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Take The
Fear Out Of Public Speaking
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| By Roberta Prescott |
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You’re a bright, dynamic executive.
You’ve been scheduled to give a major
company presentation. You’re sitting
in the audience waiting your turn to speak.
You hear your name and start walking stiffly
to the lectern.
Suddenly you’re all alone and everyone
is looking at you. You’re racked with
symptoms of tension: Your hands are clammy,
your knees feel wobbly, and your heart is
pounding. You’ve developed a strange
shortness of breath and your breakfast is
staging an uprising. “If I can just
get started,” you tell yourself, “everything
will be fine.” So you open your mouth
– and out comes a sound that is a cross
between a squeaking balloon and a bad cough.
Twenty minutes later, you heave a sigh
of relief and say weakly “Well, that’s
it I guess,” and stagger back to your
seat. It’s over. It’s all a blank.
You have no sense of satisfaction from a
job well done. And you tell yourself you’ll
never go through such a shattering experience
again.
Take heart, for you have plenty of company.
Public speaking can be a terrifying experience,
and few have the training and confidence
required to overcome the symptoms of fear.
I work with managers and executives who
want to be better public speakers. For almost
everyone a key to their success means redirecting
tension and nervousness into useful and
productive energy the way actors do.
CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE
· Don’t think about negative
speaking experiences from your past. Instead,
fantasize success. Imagine yourself speaking
well.
· Don’t worry about how you’re
coming across, or about whether they’ll
like you. Know that you have an important
message to give. Your audience will pick
up on your enthusiasm and will be rooting
for you.
· Accept that what you are feeling
happens to everyone. After the first minute
the worst of your symptoms will be over.
· Eliminate “all or nothing”
thinking. “If I’m not perfect,
I’ve blown it.”
· Think of public speaking as “enlarged
conversation”.
· Get things in perspective. “What’s
the worst that can happen?” “Ten
years from now who will remember this?”
“I deserve to be here. I’m an
expert on this subject.”
· Recognize that people don’t
listen well anyway. 48 hours from now they’ll
only remember 25% of what you said.
DEVELOP “PUBLIC SOLITUDE”
· This is an acting term that means
you have rehearsed your talk so well, that
nothing can break your concentration. When
you know your talk well, you don’t
have to worry about what you’re going
to say next. You’re on automatic pilot.
· Keep concentrating and keep going
no matter what. The rule of improvisation
means that no one will know you’ve
made an error unless you stop and point
it out.
BREATHE
· Another actor’s technique
can help you avoid shortness of breath and
a shaky voice. Most people when nervous
hold their breath, but oxygen is the fuel
for your voice. So take four long, slow
deep breaths before you speak.
· During your talk, pause and take
another deep breath whenever you feel shaky.
· For an extra long sentence take
a quick inhale in the middle. You will end
your though without your voice trailing
off.
WARM UP BEFORE YOU SPEAK
· Physical movement releases nervous
energy. Take a short walk before your speak.
While walking recite the first minute of
your speech a few times so that your voice
is warmed up as well.
· Get in the room early and practice
walking up to the lectern. Look out at the
room until you own it.
· Roll your shoulders and lift them
up to your ears
· Shake your hands until they tingle,
then swing them vigorously
Try these tips and turn your fear into
the joy of speaking and connecting with
an audience.
© Roberta Prescott
Roberta Prescott heads The Prescott Group,
a communication firm specializing in Executive
Development. Visit our web site at http://www.theprescottgroup.com
for more information on speaking seminars
and executive coaching.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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