Promoting successful women on International Women’s Day
International speaker, impact guru and former live BBC producer, Esther Stanhope offers her top tips on presentational confidence for women looking to promote themselves on International Women’s Day.
‘Many of us consider ourselves confident and command a presence in the workplace but something happens to us as soon as a camera is pointed in our direction.
Our confidence dries up, we become rabbits in headlights, our personalities disappear and we go all formal and polite,’ according to Esther Stanhope, who resonates with the fear that seizes even the most successful women as soon as they are put in the spotlight.
With a career behind the camera at the BBC Stanhope thought being on the other side would be simple, but it wasn’t.
“As recently as 5 years ago, I used to avoid public speaking and now it’s my job! I was always a behind the scenes person at the BBC. As a senior producer it would be me behind the glass wall gesturing to the likes of Theresa May, Boris Johnson or a Hollywood celeb to reassure them that they were ‘wonderful darling”, she recalls. “Being the actual ‘darling’ though is very different, and I had to overcome the fear that women face when the spotlight is on them. For me it was like the camera was a torch being shone on me exposing all my flaws. Even Skype calls bought me out in a sweaty mess!”
Building on her own experience, Stanhope now instils a five point mantra into those she coaches to move them from fear to fame.
1. Talk to your camera as it is your perfect client. Imagine the camera is really interested in what you’re saying, responsive to your suggestions and is your own personal cheerleader!
2. Be yourself. Somewhat counter-intuitively, it is much better to speak from the heart, perhaps by telling a story, than remembering a perfectly written script.
3. Use humour. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be happy and find the fun in it all.
4. Smile. Smiling on camera makes you look relaxed instantly and prevents you from looking wooden.
5. Look as good as you feel. From wearing red lippy or dazzling in a fabulous new jacket, do whatever it takes to help you feel the part.
Her main tip though is practice. Those who don’t feel the fear is because of one thing and one thing alone, practice.
Stanhope finishes by saying “The truth is, anyone can do it if they want to. Really, if I’ve mastered glossophobia (fear of public speaking) so can the next peron. I’ve helped hundreds of people go from ‘I’d rather die’ to “I nailed it’, and in doing so helped move successful women from back rooms to board rooms. There is no better day to seize the moment than International Women’s Day.“
END
Notes to Editors
Esther Stanhope is internationally regarded as an expert in coaching successful women to conquer their presentational fears.
Her latest book, ‘An easy-to-fit-in-your-pocket survival guide for women’ aimed at disrupting the ‘manels’ (all male panels) is due to be released in September 2019.