Public speaking, which is defined as the act of speaking or delivering a speech in front of a crowd, is said to be the highest-ranking among all types of fears. Statistics say that 3 out of 4 people have this. Can you imagine a lot of people are more afraid of speaking in front of a crowd than dying? It’s quite absurd, to think that it is not even hazardous, harmful, or life-threatening, but this is actually something very serious for those who have it.

So, given the high percentage of people who have this phobia, is it right to assume that all those speakers, teachers, politicians, and other individuals we see on stage were/are not suffering from it? The answer is no. There are people who just decided to overcome their fear in order to achieve their goals or to fulfill their mission. These are the kind of people who do not let their weaknesses stop them from pursuing their passion.

To be honest, I was one of the people who fear public speaking but I persevered to overcome it as it is very important in the field of sales. There are a lot of factors that develop this fear in a person. I will discuss some of those here.

1. Fear of criticism. Most of us are usually concerned about what others think and say about us, and are not keen on receiving criticizing comments.
2. Lack of confidence. Sometimes, we are not confident to speak not because we are typically shy, but because we lack preparation or knowledge about the topic we are supposed to speak about. Also, when we are not prepared, we tend to fail in managing the time and organize our thoughts accurately.
3. Lack of self-esteem. This is a deeper and more difficult factor to deal with because this means that we do not appreciate, trust, or value ourselves. When this is the case, we usually think that we are not capable of speaking in front of many people, we are not worthy to be listened to or paid attention to, or that we do not have the knowledge and skills.

These are only some challenges that affect a person’s view on public speaking, but these are also the most common. I could say that once we learn how to deal with or address each of these, we will be able to overcome the fear of public speaking. How do we overcome these challenges then?

Firstly, we need acceptance. We have to accept the fact that no matter how perfect or flawless we think we are or our performance is, there are people who think otherwise. We cannot please everyone, as they say, so we just have to accept the criticisms and be thankful instead because those criticisms can help us improve. Secondly, we have to equip ourselves not only with knowledge but also with skills. Even those who are naturally eloquent and love crowds need to prepare themselves before getting on a platform or a stage. So we must make it a habit to study, and practice all the time. Lastly, we have to believe in ourselves that we can. We also have to accept that perfection is subjective, so we should not compare ourselves, our knowledge, and our abilities with others. Since this is normally something difficult to overcome on our own, we have to seek advice from experts, and from mentors on how we can develop self-esteem, and how we can stop sabotaging ourselves.

Public speaking is a necessity in many industries. It is absolutely necessary in the world of sales, business, and many more. If you are afraid of public speaking yet you wish to be a champion in sales, do not let it stop you from your goal. Work on what’s keeping you from it as what champions do.

In any company, salespeople are given sales goals or quotas to reach every month. More often than not, the management no longer checks how these salespeople achieve their target as long as they deliver. Although there are company mission, vision, and core values in place, these are sometimes neglected because of the pressure that comes with the numbers to be reached. As a salesperson for a long time now, I know that a salesperson must have personal ethics and use it at all times in dealing with prospective buyers and existing clients. This must be non-negotiable for any person, even those who are outside sales, because he/she can only adhere to the business ethics in place when he/she has a strong resolve on what’s wrong and what’s right. Here are some values that come when someone has personal ethics and why each is important for a salesperson to have:

• Integrity. Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one’s watching. A salesperson who has integrity will always make sure that he/she will do the right thing, and will not over-promise or take advantage of a prospective buyer’s obliviousness about the product or service for the sake of closing sales even without supervision. This value is vital for a salesperson to have because, without it, one will just do anything and everything, no matter how wrong, to make a sale. Without it, the purpose of a salesperson, which is to serve others and help them address their needs, is defeated.
• Empathy. Empathy means understanding what and how others feel. A salesperson who is empathetic will surely put the need of the buyers first before his/her own. Having empathy will cause him/her to serve the buyers with truthfulness and genuineness, making sure that the latter will be able to make the most out of the product or service they availed, and not leaving them to figure it all out on their own.
• Honesty. Honesty means truthfulness in words and actions. A salesperson who is honest will more likely gain the trust of the people he/she offers products or services to because he/she does not withhold any information from or try to mislead the latter to entice them to buy. A salesperson who is honest will always make sure that there are no details about the products or services that are concealed from the prospective buyers and existing clients. Concealing a fact just to make the product and service more attractive to the buyers will eventually backfire to the salesperson himself or to the company he/she is representing.
• Respect. Respect means giving high regard to a person, may it be oneself or another, and acknowledging the dignity of each one. When a salesperson has self-respect and respect for others, he/she will act according to what is morally right because he/she cannot live with the fact that he obtained or gained something through deceit or other wrongful acts. This is because he/she believes that everyone needs to serve and be served in a manner that promotes their dignity as a person.
• Loyalty. Loyalty means being faithful and committed to one’s goals — mission, vision, and core values. A salesperson who is loyal is faithful to his/her pledge to uphold the mission, vision, and core values of the company he/she represents. This salesperson is also committed to delivering the company’s promise to the people they serve with the highest level of quality possible.

Without these values, which are part of personal ethics, a salesperson is only a liability and not an asset. Why? Because his/her actions that do not adhere to these values will later, if not sooner, cause a big problem to the entire company. A salesperson is a representative, therefore, people will see their actions as authorized or permitted by the company he/she represents. If you own a business or you lead a team of sales professionals, always watch out for this when hiring and developing your people. And if you are a salesperson or an aspiring one, always be reminded of why this profession exists — to serve others first before the self. Always remember that personal ethics is non-negotiable in sales and in life in general for, without it, we are nothing.