Public Speaking: Overcoming Your Fears And Nerves of Speaking In Public

Overcome Your Nerves In Public Speaking

Because so many of us have a real issue with speaking in public, I have put together this site with a collection of helpful, inspirational and practical information that can help you to overcome your fears. Some public speaking courses are to be avoided but what you have here is first class material. Take a look around and pick out the bits that mean something to you and your situation.

On this site you will discover lots of useful articles written by experts in their field as well as masses of information and practical advice you can put into practice to get your public speaking sorted out right now.

Public Speaking Courses to Overcome Your Nerves
An Original Article By Peter Fisher

Many of us would rather die than stand up to speak in public. You know the feeling don't you? The sweaty palms; the dry mouth and red face; the total lack of rational thought only replaced by absolute PANIC.

OK maybe a little exaggerated, but I've been there myself and I've seen otherwise strong people reduced to gibbering wrecks at the thought of having to do this.

Now I've also been on one or two public speaking courses - the last one was run by an actor, sorry an AC-TOR, a real thesp and we spent a lot of time breathing(?) and talking in strange accents! I'm not sure how much it helped, but the day was fun, so perhaps it did do some good.

What I'm going to suggest though rather than going to one of those public speaking courses that may or may not help is to follow some simple guidelines and then read and practice my suggestions.

First off try to be sure that your part in whatever public speaking engagement you are involved with is brief. This means you know your agony will be short and there will be less time for the audience to get their aim (ha-ha).

In Public Speaking, Preparation Is Everything

Prepare your speech carefully, writing it out in full. Two sides of A4 in normal handwriting will take about three minutes to read. Read it out loud in front of a mirror several times until you start to feel whether it sounds about right. If you find yourself changing the words as you read it out, then change them on the paper copy. Only when it feels right and sounds natural should you continue.

Continue reading it out loud in front of the mirror, but try to refer to the paper less often; you will find this gets easier after several readings. When you can run through the whole thing without referring to the written version you're almost there.

Next get the paper typed up so that you can refer to it as necessary. Break it up into paragraphs so you can pick up the point you are at easily if needed.

When you get to your engagement have your paper handy, take a deep breath then stand up. wait for the audience to settle, look around the room and smile at someone you know or just anyone.

Start without referring to your paper, confident that it is in your pocket if you should need it.

Peter Fisher is Managing Director of Career Consulting Limited which provides expert help for career and performance management. He is an expert author and career coach. His advice on Public Speaking Courses at Public Speaking Courses provides every help with overcoming your nerves and mastering the art of public speaking.

We also include ways to find your public voice, whether you are a private speaker or a business presenter so you will see I have included some help with everything you need to work on.

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks
Public speaking for people who suffer from panic attacks or general anxiety often becomes a major source of worry weeks or even months before the speaking event is to occur.

Gettysburg Address

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal address to the crowd gathered at Gettysburg to dedicate the newly established “Soldiers National Cemetery”. Here is the first draft of his speech:

Executive Mansion,

Washington, , 1863 .

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived
in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that
“all men are created equal”

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing
whether that nation, or any nation so conceived,
and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met
on a great battle field of that war. We have
come to dedicate a portion ot it, as a final rest-
ing place for those who died here, that the nation
might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But, in a
larger sense, we can not dedicate- we can not
consecrate- we can not hallow this ground-
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled
here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power
to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long
remember what we say here; while it can never
forget what they did here.

It is rather for us, the living, to be here dedicated
to the great task remaining before us-
that, from these honored dead we take in-
creased devotion to that cause for which
they here, gave the last full measure of devotion-
that we here highly resolve these
dead shall not have died in vain, that
the nation, shall have a new birth of free-
dom, and that government of the people by
the people for the people shall not perish
from the earth.

The original copy of this version, written on White House stationary, resides today in the collection of the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

Panic Attacks and Public Speaking

It is often observed that many people's top ranking fear is not death but having to speak in public. The joke is that these people would rather be lying in the casket at the funeral than giving the eulogy. Public speaking for people who suffer from panic attacks or general anxiety often becomes a major source of worry weeks or even months before the speaking event is to occur.

These speaking engagements do not necessarily have to be the traditional "on a podium" events but can be as simple as an office meeting where the individual is expected to express an opinion or give verbal feedback. The fear of public speaking and panic attacks in this case centers on having an attack while speaking. The individual fears being incapacitated by the anxiety and hence unable to complete what he or she is saying. The person imagines fleeing the spotlight and having to make all kinds of excuses later for their undignified departure out the office window...

This differs slightly from the majority of people who fear public speaking because their fear tends to revolve around going blank while speaking or feeling uncomfortable under the spotlight of their peers. The jitters or nerves of speaking in public are of course a problem for this group as well, but they are unfamiliar with that debilitating threat which is the panic attack, as they most likely have not experienced one before.

So how should a person with an anxiety issue tackle public speaking?

Learn more about public speaking and eliminating imminent panic attacks: Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: www.panicportal.com © Joe Barry

How to be an Effective Public Speaker

Public Speaking At The Podium

There are many ways on how you can deliver your speech in the most conventional way. There are times that you may encounter uncooperative audience or sometimes you may feel the anxiety in speaking in front of a hostile audience. Here are some tips that can help you deliver your public speaking in a more effective way:

1.Establish to yourself and to your listeners an image of a credible speaker. Make your opening statement as striking as possible, in the way you may get the attention of the listeners. You can try cracking a joke or starting your speech with a question to catch their attention.

2.It is important that you use the quality of voice that is needed to capture the interest of an audience. Voice modulation is important in delivering a speech. You should always sound confident by making your voice firm and loud.

3.There are times that you tend to make mistakes or contrasting statements. It is important that you have the capability to know your mistakes and recover from them. Make sure that you do not forget to ask your audience if they have questions or if they agree on the statements that you brought up.

4.You may use a little humor on your speech. This can help you and your audience as well, to feel at ease and relieve the tension that may occur during the course of the speech. This can also make your speech interesting and something that they would like to hear.

Public Speaking: Audience Gags

5.Stories can be a good source of information rather than simply directly delivering the main point of the topic. Stories can add spice to the speech and they can help you relate to the audience that may have encountered the same experiences.

6.Maximize the use of the venue you are using. It is advisable that you move around and not just stand in one location. You can move closer to your audience especially when they raise some questions.

7.It is important that you focus on your audience and not on your visual aids. There are instances that speakers rely mostly on their materials and forget to focus on the listeners.

8.Do not forget that you are the main attraction at that very moment. Make sure that you deliver a very good message and make an impact that you are a credible speaker.

A Little Bit Of The ‘Blarney Stone’

Or Another 10 Ways to Empower Your Communication

Speaking To Conference

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it’s your mouth that’s doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you’ve learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters’ meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Listening.
It’s just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don’t be afraid to ask if you’re saying the right word properly and if they’re unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it’ll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact
There’s a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It’s important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.

5. Kidding Around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you’ll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they’ll feel that you’re just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.

6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You’ll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you’re at it you can spruce up as well.

8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There’s no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it’s a wake. You can better express what you’re saying when you smile.

9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they’re at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.

And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I’ve learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.

Ten Habits Of Highly Effective Public Speakers

Funny Wedding Speeches

Formula For A Great Wedding Speech

Wedding Speech One

How To Write Powerful Presentations, Speeches And Talks

Antony's Oration Over Caesar's Body

The Career Design Personal Career Service is a unique service to benefit ambitious executives, professionals, high achievers and other specialists who have found their careers temporarily halted by the prevailing economic conditions in the UK. If you have not had to compete in the jobs market for a long time, the benefit of having an expert on your side is incalculable. Let me introduce myself...

Henley Standard

School dominates Rotary public speaking contest Henley Standard ONE school almost swept the board at this year's Youth Speaks competition, held at the Kenton Theatre in Henley on Monday last week. ...

SPICING IT UP: The fear of public speaking St. Louis Globe-Democrat In survey after survey public speaking is the number one fear – above fear of flying, fear of snakes, fear of falling and all the other phobias. ... and more »

Jakarta Globe

Raising A Toast To Public Speaking Jakarta Globe Public speaking used to give Jessica Kawilirang butterflies. But a year after joining the Sudirman Central Business District Toastmasters Club, ...

The Hindu

Palin cheat sheet, Palin hand notes – Sarah Palin has been caught red handed ! Entertainment and Showbiz! So can we draw a conclusion that Sarah Palin is not good with public speaking or her content is all over the place?? Is that the reason for losing the ... Sarah Palin scrawls crib notes on her palm, lifts the nation's spiritsEntertainment Weekly Sarah Palin may run in 2012? That's gonna be lot of crib notes.Zap2it.com (blog) Palin's Palm-GateThe AtlanticWire (blog) National Journal (blog) all 2,906 news articles »

Uxbridge College wins regional heats Hillingdon Times UXBRIDGE College scored another victory when it won through to the regional finals of Rotary Club's national public speaking competition. ...

Budding Marlow speakers scoop trophy Bucks Free Press BUDDING orators from a Marlow school beat six teams to to spot in a public speaking contest. Youngsters from Sir William Borlase's School ...

A Lesson In Public Speaking Portage Online Public speaking was the topic of the recent Rotary club meeting at the Canad Inns in Portage. Wayde Drain, President of the local Toastmasters, ...

Web site to give away Valentine s Day Poems Toasts Fast Pitch Press (press release) As we do every year, Occasional Words, the Web's leading provider of speeches, toasts, and public speaking resources is helping couples celebrate this ... and more »

Rolling out hybrid classes PSU Daily Vanguard Suzanne Atkin, public speaking program coordinator and graduate teaching assistant supervisor, is also teaching her first hybrid course during spring term, ...

Keep speaking up N.C. State University Technician Online By Technician's Editorial Board The College of Humanities and Social Sciences held its Wolfpack Speaks public speaking contest Thursday, awarding more than ...