Hate Speaking Up in Meetings? Confidence Strategies for Sydney Professionals to Own the Room

If you're a smart, capable professional in Sydney who dreads speaking up in meetings, you might be surprised by how common this is—especially among high achievers who care deeply about getting it right and are eager to have real confidence when speaking in meetings. Maybe your heart races the moment all eyes turn to you. Maybe you rehearse your ideas a dozen times in your head but still stay quiet. Or maybe you speak up—only to overanalyse everything you said for the rest of the day.

Let’s be clear: the fear of speaking up doesn’t mean you’re not qualified. In fact, many high-achieving Sydney professionals struggle with this exact issue. And here’s the good news: confidence in speaking is not a personality trait. It’s a skill. One that can be cultivated, strengthened, and rewired at the subconscious level.

In this guide, we’ll explore the root causes of this fear, the science behind executive presence, and powerful, practical strategies to help you speak up with clarity and confidence—so you can own the room, instead of shrinking in it.

Why Smart, Capable Leaders Struggle with with Confidence Speaking in Meetings

You may have climbed the ladder, landed a leadership role, or started your own business—yet meetings still feel like a mental battlefield. Why?

The Fear of Saying Something "Wrong"

From a young age, many of us are conditioned to avoid mistakes. In school, we’re rewarded for the "right" answer. In the workplace, we’re praised for being polished. So it’s no surprise that when it’s time to speak up, the fear of being wrong can override your confidence. You freeze, overthink, or default to silence.

But here’s the truth: powerful speakers don’t fear being wrong. They trust their perspective. They know that speaking up is about engaging, not impressing.

How Perfectionism Leads to Hesitation

Perfectionism is a sneaky form of self-doubt. You might hold back because you’re still crafting the "perfect" sentence in your mind. Or you’re worried your idea isn’t fully formed. The irony? While you wait for perfect, the moment passes—and someone else speaks up.

If that sounds familiar, know that this pattern is more common than you think—and it's something you can absolutely change. Many of my Sydney-based clients are high performers who hold themselves to incredibly high standards. But leadership isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being real, present, and courageous.

For more insights, check out this related blog: Feeling Stuck in Your Career? It’s Not Laziness—It’s Something Deeper.

The Science of Executive Presence and Confidence

What Confident Speakers Do Differently

Confident speakers aren’t necessarily the smartest in the room—but they do something powerful: they regulate their nervous system. They breathe deeply, speak slowly, and project calm energy. This isn’t about faking it. It’s about training your body and brain to stay grounded under pressure.

They also speak from their core values, not from a place of proving themselves. That’s what creates executive presence. It’s felt, not forced.

To understand how your subconscious mind shapes your behaviour and confidence, you might also like: What Is the Subconscious Mind, and How Does It Influence Your Behaviour?.

The Power of Subconscious Reprogramming in Public Speaking

Here’s where things get fascinating. Your fear of speaking up isn’t just a mindset issue. It’s often stored in your subconscious. Maybe it traces back to a moment you were interrupted, dismissed, or laughed at. The subconscious mind learns to associate speaking up with danger—so it triggers anxiety to keep you safe.

This is where working with a hypnotherapist becomes a game changer. Tools like hypnotherapy and RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) help you go beyond surface-level mindset tips and straight to the root of the pattern. We uncover the exact moment your subconscious formed this fear, and we rewire it.

Because confidence isn’t just about what you tell yourself consciously—it’s about what your inner mind believes to be true. When your subconscious holds the belief "my voice is safe, powerful, and worth hearing", everything shifts. You don’t just act confident—you feel it in your bones.

In fact, studies from the American Psychological Association show that even highly competent professionals struggle with imposter syndrome and subconscious fears, often silently.

Practical Strategies to Speak Up Without Fear

You don’t need to become someone else to speak confidently. You just need to reconnect with the version of you that already knows how.

A Mindset Shift: Your Words Add Value, Not Prove Your Worth

When you walk into a meeting believing you have to "earn your place" at the table, it triggers performance anxiety. But when you shift your mindset to: I’m here to contribute, not to perform, everything changes.

Try this: Before your next meeting, take 30 seconds to ground yourself and say, "I’m here to share, not to shine."

For more mindset tips, explore 7 Powerful Strategies to Boost Your Confidence at Work. This mindset shift is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for building confidence speaking in meetings.

Using Breathwork to Control Nerves Before Speaking

Your breath is your superpower. When you’re nervous, your breath becomes shallow and fast—sending signals to the brain that you’re in danger.

Try this technique I teach clients in Sydney:

Box Breathing:

• Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale through the mouth for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Repeat for 60 seconds

This simple exercise brings your body back to safety—so your voice can come through.

Breathwork is backed by science too. A study published in the National Library of Medicine highlights how conscious breathing can lower anxiety and improve emotional regulation.

The "Pause-Power" Technique to Speak with Authority

One of the most underrated speaking tools? The pause. When you pause before you speak, you create space. You claim authority. You send a message: I’m not rushing. I’m grounded.

Practice this:

• Pause after someone asks you a question

• Take a breath before you respond

• Let silence work for you, not against you

Confidence isn’t about filling every second with words. It’s about trusting the silence, too. And learning to pause is a core part of developing true confidence speaking in meetings.

Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety for Good

If you’re tired of overthinking every meeting, of holding back brilliant ideas, and of shrinking instead of showing up—you deserve more than a quick fix. You deserve lasting change.

That’s where my work comes in. As a hypnotherapist and breathwork facilitator in Sydney, I specialise in helping professionals like you rewire the subconscious patterns that fuel self-doubt, anxiety, and fear around speaking up.

Through a blend of subconscious reprogramming, nervous system regulation, and strategic mindset work, we uncover the root of your fear and build unshakable confidence from the inside out.

Because when you work at the subconscious level, you're not just learning how to speak up—you're becoming someone who naturally does.

If you're curious how this works in real life, take a look at my Hypnotherapy for Confidence page to learn more about the process.

And if you want a broader understanding of how the brain defaults to familiar patterns (even unhelpful ones), this Neuroscience News article breaks it down beautifully.

Ready to Own the Room?

Book a free confidence consultation with me today—online or in-person in Sydney.

Let’s help you:

• Speak up without second-guessing yourself

• Feel calm and grounded before any presentation

• Share your ideas with clarity and presence

• Become the kind of leader who doesn’t just speak—but is heard

Book Your Free Session Now

Final Thought: Confidence doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from being present. And you, my friend, are more than ready to own the room with lasting confidence speaking in meetings.