Think Fast! 5 Ways to Perform Under Pressure
Do you freeze up under pressure? Experts share their best tips for staying composed when the floor is all yours.
By Marie Proeller Hueston
Take the Plunge
"If you're feeling uncomfortable in a particular situation, the best thing you can do is enter the discussion early. The longer you wait, the more frightened you may become. I've found that in my classes, female students tend to wait to speak up until they have their responses just right in their heads, while male students jump in with an idea even if it's not worded perfectly. Don't be a shrinking violet. If the guts of your statement are right, that's good enough."
—Molly Bishop Shadel, associate professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, where she teaches oral advocacy and verbal persuasion
—Molly Bishop Shadel, associate professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, where she teaches oral advocacy and verbal persuasion
From the August 2012 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine