Overcoming The Fear Of Public Speaking

Are you embarking into the world of public speaking? "Piece of cake" they say? "Nothing To It?" I’m here to tell you, nothing could be further from the truth! Did you know that 90% of public speakers experience high levels of anxiety, sweaty palms, and even shortness of breath?

While many experienced speakers have divulged that it gets easier over a period of time, others have reported they have never completely overcome the fear of speaking in public.

"Stage Fright" has got to be the number one fear of all time. The good news is, there are steps you can take to eliminate (or at least tone down) the anxiety of speaking.

Do you experience the "weak knee syndrome" when you’re faced with the dilemma of taking a stand in front of a crowd? Do your palms sweat profusely? Do you experience memory loss, or feel your heart race so hard you think it might explode right out of your chest?

If you answered yes to even one of the questions above, you are among millions of people that experience stage fright when faced with the prospect of giving a presentation.

Things to do to minimize stress when you’re required to speak in public



Familiarize yourself with the place you’ll be speaking in. Arrive about 30 minutes earlier than expected and simply stroll around the room. If you’re new to public speaking, find a focal point near the rear of the room to focus on instead of looking your audience square in the eye. A focal point can be a clock, a picture, or anything that stands out from a blank wall. Keep your focus just over your audiences heads, avoid looking at the ceiling, your goal is to look natural and relaxed. Stay focused on your topic as opposed to your audience.

Stand at the podium you will deliver your speech at. Familiarize yourself with the stage and the microphone. When possible, practice speaking into the microphone before your audience arrives. Avoid standing with locked knees in one position. Allow one knee to bend slightly. If at all possible walk the stage, using hand gestures during your presentation as if you’re speaking to friends, roaming the stage will also help you relax. Smile and enjoy the topic you’re speaking on.

Do some relaxation exercises prior to taking the stage. Roll your head slowly in a circular motion, briefly stopping to allow your head to hang when your chin meets your chest, then again when your ear touches your shoulder, allow you head to fall back loosely, your face toward the sky, then briefly stop again when your opposite ear touches your shoulder. Do this exercise from three to five times. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth. Take a moment before the event to stretch and limber up. These are all exercises that can greatly assist you in relaxing.

When your audience begins to arrive, avoid hiding behind the curtain, or blending in with the crowd. Stand at the entrance and meet and greet your audience. This small act will familiarize you with your audience, and make speaking to them feel more comfortable.

Avoid trying to memorize a speech word for word. The majority of the message your audience receives has very little to do with the speech you deliver. What they’re most focused on is body language, tone of your voice, gestures, and facial expressions. So, as you can imagine, you can't portray ease and expertise if you’re focused on delivering a memorized speech.

Prepare, prepare did I mention prepare? Preparation before speaking in public will greatly reduce the anxiety we experience during a speech. I don’t care how comfortable you are with the topic you’re speaking about. It is crucial that you rehearse until you can recite your speech backwards in your sleep. Nothing short of a miracle will boost your confidence more than being totally prepared and physically familiar with what you intend to say. The only thing that can familiarize you with your speech is rehearsal and preparation. If you fail to thoroughly familiarize yourself with your presentation you’re setting yourself up for failure. Ask a friend or relative to listen to your presentation and request genuine feedback.

People respond best to a message when the person delivering it is genuine. With adequate preparation, you'll feel comfortable enough to be yourself in front of a crowd. When you can relax and deliver a personable genuine message, this will allow you to connect with your audience on a personal level.

When speaking, emanate confidence in your voice. Speak loud and clear to you audience in a natural tone of voice that can be clearly heard at the rear of the room. When you visualize yourself as successful and are confident with the material you present, a funny thing happens You succeed in portraying yourself as an authority on the subjects you speak about. Nothing can portrays credibility more than an accurate presentation and valuable information.

Keep a sheet of brief notes outlining your key points to serve as a reference guide during your speech. You should never exceed more than three or four key point during a speech. Keep it short and to the point. Elaborate on the key components of your topic and skim over the rest. A long drawn out speech can result in your audience’s loss of interest. Be very precise in the message you’re about to portray. Keep your message flowing smoothly to ensure your audience has a clearer perspective of the message you deliver.

Never acknowledge your anxiety. It’s likely your audience will not even notice you’re nervous. You are more aware of your fears than those who come to hear you speak. Apologizing for being nervous will only result in you bringing attention to the situation. Simply take a breath and move forward with your presentation. Brief periods of "dead air time" are generally recognized as the speaker gathering their thoughts before continuing with the presentation.

Use stories related to the speech to illustrate your message and give it a personal touch. A personal experience, or an incident that took place in a similar situation will help to bring your message to life. A brief joke can eliminate the monotony of a serious subject. Keep in mind that a story line, or jokes, are not intended to replace your topic. Keep these techniques to a minimum, they are intended to be used as tools to enhance a speech to be better received.

Know that people come to hear you speak with the full expectation that you will succeed. Your audience is there because the topic you are speaking on is of interest to them. When your content is comprised of topics that offer stimulating, refreshing perspectives of information delivered with enthusiasm, your presentation is destine for success. Add a light hearted, entertaining air to your speech and the prospect of ongoing engagements is unlimited. Nobody wants to hear someone speak in a monotone voice. Generate energy in your presentation and your audience will follow suit! Keep your tone of voice relaxed and natural, not forced.

You’ll come to realize, that the more you speak in public, the less nervous you’ll feel. Embrace your fears and turn them into positive energy that will result in you looking forward to being heard again and again. The more experience you gain the more you’ll be recognized as a leader in your field.

I’m by no means a professional speaker, however I’ve gathered advise from experienced speakers and practiced what I’ve learned on many occasions. I’ve learned that if I believe in what I’m talking about, and am familiar with the content of my presentation, it allows me to speak with confidence. Thus I make fewer mistakes, and the anxiety I used to experience has gradually minimized each time I take the stage. I’ve come to understand that a whooping 95% of your nervousness never even shows to anyone other than yourself. I’ve learned a hard lesson on more than one occasion, when I focus on myself, I bring attention to my errors.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Donna Vestre is the President/Founder of South Coast Revenue, a Professional Recovery Consultants Firm based in Anaheim California. Donna is also a freelance writer focusing on business, and account receivables issues. Please visit Donna’s website at www.SouthCoastRevenue.com to explore an array of articles located in the Guest Speakers Lounge pertaining to business, written by various authors in their fields. Donna’s website offers an abundance of free resources, links, and practical advise pertaining to collections and business.

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