Public speaking. Presentations. Speaking up in meetings. It's the stuff of sweaty palms and racing thoughts, and yet, we're all expected to be good at it.

Let's be honest - most of us would rather do literally anything else than stand up and speak in front of people. The pressure to "sound confident" when you're internally screaming can feel paralysing. But here's the thing: you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not to get better at this.

This week, Lisa and Em get honest about the fear so many of us feel when it comes to using our voice at work. Whether it's a team meeting, a client pitch, or standing on stage with a microphone, they're sharing their own journeys - from awkward silences to the strategies that actually work.

What you'll learn:

• The public speaking confidence ladder - how to work your way up from "terrified to speak in meetings" to actual presentations

• Why recording yourself (audio only) is genuinely life-changing practice

• The "headline, proof, connection" structure that stops you rambling

• How to recover when your brain completely abandons you mid-speech

• Real talk on the classics: saying "um," blanking, and speaking way too fast

Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem.

Learna is Lisa’s microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play.

Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here

Resources Mentioned:

'Why your skills have an expiry date, and what to do about it' with Andrea Clarke
Talk like TED by Carmine Gallo

'Managing nerves when presenting' in Learna.
Tell stories that stick' in Learna.
How to sell ideas' in Learna.
'How to structure your thoughts under pressure' in Learna.

THE END BITS
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Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at [email protected]. You can remain anon! 

HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem

SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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