Welcome to my Insider Notes where I'm sharing weekly career and leadership insights and the most up to date information on the Your Next Move Podcast and Brown Leadership™.
75% of people fear public speaking. Here's the fix.
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Reader, Quick question: When was the last time you avoided an opportunity because it required you to speak? Maybe you stayed quiet in a meeting. Declined to present your idea. Said no to a panel. Turned down a promotion that required more visibility. If so, you're not alone. Research shows that 75% of people experience public speaking fear—and it's costing them career-defining opportunities. Here's the truth: You don't overcome fear by waiting for confidence to show up. You overcome it by proving to yourself, over and over, that you can speak without dying. In the newest episode of Your Next Move Podcast, I'm breaking down exactly how to do this in 12 weeks—not on big stages, but in the everyday moments happening around you right now. You'll learn:
This isn't about perfection. It's about proving to yourself that you can use your voice and survive it. Until next time, Kimberly P.S. After you listen, DM me on Instagram (@KimberlyBOnline) and tell me: where's the first place you're going to speak this week? |
Kimberly Brown, @kimberlybonline
Welcome to my Insider Notes where I'm sharing weekly career and leadership insights and the most up to date information on the Your Next Move Podcast and Brown Leadership™.
Reader, I recorded a podcast episode this week with handwritten notes and a nervous stomach. [Click here for the links to listen to episode 139] And right before I hit record, I turned the camera on, looked at myself, and thought, "Ooh girl, you ain't put no makeup on. Go put some concealer on." Some people would have just recorded. See me in the raw, take it or leave it. That's not me. I got up, put a little something on, made sure my skin looked how I wanted it to look, and then sat back...
Reader, Let me guess: you've sat through at least one virtual presentation where the speaker was framed like they were in witness protection. Camera pointing up their nose. Terrible lighting. Background that looked like a crime scene. You could barely see their face, let alone connect with what they were saying. And here's what kills me: that speaker probably had brilliant content. They might have spent hours preparing. But because they treated the technical setup as an afterthought, their...
Reader, I need to tell you something that might surprise you. When I first started developing my public speaking skills over a decade ago, I thought the benefit would be simple: I'd be less nervous when presenting. Maybe I'd sound more confident in meetings. That's it. That was the extent of my expectations. But what actually happened? The ripple effects went so far beyond what I imagined. I'm talking about: Getting pulled aside by a provost who said "you sound like a leader" when I wasn't...