stylist’s editorial director lisa smosarski shares her career wisdom
I am obsessed with the stat that claims more people fear public speaking than dying. As Jerry Seinfeld famously quipped: “This means, to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” I, for one, can confidently say I’d rather not be in the box. As a journalist and an editor, public. I knew there would be a few famous faces in attendance, but as I stood next to my CEO, palms sweating, preparing to deliver my well-rehearsed lines, my heart sank as I realised the two faces locked in my eyeline were Claudia Schiffer and Claudia Winkleman. No offence to the lovely Claudias, but at that point a coffin did seem quite tempting. There are countless studies suggesting women are more likely to be afflicted by glossophobia (fear of public speaking) than men. We are more likely to shy away from oratory opportunities and are 2.5 times less likely to ask questions in public. Despite the fear, public speaking is a skill that anyone can learn and, genuinely, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. For many (including me) the three P’s – Preparation, Practice and Performance – are the rules for doing it well. Here’s how they’ve helped me…
