Some estimates state that as many as 75% of the population have a fear of public speaking. Other figures state that as many as 30% of the population have an exorbitant and debilitating fear of public speaking.
Even you might have fears of speaking in front of large groups of people—possibly for the following reasons:
- You’re self-conscious about what people may be thinking of you
- You’re asked to speak in environments that you’re not used to
- You’re insecure about how your voice sounds as you give your speeches
- You’re scared of saying something inappropriate or disadvantageous
- You think the audience might look down on you because they seem smarter or more successful than you
- You’re forced to talk about things that you’re not used to talking about
- You’re not sharing your honest opinions about your subject matter and it shows
- You’re not passionate about what you’re talking about
- You don’t know enough about your topic
- You don’t know enough about public speaking
Thankfully, there are practical actions you can take right now that will weaken that fear so much that you could actually enjoy speaking in front of large groups:
- Talk about what you love to talk about – One of the best ways to conquer the fear of public speaking is to find a topic that both you and your audience are passionate about. In this case, enthusiasm is contagious. When you talk about what you love most to people who share your same interests, your enthusiasm from within will make your audience feel that enthusiasm too.
- Show praise for your audience – A good way to guarantee the cooperation of your audience is to show them your approval and respect. Thank them for showing up, compliment them for their values and tastes, tell them how intelligent they are, and wish them well in the future. Not only will you put them at ease, they’ll start to look at you favorably because you showed them that you respect them and you care about their well-being.
- Provide useful information – You will feel more confident when you are providing information that you know is useful to your audience. Find a solution to a problem that your audience can relate to or find ways to improve an aspect of their everyday life. If you say things that are useful to your audience, they will want to listen to what you have to say.
- Talk about ideals that people cherish and respect – Politicians are masters at this. Generally, you’ll want to touch on topics such as family values, justice, fairness, honor, and generosity. However, make sure you don’t embellish it. Stay within the realm of reality. If you prolong this lofty talk for too long, people will start to question your sincerity.
- Don’t alienate members of your audience – Nothing would make most of us more nervous than to give a speech to a hostile audience. Try to stay away from topics that will divide or alienate members of your audience. If you absolutely have to talk about politics, religion or some other issue that everyone doesn’t agree on, make an effort to be tolerant of other peoples’ beliefs.
- Record yourself giving the speech beforehand – Use an audio recorder to improve what your will sound like before giving your speech. Better yet, record yourself with a camcorder so that you’ll know what to improve about your body language and vocal variety before the presentation. Take note that it may be too inconvenient to record your entire speech each time you practice so try recording your speech in 30 second intervals for a more efficient and pointed approach.
- Read books about public speaking – You may fear giving speeches in public because you don’t know much about giving speeches in general. But as Marie Curie said, “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” Just learning about the craft of public speaking can ease your fears tremendously. I recommend the following books:
- The Exceptional Presenter — Timothy J. Koegel
- Speak to Win — Brian Tracy
- Join a Toastmasters club – One of the best ways to practice your presentation skills is to join your nearest Toastmasters club. You’ll dramatically improve factors such as speech organization, body language, vocal variety, staying on message and persuasion. Not only that, you’ll be in a friendly and pro-active environment where you’ll be encouraged to do your best and enjoy yourself while doing it. As an added bonus, you’ll receive thorough training manuals and a helpful magazine subscription after joining. You can find your nearest Toastmasters club by clicking this link: http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub
It makes perfect sense to fear public speaking because there are so many variables involved. It is understandable why most people feel overwhelmed when faced with all the pressure. But if you follow the 8 suggestions in the above list, you’ll be well equipped to handle any situation that may arise. You’ll take your presentation skills to new heights that were previously thought impossible.
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