Palms sweaty, heart racing, face flushed. You’re in front of a crowd at work again, and it’s terrifying.
Public speaking is our most common fear, according to psychology researchers, and things have only gotten weirder after years spent in the protective cocoon of Zoom. Facing just our monitors, and maybe an audience count ticking up in the corner, we read from our notes and became reliant on elaborate setups and crutches (filters, Post-its peeking over the screen).
Even those who’ve managed to avoid it for months—keeping meetings virtual, heading out of town this summer—are on the hook now. Many recently scored promotions, and are now returning to oratory responsibilities they didn’t have before. Fall conferences are back on, as are blowout weddings where the happy couple would like you to give a toast. And that crowd, man. They’re tough.