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Fear Of Public Speaking

A fear of public speaking holds people back in all walks of life. Studies have shown that one of the key factors that affects promotion at work is the ability to express oneself clearly to a group of people. In a work context it is not important to give speeches to hundreds of people, just stand up and speak clearly to a small group.

Fear of Public Speaking probably comes from worrying about what others will think of us and our ideas. We are afraid to look foolish in front of a group of people. We are afraid our minds will go blank, we will stutter and stammer, then end up looking foolish. It may help to bear these points in mind:

You may stop worrying about what people would think about you, when you realise just how infrequently people think about anyone but themselves.

Almost everyone in your audience wants you to succeed.

Almost everyone in your audience has a fear of public speaking and hence admires you for just standing up and speaking.

There is no real trick to public speaking, you just have to have confidence. Ideally you will have confidence in yourself, but then you would not have the fear of public speaking. Begin by having confidence in your message. As surprising as it may seem we all have something to say that other people are interested in listening to – that includes you.

The following suggestions will help to overcome the fear you feel:

1 Visualise

Find a time and place when you will not be disturbed, make yourself comfortable, close your eyes and visualise yourself delivering your presentation. See the people in the audience, hear the noises and feel what ever you feel. See yourself delivering the presentation despite feeling afraid. If you make this vivid enough it will feel just like the real thing. See a successful conclusion to the presentation and enjoy the applause you will receive. See yourself making a mistake but carrying on regardless and realise that a mistake is not the end the world.

Repeat this exercise until you feel comfortable delivering your presentation and the real thing will go very much smoother. This is a technique used very successfully by professional athletes to prepare for competitions.

2. Practice

Practice will always help to over come the fear of public speaking. Borrow a few teddy bears from your children and practice delivering your speech to them. They will not criticise and you can always pretend they are delivering a standing ovation.

Tape the speech then play it back to yourself so that you can assess how you use your voice to deliver your message. Practise any gestures you intend to use until you deliver them flawlessly without having to think about them. Remember that:

Amateur’s practices until they can get it right, while professionals practice until they cannot get it wrong.

The more you practice the more confident you will feel.

3. Consider joining a Speakers Club

There are speakers clubs dotted around the country that are affiliated to the Association of speakers Clubs. One of these clubs is where I first began to overcome my fear of public speaking. These clubs provide an ideal setting in which to overcome fear because all of the members are available to provide support and advice. All the members know what it feels like the first time a new member delivers a speech.

4. What should I do if I lose my place and get all flustered?

No matter how well you prepare for a presentation there will come a time when you lose your place and feel the onset of panic. Prepare yourself for what you will do when that happens and you will not need to fear it. If you lose your place:

1. Do not panic
2. Take a deep breath to calm yourself
3. Look down at your notes and remind yourself of the next thing to say
4. Look up at your audience
5. Smile
6. Begin to talk.

Follow these simple steps and you will not need to fear losing your place.