Quick tricks to use if you freeze up in a speech or interview. Six great ways to combat speaking anxiety.

First here is the video of the Arizona Governor freezing up during a televised debate.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=38988775�
When we are under stress the lymbic brain can make us go into stress triggers Freeze Flight Fight response.
What can you do if you freeze up and can;t think of what to say or forget your line or forget what you are going to say during a speech or interview?

One- Have a room temperature glass or bottle of water and quickly pick it up and take a sip, perhaps putting your hand up to single wait a moment. The action helps your brain switch off the "freeze" response.

Two-Immediately go to a line that you can practice in advance, "This is so important I want to refer to my notes." The Governor went to her notes, which is fine, but she could have done that smoothly and more quickly if she had practiced that line.

Three-Repeat what you just said, perhaps even using the bridge phrase, Let me repeat that, and or saying it more loudly forcefully or slowly. Sometimes, you freeze because what you just said is your final thought or feeling on the topic and you really don't have anything else to say. It can be enough and the repetition makes it sound confident and gives the message closure.

Four-Say what is true about what you just said, for example, "This is important.", "That's what I feel." "We should remember this." It strong and it as tip three makes what you just said a final thought.

Five-
"When I talk about this I feel so strongly about it that my emotions come out." or refer to your emotions in the moment with, "I feel so strongly about this, that for a moment.

Six-Smile and or laugh or joke and be in the moment and say whatever fits your personality and the group and topic for example, "I forgot what I was going to say." "Goodness, I just had a goldfish memory moment." "My mama told me there would be moments like this.", "Just talk amonst yourselves why I look for my memory!"

One of my friends sent me the following funny communication humor to me. I laughed out loud as I read it. You may be able to quote this funny joke material in your speech, meeting or training program.

Just in case you need a laugh:
Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one; a reassurance to those of us who fly.

After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a 'gripe sheet,' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.

By the way,UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident. So you CAN have a sense of humor and still be great at your task!


P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
*
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
*
P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.
*
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
*
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200-feet-per-minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
*
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
*
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
*
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.
*
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF is always inoperative in OFF mode.
*
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
*
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
*
P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious.
*
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics..
*
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.
*
And the best one for last
*
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from the midget.

Here are free funny lines from my friend Jeff Justices website.
Jeff Teaches an awesome stand up comedy class

14 Ways To Know If You've Been in Corporate America Too Long

1. You ask the waiter what the restaurant's core competencies are.

2. You decide to re-org your family into a "team-based organization."

3. You refer to dating as test marketing.

4. You can spell "paradigm."

5. You actually know what a paradigm is.

6. You understand your airline's fare structure.

7. You write executive summaries on your love letters.

8. Your Valentine's Day cards have bullet points.

9. You think that it's actually efficient to write a ten-page presentation with six
other people you don't know.

10. You celebrate your wedding anniversary by conducting a performance review.

11. You believe you never have any problems in your life, just "issues" and
"improvement opportunities."

12. You explain to your bank manager that you prefer to think of yourself as
"highly leveraged" as opposed to "in debt."

13. You end every argument by saying "let's talk about this off-line."

14. You give constructive feedback to your dog.