Tap Your Inner Meryl Streep

Whether you have the performance gene or not, there are times in your professional life when you have to command an academy award winning performance to offset your emotions – especially fear. You remember the tag line of the Dry Idea deodorant commercial: Never Let Them See You Sweat – the same holds true in many professional situations.

Fear is natural and it can be very difficult to remain calm under pressure but you need to learn how to act confidently even if your heart is racing a mile a minute on the inside. When I am coaching my students and clients in mock interviews, I encourage them to have their game face on and approach the interview with confidence and their authentic personality, even if they are scared to death on the inside.

Imagine that person in your professional world who stands tall with humble confidence and exudes composure at all times. She seems to have it all together and you wish you could behave like her under pressure. You can and should emulate that confident person and practice holding it together when your nerves get the best of you. The truth is she may be just as scared as you are but she has developed a technique to lead with a confident persona and it works.

You set your audience at ease when you exude a confident and friendly persona as well. It’s torture watching someone who is terrified present or interview and no matter how well prepared they are, the focus is on their emotional distress and not their brilliant content.

Whether you are in a job interview, a board room presentation, or a public speaking engagement, tap your inner Meryl Streep and bring on a command performance. Work with a coach doing role play scenarios or practice with a trusted advisor so you can perfect your technique.

You can smell fear a mile away but a simple smile can be the best technique to let others know you are confident. By the way, in a recent interview, Meryl Streep confessed to severe stage fright before live performances but you would never know it!