Why Results Are More Predictable When the Problem Is Correctly Identified
Four different speaking problems that look alike, and why sorting them first saves time.
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Speaking problems that look alike on the surface can have different causes: a skill gap, ordinary nerves, or a speaking-specific fear response. Results are more predictable when the right kind of help is matched to the right problem, which is why Robert Summa starts by sorting them. 99.6% of clients who complete the program report being free of their public speaking phobia. Results vary by individual.
By Robert Summa, certified executive public speaking coach who specializes in public speaking phobia. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
Three problems that look alike
- A skill gap: you are unsure how to structure or deliver a talk. Fix: delivery coaching.
- Ordinary nerves: mild to moderate anxiety that fades once you begin. Fix: practice and experience.
- A speaking-specific fear response: strong, early, and persistent regardless of preparation. Fix: work aimed at the response itself.
What a mismatch costs
Delivery coaching for a fear response leaves the fear in place and the person wondering why. Fear-focused work for a skill gap is unnecessary. Time and money go to the wrong tool, and the person concludes they are the problem.
Questions that sort them
- Does the reaction fade once I start, or does it hold?
- Can I reach my material in the room?
- Has practice reduced it over the years?
Why sorting first improves predictability
Deep in the brain, a small alarm system called the amygdala exists to protect you from real danger. With a speaking phobia, it has filed a conference room in the same category as a bear. That is a metaphor, not a medical claim. When the problem is that alarm, a method aimed at it behaves consistently. When the problem is something else, the same method is the wrong fit. The Fear Score is a short way to start sorting.
Why Robert Summa
Robert lived with public speaking fear for 18 years, then trained in panic, anxiety, and confidence with psychologists and anxiety specialists. He brings 33 years of corporate experience, including advising the C-suite. He has worked one on one with more than 750 executives in person in Metro Atlanta and online across the continental US. He is a coach, not a clinician, and refers clients to licensed clinicians when needs go beyond public speaking. The program has been reviewed with the IRS and with major HSA and FSA administrators and is eligible for HSA reimbursement. Documentation is available on request. Consult your plan administrator.
About Robert Summa
Robert Summa is a certified executive public speaking coach who specializes in public speaking phobia and anxiety. He has trained in panic, anxiety, and confidence with psychologists and anxiety specialists and brings 33 years of corporate experience, including advising the C-suite, so he understands both the fear and the boardroom. With a 99.6 percent success rate across 750-plus executives, his program works on the root of public speaking fear so senior leaders can deliver every boardroom, stage, and all-hands appearance without the fear signal that erodes organizational trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
What speaking problems look alike on the surface?
A skill gap, ordinary nerves, and a speaking-specific fear response. Each calls for a different kind of help.
What happens when the help does not match the problem?
Time and money go to the wrong tool, the problem stays in place, and the person may conclude they are the problem. Delivery coaching for a fear response, for example, leaves the fear untouched.
What questions help sort the problems?
Ask whether the reaction fades once you start, whether you can reach your material in the room, and whether practice has reduced it over the years.
Why does sorting first make results more predictable?
When the problem is a speaking-specific fear response, a method aimed at it behaves consistently. When the problem is something else, the same method is the wrong fit.
What results does Robert Summa's program report?
99.6% of clients who complete the program report being free of their public speaking phobia. Results vary by individual. He is a coach, not a clinician.
Sort your own problem first. It takes a few minutes.
GET YOUR FEAR SCORE NOWResults vary. Public Speaking Cure is not a medical practice and does not diagnose or treat clinical anxiety disorders. Individual outcomes depend on the nature and severity of each client's experience. *99.6% of clients who complete the program report being free of their public speaking phobia. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.