Episode #7
Public Speaking Anxiety: Why Speaking Up in Leadership Meetings Feels So Scary | Keeping Calm When Presenting
What if the biggest barrier holding women leaders back from speaking up with confidence isn't a lack of ability at all? Public speaking anxiety begins with the negative thoughts running through your own mind, and that story can quietly undermime your leadership visibility, executive presence and opportunities for promotion. Rather than trying to eliminate nerves, this conversation offers a different perspective. You'll discover why your inner dialogue has such a powerful impact on public speaking, how fear of judgement fuels public speaking anxiety, and why changing your thinking can transform the way you show up. This builds on the ideas shared in Episode 6, Women Leaders: Is it Really Imposter Syndrome? | Transforming Self Doubt to Self Worth , where self-belief becomes the foundation for confident leadership. You'll also take away four practical strategies to help women leaders feel calmer before presenting: focus on your audience before your slides, practise out loud until your message feels natural, replace imagined criticism with positive audience engagement, and use simple body language techniques to settle your nervous system. Whether you're speaking up in meetings, pitching ideas or presenting to senior stakeholders, these tools help your message land with greater clarity and confidence. Leadership visibility isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about trusting that your voice matters. When women leaders stop letting fear dictate their decisions, they create more opportunities to influence, inspire and lead with authenticity. If speaking up feels harder than it should, or you're stepping into a leadership role where your voice suddenly matters more than ever, I'd love to have a conversation with you. You can book a free Exploration Conversation through the link in the show notes and together we'll find your bearings before your next important conversation. https://www.boldmovescoach.co.uk/connect Women leaders deserve to be heard. Podcast intro with music End of episode - follow for more Leadership Communication in Action is a podcast for women who are capable, thoughtful, and quietly questioning how they’re showing up at work and in life. I’m Liz Boswell. I work with professional women who don’t need more advice, but do need space to think clearly, especially when the pressure is on. Each episode is a calm, mentoring-style conversation grounded in real client moments. We look at the stories people carry, the behaviours those stories create, and the small, practical shifts that change how things land day to day. You’ll hear honest reflections, psychologically precise questions, and simple actions you can try immediately, without overhauling your life or becoming someone else. If you’re stepping into more responsibility, more visibility, or simply feeling the weight of decisions that matter, this podcast is here to help you slow things down, think more clearly, and move forward in a way that feels grounded and real. A quiet companion for people who want to make better moves, not louder ones.
