It’s all very well being confident when chatting to friends and family, but it’s a different ballgame when you have to deliver a speech or presentation.
Even people with a dynamic personality often become nervous when faced with an audience of shareholders, a potential customer, the press, a microphone or a camera. Their natural energy and enthusiasm can easily diminish in these circumstances.
It might surprise you to know that even celebrities or actors with two years’ training at stage school very often have the same problem, as they have not learned a specific technique.
I recently saw an excellent documentary at the Kennedy Space Centre about the space programme. It was narrated by Oscar-nominated Tom Cruise (probably paid $100,000 or more). He delivered the words without energy or enthusiasm, which spoiled this otherwise wonderful production.