Help with public speaking
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kathryn
Cathlete
1) Pratice the speech several times so you are very familiar with it.
2) Visualize giving the speech and having it turn out really well. (If negative images start coming to you, just brush them mentally aside and replace them with a positive image. Lots of athletes do this kind of thing, and it's been shown to improve performance).
3) breath deeply before you start: at least three big belly breaths (the kind one does in yoga). When we're nervous, we do 'panic' breathing: shallow breaths just in our chest, sometimes faster breathing as well. And it's nasty cycle, because just breathing that way can make you panic. Practice relaxation breathing (slow, steady, into the belly) so it come more naturally to you.
There's an old trick of imagining your audience naked or in underwear. I've never tried it, nor thought it would work for me.
Better for me would be imagining I'm talking to my cats! (Or imagine you are talking to a group of friends or family---though I find cats less judgemental!)
HTH!
2) Visualize giving the speech and having it turn out really well. (If negative images start coming to you, just brush them mentally aside and replace them with a positive image. Lots of athletes do this kind of thing, and it's been shown to improve performance).
3) breath deeply before you start: at least three big belly breaths (the kind one does in yoga). When we're nervous, we do 'panic' breathing: shallow breaths just in our chest, sometimes faster breathing as well. And it's nasty cycle, because just breathing that way can make you panic. Practice relaxation breathing (slow, steady, into the belly) so it come more naturally to you.
There's an old trick of imagining your audience naked or in underwear. I've never tried it, nor thought it would work for me.
Better for me would be imagining I'm talking to my cats! (Or imagine you are talking to a group of friends or family---though I find cats less judgemental!)
HTH!
NRG Woman
Cathlete
I am an instructor and periodically when I am teaching something new I sort of freak out. Some really helpful advice has already been offered, but I will put in my 0.02.
Kathryn was absolutely right about the practice. The more confident you are with your presentation the more calm you will feel. I always review my speeches, classes, choreography just before I go to sleep so it is fresh in my mind and can be processed while I sleep.
When I get nervous I start talking very fast and forget to breathe (like Kathryn said), and it totally sends me into panic mode. When I notice I am doing that I purposely slow down my speech and and breathing and feel much better.
Once when I was taking a speech class a teacher gave me a bit of advice that always stuck with me. She said that when you are speaking a pause to you seems much longer than the pause seems to your audience. So go ahead and take the moment to take the deep breath and compose yourself. Your audience may still be digesting the last piece of information you gave them. As an aside I find this really plays out with my husband. When he hears something new he sometimes gets stuck on the information and can't move on until he processes it. I figure a similar thing is happening with my audience.
When I get really nervous I pretend the entire audience wishes they were anywhere but in my lecture and their mind is wandering. I imagine saying something completely off base like "my feet are actually fins" and them not reacting because they are paying absolutely no attention to me. Sometimes I even throw in some off the wall comment to really see if they are paying attention, but be forewarned that usually brings them back into the moment.
Also I make verbal mistakes all the time. I usually just laugh, admit what I said, correct it, make a joke and move on. Remember your audience wants to be entertained so if you can let your personality come through. Being yourself will make it more comfortable for you and more fun for them.
Good luck.
Shayne
Kathryn was absolutely right about the practice. The more confident you are with your presentation the more calm you will feel. I always review my speeches, classes, choreography just before I go to sleep so it is fresh in my mind and can be processed while I sleep.
When I get nervous I start talking very fast and forget to breathe (like Kathryn said), and it totally sends me into panic mode. When I notice I am doing that I purposely slow down my speech and and breathing and feel much better.
Once when I was taking a speech class a teacher gave me a bit of advice that always stuck with me. She said that when you are speaking a pause to you seems much longer than the pause seems to your audience. So go ahead and take the moment to take the deep breath and compose yourself. Your audience may still be digesting the last piece of information you gave them. As an aside I find this really plays out with my husband. When he hears something new he sometimes gets stuck on the information and can't move on until he processes it. I figure a similar thing is happening with my audience.
When I get really nervous I pretend the entire audience wishes they were anywhere but in my lecture and their mind is wandering. I imagine saying something completely off base like "my feet are actually fins" and them not reacting because they are paying absolutely no attention to me. Sometimes I even throw in some off the wall comment to really see if they are paying attention, but be forewarned that usually brings them back into the moment.
Also I make verbal mistakes all the time. I usually just laugh, admit what I said, correct it, make a joke and move on. Remember your audience wants to be entertained so if you can let your personality come through. Being yourself will make it more comfortable for you and more fun for them.
Good luck.
Shayne
Jennifit
Cathlete
I actually love public speaking - and here is my advice. I love the quote from Charles Barkley out of all people: "Every time you walk into a room, half the people are going to like you and half of the people won't. It is up to you who you decide to hang with and focus on."
I love that b/c it takes the pressure away of pleasing everyone...you are not going to be able to it. So, go into knowing you are really going to help some and not help some. When I a lecturing or teaching a class, I go into knowing that some people are going to get something out of it and some won't.
Also, assume that you know more about your topic than others in the room. Do your homework and you will be GREAT!!! Everything has an ending, including speeches...you will not be up there forever!! You are going to be great. Let us know!
I love that b/c it takes the pressure away of pleasing everyone...you are not going to be able to it. So, go into knowing you are really going to help some and not help some. When I a lecturing or teaching a class, I go into knowing that some people are going to get something out of it and some won't.
Also, assume that you know more about your topic than others in the room. Do your homework and you will be GREAT!!! Everything has an ending, including speeches...you will not be up there forever!! You are going to be great. Let us know!
Melclear
Cathlete
One more tip, from a seasoned public speaker: try to practice in the room where you will be giving the speech. If you can go over it several times there, you will feel more relaxed for the real thing. If that's not possible, try to find a similar sized space to practice in, to get used to the sound of your voice in that size room. Good luck!
jenlyn4444
Member
I just got done with a public speaking class. I am a terrible speaker, I got an A- in the class but it was based on more than just our speeches. This helped take some of the pressure off. My first speech I was so nervous I was visibly shaking, pure white, and I thought I was going to vomit and/or faint. By the end I was okay in front of the class. What helped me was tons of practice. The better you know you're speech the more comfortable you will be. I could tell a huge difference in the speeches I practiced vs the ones I wrote the morning of the presentation. Write your notes/outline in a large enough font so you can see it easily from the table/podium. It always made me feel better knowing exactly where I was in my speech and being able to glance down and make sure I didn't forget anything. Another thing that helped me was finding a couple people in each section of the room who appeared to be paying attention, I would make eye contact with these people. Good luck!
Lastchance09
Cathlete
Know your subject. My confidence soars when I know I know what I'm talking about. And I also looked from person to person while I spoke. Got an A from the class.
That was actually my second speech class. My first one I didn't complete. The teacher was a prick - gave one girl a C on a good speech because she had a NY accent. To get rid of an accent should be a whole different class not something you should learn to drop in one week. In addition, the classroom was very small, no windows and hot as hell.
And I want to meet the person who said picture the audience naked. There is no way I would feel comfortable talking in front of naked people.
That was actually my second speech class. My first one I didn't complete. The teacher was a prick - gave one girl a C on a good speech because she had a NY accent. To get rid of an accent should be a whole different class not something you should learn to drop in one week. In addition, the classroom was very small, no windows and hot as hell.
And I want to meet the person who said picture the audience naked. There is no way I would feel comfortable talking in front of naked people.
RunninTeach
Cathlete
Humor! (If appropriate for the subject, of course.) If you can make your audience laugh, it engages them and puts you at ease, too.
That has always worked for me! I have to agree with the others in terms of knowing your content.
I am a public speaker for my company, so I do it daily. The more familiar you are with what you're presenting on, the more confident you will be.
I also agree that if you can practice in the room where you'll be presenting your speech, that will help immensely. Video tape yourself, if you can. You'll know where your nervous spots are and it will help you combat them.
And finally, like another said, silence is golden! When you pause, it will seem like and eternity to you, where to your audience, it's only a second. A breath, or a sip of water, or a pause for the audience to consider what you're saying... however you choose to use it. It's a GREAT tool to use to collect yourself, so don't be afraid to!
I am a public speaker for my company, so I do it daily. The more familiar you are with what you're presenting on, the more confident you will be.
I also agree that if you can practice in the room where you'll be presenting your speech, that will help immensely. Video tape yourself, if you can. You'll know where your nervous spots are and it will help you combat them.
And finally, like another said, silence is golden! When you pause, it will seem like and eternity to you, where to your audience, it's only a second. A breath, or a sip of water, or a pause for the audience to consider what you're saying... however you choose to use it. It's a GREAT tool to use to collect yourself, so don't be afraid to!
Liann
Cathlete
You have gotten some really good advice from the above posters. The only thing I would add is to remember that everyone else in that class is most likely just as nervous as you are. You have a very good chance of having the most sympathetic audience in front of you that you will ever get.
mrsmel
Cathlete
Yes, as Melissa said, if you find yourself getting lost or nervous, take a sip of water. It's perfectly natural for someone to need to drink something while giving a speech and it gives you a moment to gather your thoughts.
And, the other thing you might try is to decide not to be scared. I know people say public speaking is one of those things that terrifies most people, but what's to be scared of? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's not natural to be afraid, I'm saying don't let the fear make you psyche yourself out. Stay calm and acknowledge it, and just say to yourself, "It's okay, I can do this. What is causing me fear about this situation?"
Maybe asking yourself that question will help you conquer the fear.
Good luck!
anne
And, the other thing you might try is to decide not to be scared. I know people say public speaking is one of those things that terrifies most people, but what's to be scared of? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's not natural to be afraid, I'm saying don't let the fear make you psyche yourself out. Stay calm and acknowledge it, and just say to yourself, "It's okay, I can do this. What is causing me fear about this situation?"
Maybe asking yourself that question will help you conquer the fear.
Good luck!
anne
kathryn
Cathlete
The drinking water made me think of this: when I first started giving presentations (I present and give workshops at teachers' conferences as well as teach), I would be so nervous (without it showing) that I would be shaky. When I picked up a glass to get water, it was really obvious.
I find that a better way to deal with dry mouth is to drink some beforehand (NOT cold water, as this can make your bladder feel like you ave to pee! room temp or even a bit warm water), and use toothpaste, rinse and/or gel made specifically for dry mouth. (I don't get nervous now, so I don't need those tricks anymore!)
Also, "thinking at your audience "I love you (or I like you, if "love" makes you feel uncomfortable) and I want to share with you" or something similar, can help put you in a frame of mind to be more relaxed with your audience.
Another technique I've heard of for relaxation: as you practice relaxation, associate a relaxed state with some easy-to-use physical signal, like touching your thumb and middle finger together. Once you practice this for a while (maybe not in time for the upcoming speech, but more a long-term tactic), you can program your brain to react to the signal and relax automatically.
I find that a better way to deal with dry mouth is to drink some beforehand (NOT cold water, as this can make your bladder feel like you ave to pee! room temp or even a bit warm water), and use toothpaste, rinse and/or gel made specifically for dry mouth. (I don't get nervous now, so I don't need those tricks anymore!)
Also, "thinking at your audience "I love you (or I like you, if "love" makes you feel uncomfortable) and I want to share with you" or something similar, can help put you in a frame of mind to be more relaxed with your audience.
Another technique I've heard of for relaxation: as you practice relaxation, associate a relaxed state with some easy-to-use physical signal, like touching your thumb and middle finger together. Once you practice this for a while (maybe not in time for the upcoming speech, but more a long-term tactic), you can program your brain to react to the signal and relax automatically.
Worknprogress
Cathlete
I am very comfortable speaking in front of a crowd and have done quite a bit of singing in front of large audiences and one thing that I have passed on to others is this analogy:
You are walking along in a crowd and you stumble a bit. When that happens, most of us are embarassed and we think that everybody is laughing at us. But think of when YOU are part of the crowd and you see someone stumble. Do YOU really stop and think all sorts of terrible things about that person, like gee, they are clumsy or whatever? No, you notice that they stumbled and that's about it - you don't give it much thought.
I think that is very similar to what audiences think. If you are listening to someone else's speech in your class you are not zooming in on what they goof up on or what mistakes they make, right? And they in turn, aren't doing that to you. So if you do stumble over your words or sneeze or ????, people are not thinking horrible things about you because just about everybody in that audience aren't looking to criticize your every word or action while you are in front of them. And those that are, which would be very few, if any, well, that just says something about them, not you.
Yes, you will still be nervous but just keep remembering that the worst thoughts during your speech will be those inside of your own head.
You are walking along in a crowd and you stumble a bit. When that happens, most of us are embarassed and we think that everybody is laughing at us. But think of when YOU are part of the crowd and you see someone stumble. Do YOU really stop and think all sorts of terrible things about that person, like gee, they are clumsy or whatever? No, you notice that they stumbled and that's about it - you don't give it much thought.
I think that is very similar to what audiences think. If you are listening to someone else's speech in your class you are not zooming in on what they goof up on or what mistakes they make, right? And they in turn, aren't doing that to you. So if you do stumble over your words or sneeze or ????, people are not thinking horrible things about you because just about everybody in that audience aren't looking to criticize your every word or action while you are in front of them. And those that are, which would be very few, if any, well, that just says something about them, not you.
Yes, you will still be nervous but just keep remembering that the worst thoughts during your speech will be those inside of your own head.
MommaPew
Cathlete
As most people have mentioned, practice your speech, however, I wanted to point out that you should practice it out loud. Not under your breathe or in your head as you "talk" in your head faster than when you talk out loud. This has really helped me nail my speeches in the past.
It also helps if you can have audience participation. If some of the speech can draw out a conversation through them asking a question I find it really relaxes me.
It also helps if you can have audience participation. If some of the speech can draw out a conversation through them asking a question I find it really relaxes me.
kathryn
Cathlete
A good point.
Also, when you practice out loud, you will more easily notice groups of words that are hard to say, and might decide to reword so you don't stumble over them.
And if you can use full-page notes, leave a large, 2-3 inch margin at the bottom of the page and use a large font (as was already mentioned). I've also found it helpful to put in bold some key points so they serve as a sort of outline as I glance at notes.
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Jonezie
Cathlete
morningstar
Cathlete
All of the above and:
Recognize the fear. Go with the fear. Allow yourself to really feel the fear and don't fight it. Don't be afraid to be afraid. Give in to the fear. Say to yourself when you feel afraid, "yep, I'm afraid. So what?" Once you stop fighting it, it will have much less power over you and you can then move on to the business of actually giving the speech.
Recognize the fear. Go with the fear. Allow yourself to really feel the fear and don't fight it. Don't be afraid to be afraid. Give in to the fear. Say to yourself when you feel afraid, "yep, I'm afraid. So what?" Once you stop fighting it, it will have much less power over you and you can then move on to the business of actually giving the speech.
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Clarissa
Cathlete
Hi there! YOU CAN DO THIS! I am a very shy person and I used to be the Director of Human Resources for a non-profit. It terrified me to even interview one-on-one! I did it, and did it quite well, but it terrified me.
I am not a pro - but I will tell you one piece of advice I had received from a professor at my university. Not sure if this was already mentioned as I did not read through all the responses, but about 15 min before you go to make your speech, take Tylenol. It will help slow your heart rate down a bit and will take away those awful jitters that I know you are afraid of. Everytime I had to do a training or a speech I did that and it truly, truly helped. I didn't get red-faced or shaky-lipped or anything. And I am quite known for that!
BEST OF LUCK!!!
Clarissa
I am not a pro - but I will tell you one piece of advice I had received from a professor at my university. Not sure if this was already mentioned as I did not read through all the responses, but about 15 min before you go to make your speech, take Tylenol. It will help slow your heart rate down a bit and will take away those awful jitters that I know you are afraid of. Everytime I had to do a training or a speech I did that and it truly, truly helped. I didn't get red-faced or shaky-lipped or anything. And I am quite known for that!
BEST OF LUCK!!!
Clarissa