Gary Screaton Page, Ph.D.

By Gary Screaton Page, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2008-2010 by Gary Screaton Page. All rights reserved.

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 Among all human fears, one of the greatest is speaking in public. Most of us are at least a little apprehensive about standing up and speaking in front of others, even to a small group of trusted friends. Yet, those who can speak well in public enjoy more success in business than those who cannot. Consider this. Suppose you are part of a workplace team tasked with pulling together a marketing plan for the organization. The job done, someone must report the findings. Whom will the boss remember: the team who put together the report, or the messenger who delivers it? The presenter of course: the one who speaks on behalf of the group.

A smaller group of people, but still quite significant given that their numbers are in the millions, have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others. They are anxious that what they say will embarrass or even humiliate them. They dread the consequences of their own actions. In many cases, their fear may be so severe that it interferes with their work and other everyday activities. Often, physical symptoms accompany their intense anxiety—their social phobia if you will. They blush, sweat profusely, tremble visibly, may become nauseous, and even have difficulty breathing, let alone talking.

Shyness (social phobia or Social Anxiety Disorder) can be a serious problem. Certainly, it can be career limiting. Characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations, it can be debilitating. While social phobia may rear its ugly head in a very limited number of situations such as a person fearing to speak in only formal situations, in more severe cases it may express itself as a fear of eating or drinking in front of others. In its most debilitating form, a person may experience symptoms every time they find them selves among other people.

Fortunately, as painfully limiting as social phobias may be—including simple shyness—there are some easy-to-learn, practical steps that can help most people deal with them. In many cases just seven steps can make a profound difference. With a little time, some focused effort and these Seven Steps for Personal Freedom™ most people suffering from social anxiety can once again, lead productive, fulfilling lives.
 
STEP 1: Imagine the anxiety-producing situation. Get a clear picture of it.
 
STEP 2: Pretend you are a scientist looking at this situation. Write—be certain to WRITE down—exactly what you and others involved see, hear, and do.
 
STEP 3: Imagine that those who may be negatively affecting you are in a cage, surrounded by a hedge, behind an unbreakable glass barrier, etc. Imagine you are a scientist examining their behavior as they do their thing. At first, do this for just a few seconds, then for longer and longer periods.
 
STEP 4: Now, more comfortable imagining the other person, picture yourself doing something different from what you usually do.
 
STEP 5: When the above situation comes up again, do STEPS 1 through 4, for real this time! At first, just look at the person. As this becomes easier, do STEP 4.
 
STEP 6: Reappraisal. What do they actually say, do, and look like? Chances are, at this stage, these things are not so bad after all.
 
STEP 7: Where did you learn this evaluation? For example, what did your parents do when they were in a similar situation? How about a teacher, your boss, or a close friend? What did they say, or do? How did they look?
 
Repeat these steps for each situation in which you feel yourself getting anxious. Take control of your career so others don’t!

 

[Copyright © 2008-2010 by Gary Screaton Page. All rights reserved. http://www.pressingyourownbuttons.com] 

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