, inseguranças e aprendizados pessoais cria uma conexão autêntica com o público. Isso demonstra que somos seres humanos reais, enfrentamos lutas semelhantes e criamos uma atmosfera de confiança e camaradagem.

Before I even get up on stage or give a talk to a small crowd, I find a few attendees and I ask them why they are there, and what they hope to get out of the event. Then when I share my talk I make sure to answer those questions. Just taking a few minutes to understand the audience my jitters are replaced with empathy and understanding and it's not me just giving a talk, but me helping the audience to understand something new or profound.

I know that the best stories often are the ones that are the hardest to share. Determining how authenticate you are is the best gauge to determine how well the post will do.

The framework that I use to relate to my audience is the hero, guide, victim, villain. As I speak to a challenge my ideal client is facing, I hold them as the hero of the story and I am simply the guide. The story is about them facing a challenge and working towards their desired outcome and I only come in with a little bit of guidance. This framework empowers the audience to feel like they can tackle the challenges.

Permita-se explorar diferentes maneiras de contar a história. Experimente com a ordem dos eventos, o uso da linguagem, a entonação da voz e a expressão facial. Pratique com amigos, colegas ou mentores, solicite feedback construtivo sobre sua narrativa. Peça a eles que apontem pontos fortes, áreas que precisam ser aprimoradas e sugestões para tornar a história mais envolvente. Durante a prática, preste atenção ao timing e ao ritmo da narrativa. Identifique onde as pausas podem ser inseridas para criar suspense ou para enfatizar pontos-chave. Aperfeiçoar o timing e o ritmo permitirá que você mantenha o interesse do público ao longo da história.

When developing my latest story, which I knew I would ultimately be sharing before a large audience, here's how I practiced: -recorded an audio version to note myself -sent the audio version to a trusted coach for feedback -practiced in the small in-between moments I have in my day, while doing my hair, sitting in traffic, cooking dinner, and during small breaks between meetings -time blocked for more formal practice sessions, honing every hand gesture, turn of phrase, and even wearing the outfit I planned to wear on the day -practiced in a small group setting in order to gauge audience feedback

Having an opportunity to prepare and practice will just mean that you have a chance to run your storytelling over a few times to get comfortable and familiar. In many respects I believe that as much as you practice, what comes out at the time of sharing ... will come out. So just practice in a safe area - get comfortable and go out there and deliver!

While practice makes perfect, be sure to not over-rehearse your story. People do not like canned remarks and value authenticity and relatability over perfection. While you're practicing, leave space for extemporaneous remarks and timely commentary that matches what's going on in the room. In sum, mix your prepared remarks with your off-the-cuff parts of the story.

It doesn't matter what framework you use, if you don't have the fundamentals. Which are the beginning, the change event, and the promised land. That's the backbone of a good transformation. I recommend using the Before-After-Bridge writing technique: - Describe the current state (Before) - Describe the change event (Bridge) - Describe the outcome (After) If you keep that in mind whenever you use the hero's journey, the three-act structure, the STAR method or any other storytelling framework, you'll never go wrong with telling a story.

Using a framework is like having a roadmap for your storytelling journey. whenever you get lost during your speech, or dragged by emotions. you remember your framework and easily get back on track . i always focus on the end message of my story and i build the story to enrich that message before i conclude with it at the end. i also try to build the story bit by bit until i try to my best for my audience to guess my end message before i conclude with it.

This is the essence of all storytelling and more widely communication. My perspective is that storytelling is the fabric of communication, therefore how you construct your storytelling/stories will define the impact that you will be making. Always keep the core principals - or layers as I call them in my storytelling model (the sprout model) - this will guide your story. Be sure to know the impact you want to make, the people that you are telling the story to, set starting context and direction, move into the main event and what in particular it is you are addressing, then bring clarity, conclusion and a lasting impression to the end point ... not forgetting to nurture the story with creativity, energy and perspective.

Having a structured framework can provide a roadmap for your storytelling, making it easier to organize your thoughts and keep your narrative on track. Consider using frameworks like the classic storytelling arc (introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) or the hero's journey to guide your storytelling journey.

Think of a framework as the scaffolding that supports your narrative, guiding both you and your audience through the twists and turns of your story. Whether it's the classic hero's journey or a simple three-act structure, a well-chosen framework provides a solid foundation upon which you can build your tale, ensuring that every element falls into place with precision and purpose.

A respiração profunda e intencional pode ajudar a acalmar o sistema nervoso e reduzir a ansiedade. Antes de contar a história, reserve um momento para respirar profundamente, prestando atenção ao fluxo de ar entrando e saindo do corpo. Isso ajuda a trazer uma sensação de calma e presença, permitindo que você se conecte mais plenamente com sua história e com o público.

Just this week, one of the Storybuilders I guide asked "when did you stop getting nervous before you speak"? I said, "I don't know...I'll tell you when it happens." 😅 I've been a fighter pilot in combat, but I still feel the nerves before I speak. If I don't, something's wrong. I'm not being vulnerable enough in my story. The nerves you feel is your body preparing to perform. Your senses are heightened. Your body pulls blood to your core. You are ready to go do something great. But, you can't let the nerves run away with you. I take a moment to "Feel the Floor". I literally feel the floor under my feet. The floor is real. My imagination about what people will think or say isn't. Center yourself. Feel the floor. Then perform.

i got two words for this : Pause . Smile. mastering these two things will be your utmost skills to capture when you tell a story. smile has power of self control in part of a second even when there are moments of losing control or losing track . a simple smile will charge yourself confidence instantly. try it! i can't express the power of pauses and i am still working on this one for every time i do a storytelling . "When to Pause" Pausing at the right time will add a new dimension to your audience to reflect with thoughts & emotions. when you master the "Pausing" skill you will a second to none of storyteller !

Calming yourself before is important. Whatever you need to do to get yourself into the right frame of mind is super important. You want to be in the best mindset when delivering your storytelling - know yourself and know the right way to manage it.

Memorize ~75%. Practice that until it's second nature. The magic happens in the remaining 25%! This is where you give yourself the fluidity to improvise, crack a joke, or connect with your audience outside of the planned 75%.

Audience interaction is one of the most effective ways to retain everyone's attention. People love feeling part of a lecture, even if you're just looking at them and acknowledging their presence with non-verbal cues. One of the things I do when I speak (and I have a wireless microphone) is I walk around and try to get closer to different parts of the audience at certain points in my talk.

Storytelling isn't a one-way street; it's a conversation between you and your audience, a dance of words and emotions that invites everyone to join in. Don't be afraid to break down the barrier between speaker and listener, inviting participation, asking questions, and eliciting reactions. When you engage with your audience on a personal level, you transform mere spectators into active participants, creating a shared experience that lingers long after the final curtain falls.

Ask a powerful question, starting with What and wait for the audience to respond. People love to share their insights and you will be surprised how how much wisdom you will find.

Find someone in the audience on your left, in the center, and on your right, and speak directly to them. Those people. and the people who are sitting next to them, will get the feeling that you're talking directly to them. And by looking from left-to-center-to-right, and then right-to-center-to-left, it assures that nobody in the audience is going to feel left out.

Make the audience a part of your story. If you keep them involved from start to finish, not only will they be attentive but will also remember it! Best way to interact is to ask questions or ask them to volunteer and come over to share what are their views.

Outro aspecto a ser considerado é o poder da visualização criativa. Antes de contar a história, reserve um tempo para visualizar-se contando-a com confiança e sucesso. Imagine-se envolvendo o público, expressando-se com clareza e sendo recebido com entusiasmo. Essa prática mental pode ajudar a construir confiança e reduzir o nervosismo, preparando você para uma performance mais segura e impactante.

Managing Storytelling Jitters 1. Preparation: Know your story well; rehearse multiple times. 2. Breathe: Deep breaths help calm nerves and improve focus. 3. Visualization: Imagine success. Visualize a captivated audience. 4. Connect: Make eye contact. Engage with a friendly face initially. 5. Pace: Speak slowly; pause to gather thoughts. 6. Acceptance: Everyone feels nervous. Embrace jitters as natural energy. 7. Feedback: Practice before friends; gather insights. 8. Routine: Develop a pre-storytelling ritual for comfort. Remember, nerves mean you care. Use that passion to fuel your story.

The easiest way to reduce the jitters is to not only practice but also research on how other successful storytellers keep their audience engaged. You definitely need to work on your own methodology, but your research will help you in experimenting and deciding what are your strengths when it comes to storytelling. Working on your strengths will give you more confidence.

Speak with yourself This might sound weird or strange but in reality You are your biggest critic,listen to yourself without judgement Appreciate yourself, Encourage yourself Reward yourself And that's how i break my jitters , you can do

Beyond the basics lies a treasure trove of storytelling secrets waiting to be discovered. Experiment with different mediums, from podcasts to poetry slams, to find the format that speaks to your unique voice. Embrace vulnerability and authenticity, allowing your true self to shine through every word and gesture. And above all, never stop learning and growing as a storyteller, for the journey is just as important as the destination.