The Art of Public Speaking

People who make their living researching what frightens people the most have made a pretty amazing discovery. Consistently when people list the top five things they are afraid of in life, they have are some pretty intimidating terrors. But you would think that death would rank number one on that list. But death doesn’t take number one, it has to settle for number two. Amazingly, the number one thing that terrifies most people is not death, it is public speaking. A popular comedian once said that this means that people would rather be the guy in the casket at a funeral than the guy giving the eulogy.

If you have ever been in a meeting listening to a speaker, you can usually tell if they are terrified. They will get up there and you will see that “deer in the headlights” look. You know that look. It is one of extreme fear, panic, and terror so profound that the person is frozen in place unable to speak of move. And if you have ever been that guy or gal in front of a group giving the “deer in the headlights” look, you know the feeling of terror that happens in front of a group of people can be pretty awful.

So if you know that public speaking is going to be part of your job or something you have to regularly, you have to find a way to neutralize that fear and be able to relax in front of a crowd when you speak. How often have you sat and listened to a speaker who was relaxed, funny, bright and even able to field questions with no difficulty at all? It’s easy to admire that kind of public speaker and think that he or she has some magical powers that you will never get. But they don’t have magic. That speaker has just learned some techniques for neutralizing those fears so he or she can appear relaxed and as though he or she is having fun up there. It’s not an inborn talent. It’s a skill which can be learned.

Of course a lot of the ability to look out at a sea of faces who want to hear what you want to say and not feel sick comes from experience. But experience teaches you things that you can at least understand before you become an old pro at public speaking. One of those things is that the crowd out there doesn’t know what to expect. If you broke down why you feel terrified in front of people, it’s that you think that they think they know what they want and that you are being judged.

But to understand what people really expect when they are looking at you at the podium on stage, just remember the last time you heard someone speak. You had no predefined idea what was about to be said and you probably had no outline or any frame of reference what that speaker was going to say. That means that even if you don’t deliver your speech perfectly, they will never know that! As long as you don’t let on that you are nervous or not sure about your material, they won’t know if you got it wrong. If you forget an entire segment of your speech, as long as what you do say flows nicely and they never know you forgot it, the people listening will think your speech was just fine and will probably applaud.

Also remember that you are not really speaking to a group. The group has no ears. You are speaking to several individuals. When you are listening to a speaker, you are one person listening to one person. That is how each person in that audience is receiving you, as individuals. So if you speak to them as though they are one person, not a crowd, your presentation will be warm and personal and very successful. And the crowd will like you to which helps a lot.

Just remember that their expectations of you are fairly low and for the most part, people hearing you speak want you to succeed. So smile at them, use a bit of humor and use that little insider tip to relax up there. And when you can relax, you can actually have fun at public speaking rather than wishing you were the guy in the casket instead.

Some if not many people really hate the idea of having to perform or deliver a speech in front of an audience. Research has shown that the anxiety of public speaking stems from the following reasons:

1. The physical display of signs of anxiety such as shaking or trembling.

There are not many of us who would like being seen by a large audience looking like a wimp, making a fool of one’s self while jittering and trembling.

2. The fear of mental block.

There can be nothing more embarrassing than being watched expectantly for what you are going to say next when you suddenly realize that your memory has just failed you. It is not uncommon with people who are speaking in front of a large audience for their mind to go blank . This is caused by the mental stress one undergoes while speaking in public.

3. Doing anything embarrassing.

For many people the fear of becoming a laughing stock is what makes public speaking very frightening. With a large audience in front of you, you never know what’s in their mind while you are giving your best in delivering your speech.

4. Not making sense or saying silly things.

Like the other reasons why a lot of people cringe at the thought of speaking in public, mumbling unintelligible words or saying something silly is another one of those things that many would not rather not experience.

So with those things being said, what can one do to prevent these from happening.

Prepare Your Speech

The key element in order not to be a victim of these incidents is to be well-prepared. Nothing can beat preparation when it comes to public speaking. Even the smartest person can make use of ample time to gather all the resources he or she will use before delivering a speech. That’s the whole idea behind still having butterflies when speaking but having them flying in formation!

Practice Your Speech

Practice will also make things a lot easier for you. Getting more comfortable with your subject entails practicing the speech in front of a smaller audience like your family or even just by yourself in front of the mirror.

Relax

Also, relaxing oneself before, during and after the speech will make things sail a lot smoother. Doing things that can put you in a relaxed mood such as getting a breath of fresh air will help you in psyching your body before the talk.

Public speaking is an acquired taste for most people. That is, the first taste of it is usually disagreeable to the untrained person. Over time, if emboldened by a few tasty morsels, they can develop a taste for it and eventually they will discover how to ensure that whilst they still have butterflies they will all be flying in formation.

To be exceptional at public speaking requires that one loves the activity for its own sake. In public speaking, to love it means to share with others things you consider of relative value and importance.

Though all people approach public speaking with different goals in mind, a few pointers, if you will on how one can eventually find it an indispensable tool in life.

1. Let go of yourself. When you speak publicly, the only thing on your mind is the speech. It’s really not the time for thoughts of your bills, arguments with the boss, and needing to have the car washed. All these other thoughts get in the way of you being natural on stage.

2. Be uniquely you. This may sound like a contradiction of the first pointer, but nothing is more true. If you let go of your ego and just let your true personality shine though, the audience will be awed by this. This is partly the reason why most people flock to movies and theaters, as a means to express their own feelings albeit vicariously. Words depend on the manner in which they are spoken and less by the matter these words are a part of.

3. Have a chat with your audience. Create a sense of give-and-take communication with the audience. Never let the audience feel you never wanted to be there with them in the first place. You will want your hearers to know that you are speaking with experience from the heart.

4. Wear your heart on your sleeve. Being passionate isn’t right for some occasions, but being passionate in public speaking is just what the doctor ordered. Speak with emotion, confidence and conviction. There is no audience that would rather see the speaker.

5. Practice makes perfect. Practice with your speech and its delivery. Never neglect to exercise the mental and physical traits necessary to create a direct impact on the audience. Measure your performance by capturing your speech on video, or ask for advice from an expert. Find ways to improve your technique.

If you follow these suggestions, you will start to develop a love of the art of public speaking, your butterflies will be flying in formation and you will conquer your fear, worry and anxiety about public speaking