Taming Those Meeting Nerves: From Shaky to Steady

We've all been there – sitting in an important meeting, heart racing, hands trembling, face turning an unfortunate shade of red. No matter how hard you try to stay calm, your body seems determined to broadcast your nerves to everyone in the room. The good news? You're absolutely not alone in this, and there are practical ways to regain control.

This question was answered by Martine Beaumont – founder and CEO of Select Wellness and Select Counsellors, with over 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist and executive coach. Andy Wright, founder of Never Not Creative, hosted the discussion alongside creative director Olivia Gatt.

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body

Martine explains that when anxiety strikes, "your head's just going to drive you" and escalate the panic. The solution is a sensory anchoring technique that grounds you in the present moment.

Before your meeting, try this simple exercise: First, look around and notice everything green in your surroundings – different shades, textures, anything green at all. Then close your eyes and tune into the layers of sound around you. Finally, feel each of your toes against the floor or inside your shoes. "This gets you grounded," Martine notes, pulling you away from anxious thoughts.

Use Bilateral Brain Stimulation

When you're highly anxious and self-conscious, you're often stuck in your limbic system – your brain's alarm centre. Martine suggests bilateral stimulation to engage both sides of your brain simultaneously. While juggling would work perfectly, it's hardly meeting-appropriate behaviour.

Instead, try discreetly squeezing each knee or tapping each toe under the table. This simple action "gets you out of that limbic thinking" and helps restore your mental balance.

Remember: It's Not About You

Perhaps the most powerful shift comes from changing your perspective entirely. Martine shares advice from a dear friend who told her before a UN talk: "It's not about you, it's about the message."

This reframe can be transformative. Instead of worrying about whether your hair looks messy or if people are judging you, focus on what you're bringing to the conversation. As the speakers note, "we all have something that we can bring to a conversation."

Prepare, But Don't Over-Script

Andy emphasises the importance of thorough preparation – knowing what you'd say even if it's not your meeting to lead. However, Olivia warns against over-scripting yourself. She recalls rehearsing specific answers on a train, only to be asked completely different questions.

The key is understanding the topic and your viewpoint, then trusting yourself. As Olivia puts it: "People are asking me about my life, my experience, design. These are things that I don't need to rehearse – I am the answer."

Trust Your Brain to Deliver

Once you've prepared your key points, let them breathe. Olivia learned to "trust that my brain will regurgitate it up" rather than frantically rehearsing exact words. This approach actually reduces stress because you're not trying to control the uncontrollable flow of conversation.

Meeting nerves are incredibly common, and they do tend to ease with experience and confidence. These techniques offer practical ways to manage the physical symptoms while shifting your mental focus from self-consciousness to contribution. Remember, you're in that meeting for a reason – you have valuable insights to share.

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