public speaking = worst

[suckaG]

I’m sure this is something almost everyone can relate with: I have a general-to-high anxiety of public speaking. It’s not as bad in a group setting, where there’s interaction going on, but put me in front of a room with something to present, and man, I tend to feel the heat - and it usually ends in disastrously poor performance.

I have tried various public speaking workshops/programs, and while they all have really effective advice, I still seem to become nervous as hell whenever I get up to speak, and tend to bungle things. Maybe it’s just a matter of needing more practice, but I also think it’s tied to being way too self-conscious, and then suddenly imagining about how people are seeing me, which is a total psych-out.

The funny thing is, I’ve had friends who are phenomenal public speakers, and when I was younger, I would attend summer academies that engaged in a lot of public speaking training. Unfortunately, those positive speaking experiences never seemed to translate into other environments, like school or conferences or what have you.

Anyone have any similar experiences or issues with public speaking, or any tips on how they overcame their (gnawing) fears and presented successfully?

 

[Minus]

Yeah i am terrible at it. I am currently taking a speech class and now after enough speeches i have got used to it enough and calmed down to the point where it is only terrifying for me now. Unfortunately i know that what small gains i make will be lost shortly after i am through with the class.

I really have no tips other then what you already know, practice through putting yourself in that situation.

 

[Badjedidude]

I'm actually very good at public speaking. I have a natural ability to interest a crowd and bring humor to any subject (deserving of it)....and I ain't tootin' my own horn, here. My only public speaking problems show up when most of the audience is someone I personally know. When the people are completely unknown to me, I find it easier and more comfortable being onstage.

Also, speaking at a conference or something of my historian peers frightens me. It makes me feel like I'm being judged on the minutae of the material I'm presenting...and I probably am. Historians are just like that. I'm glad I'm a high school history TEACHER....so my presentations will be to students who don't know any better.

I know it's a scary thing to get up in front of people...but exposure to it certainly helps. Just get up and keep doing it, and eventually you'll feel more at ease about it.

 

[AFrozenSoul]

Public speaking is never an easy thing to do. There are plenty of classes on the structure of good speeches. Really there is no class to teach you how to handle your nervousness.

Personally I either pace or stand perfectly still. It helps me for some reason I don't know why. You just have to find something to help you relax

 

[suckaG]

I am currently taking a speech class and now after enough speeches i have got used to it enough and calmed down to the point where it is only terrifying for me now. Unfortunately i know that what small gains i make will be lost shortly after i am through with the class.

Terror: I know thy presence well! I’ll have to just find my self confidence or something. and much practice also.

I know it's a scary thing to get up in front of people...but exposure to it certainly helps. Just get up and keep doing it, and eventually you'll feel more at ease about it.

Yeah, I definitely need to work at finding a speaking style that works for me. (incidentally, I love history! not sure if I'd be able to get up everyday and teach it though. props for doing so!)

Public speaking is never an easy thing to do. There are plenty of classes on the structure of good speeches. Really there is no class to teach you how to handle your nervousness.

****! someone should really come up with a quick, effective and affordable program on that; it would make a killing, and help out the nervous masses, all at the same time.

Personally I either pace or stand perfectly still. It helps me for some reason I don't know why. You just have to find something to help you relax

interesting. I guess I’m more of a stander than pacer, though I do tend to shift back and forth in a somewhat awkward way, which likely doesn't help my cause that much! I also need to remember to breathe, which is something i usually forget what with all the sets of eyes piercing through my soul...

thanks for sharing y'all!

 

[Minus]

... I also need to remember to breath, which is something i usually forget what with all the sets of eyes piercing through my soul...

You can pretty much use whatever works for you but that breathing things is a must. The floor can get pretty hard

 

[AFrozenSoul]

Public speaking is never an easy thing to do. There are plenty of classes on the structure of good speeches. Really there is no class to teach you how to handle your nervousness.

****! someone should really come up with a quick, effective and affordable program on that; it would make a killing, and help out the nervous masses, all at the same time.

Personally I either pace or stand perfectly still. It helps me for some reason I don't know why. You just have to find something to help you relax

interesting. I guess I’m more of a stander than pacer, though I do tend to shift back and forth in a somewhat awkward way, which likely doesn't help my cause that much! I also need to remember to breathe, which is something i usually forget what with all the sets of eyes piercing through my soul...

thanks for sharing y'all!

I hope that it helped you out. If you figure out how to cure nervousness cut me in on that action.

 

[nerdygirl]

Aww, I wish I knew why I'm good at public speaking... I'd be happy to tell you some grand secret if I knew one. All I can suggest is plenty of practice.

You know what you might try? Make a couple of videos and post them on Youtube. You'll be able to practice saying things until you get them just right, and then edit the video to your heart's content. Once you've done that, it might help make you slightly more comfortable with the idea of being the focus of attention.

 

[AFrozenSoul]

Aww, I wish I knew why I'm good at public speaking... I'd be happy to tell you some grand secret if I knew one. All I can suggest is plenty of practice.

You know what you might try? Make a couple of videos and post them on Youtube. You'll be able to practice saying things until you get them just right, and then edit the video to your heart's content. Once you've done that, it might help make you slightly more comfortable with the idea of being the focus of attention.

Holy crap that is a great idea.

 

[Badjedidude]

I think that my trick to speaking to a crowd is to CONVERSE with them, not so much as speak AT them. That's how I sort of bring an informal, comfortable feeling to a presentation. Even though the audience may not respond back verbally (with words), their attitude and faces give me the response that I need to continue the "conversation."

So I try to adopt an attitude that I'm "sharing" the speech with them, rather than getting up and "telling" it to them. I guess the distinction might be a bit murky, but it's in there somewhere...and that's what helps me get the job done.

But like I mentioned earlier...it depends on the audience. I'm perfectly fine in front of a group of kids, especially if they're younger than me. When it's professional peers, even I find it fairly daunting. So maybe you just need to find the right audience, suckaG.

P.S. Thanks for the history-love.

 

[Steel]

Practice what you are going to say, but not on the day of the presentation. On that day, do your best to forget you are even going to be speaking publicly.

It works for me.

 

[AndrewM]

Personally I find the more confident I am in the material the better I do. If I'm speaking on something I know really well then I can jump straight into it and it all goes pretty smoothly. Also some humour, especially at the start, can help put everyone at ease.

 

[suckaG]

Make a couple of videos and post them on Youtube. You'll be able to practice saying things until you get them just right, and then edit the video to your heart's content. Once you've done that, it might help make you slightly more comfortable with the idea of being the focus of attention.

that is a really brilliant idea! ahh, if only I had a camera and editing/uploading skills. drats. but awesome suggestion. I should try recording myself speaking, even if only to study the tapes on my own.

I think that my trick to speaking to a crowd is to CONVERSE with them, not so much as speak AT them. That's how I sort of bring an informal, comfortable feeling to a presentation. Even though the audience may not respond back verbally (with words), their attitude and faces give me the response that I need to continue the "conversation."

So I try to adopt an attitude that I'm "sharing" the speech with them, rather than getting up and "telling" it to them. I guess the distinction might be a bit murky, but it's in there somewhere...and that's what helps me get the job done.

But like I mentioned earlier...it depends on the audience. I'm perfectly fine in front of a group of kids, especially if they're younger than me. When it's professional peers, even I find it fairly daunting. So maybe you just need to find the right audience, suckaG.

P.S. Thanks for the history-love.

sharing and caring! I know what you're saying; trying to informalize and relax the presentation, which is an awesome strategy. I've tried to consciously do that, but it's hard when you're unrelaxed in the first place. like they say, it starts with the heart...I need to find some heart lol! thanks for the encourgement!

Practice what you are going to say, but not on the day of the presentation. On that day, do your best to forget you are even going to be speaking publicly.

It works for me.

ah, good tip, I'll have to try that next time.

Personally I find the more confident I am in the material the better I do. If I'm speaking on something I know really well then I can jump straight into it and it all goes pretty smoothly.

I used to feel similarly, until this one class last summer. it was a group presentation on a chapter of Naomi Klein’s shock Doctrine, and I was all set to bust out the facts/background history etc for my part; but a snobby comment from this one student front-row-centre totally sucker-punched my mind, and I choked and stumbled through my notes for what seemed like forever. It was so embarrassing! Since then, even if I feel confident with the topic or issue, I still get pretty worked up about presenting. sucks.

Also some humour, especially at the start, can help put everyone at ease.

sage advice! I sometimes try for that angle, but as often as it works, it flops too. guess it's all in the delivery, right? who wants to laugh when the dude is obviously nervous as fluck? I know I rarely do when I'm in the audience watching some poor presenter breaking a sweat and cracking an awkward joke...because that dude is usually me!

 

[Powers2248]

Hi,

I think I may be able to really help here. I suffer from an extreme anxiety of any form of public speaking, whether it is in front of my best friends or people I have no relationship with. For me, my experiences usually begin by my heart rate going out of control. Then, I start blushing and my voice begins to tremble. Finally, on top of it all, I forget to breathe and this compounds all of the problems.

Because I went to a school where public speaking was a near daily occurance, I decided to seek psychological help. My doctor prescribed me a medicine called "Propranolol." It is a BETA-blocker, which simply means it prevents heart rates from accelerating too much.

While this is not a miracle cure, I found that it completely controlled my heart rate from jumping through the roof. As a result, I did not blush and my voice did not tremble. Without these symptoms, my body was much more relaxed and as a result, my mind was much more relaxed. For once I was able to focus on exactly what I was doing. This meant I was able to focus on my breathing, and trust me, breathing is everything.

Since I started taking this medicine, I have greatly improved my public speaking. While I still hate it, without the physical symptoms, it makes presenting much more managable. I highly recommend you look into this medication. I'm not sure what I would have done without it. Once you have control over the physical fear, the mental aspect is much easier to work on and I'm sure you'll see a great improvement.

I hope this helps! If you need to know anything more about the medication just look it up in Wikipedia. Also, make sure that it is safe for you to take. Check with your doctor for drug interactions and side effects before you start any kind of medication like this.

 

[Badjedidude]

I'd advocate trying other methods before resorting to meds...trying EVERY OTHER POSSIBLE method first, in fact.

 

[Steel]

I agree with BJD. Drugs should only be used when all other avenues have been exhausted.

 

[PhryskO]

Actually you would need prescription for Propranolol due to its purpose for high blood preasure, to help prevent abstracts in the liver and for migranes, so I dont think you'd wanna take that just because.

I used to take a shot before i had to recite in front of a class or do public speaking. Its an old skool method. It helps as long as you dont over drink... being intoxicated and smelling like alcohol in front of people is far worse than the axiety you have about it.

 

[suckaG]

drugs, drugs drugs, some are good, some are bad...

I think I shall pass on the pill poppin, as I am not in dire physical (or emotional. or cognitive) need of such a route.

@ PhryskO: nice! I would totally be up for that, but I don't drink the alc. sounds like a good nerve-breaker though! and I agree, getting tipsy right in time for a presentation wouldn't be likely to do you too good.

 

[Disrobed]

I find it easy, but didn't always.. The thing is you have to get stuck with a subject you feel like a fish out of water, something controversial where you know if you say the wrong thing you'll get pelted with eggs or otherwise hated. Luckily most people now days don't carry rotten tomatoes with them to speeches anymore so most they'll do usually is either heckle you or boo you.
The speech that got me over it, which was way out of the blue in a speech class was about abortion..I hadn't really given it much thought and didn't really have a strong stance either way at the time, but knew in my gut that if I said the wrong thing I was a gonner in the eyes of everyone.
At first I felt like my tongue was made of mud, but the more I got to talking and thinking about the subject at hand the easier it got. Lucky for me most people happened to agree with my stance, but I was also looking at it from both sides. Prior to that speech I was a dolt when it came to public speaking and was fully prepared to just take the F and forget about it, but that one caught me off guard where I couldn't get out of it. I couldn't get up and say, I dont wanna do this so..there I was with all eyes on ME!
I began getting mad at the opposition and once I got mad there was no stopping me and in fact that day I was pounding on the podium and being very animated. When I was done I got a rounding applause and high praise which was like telling me, "Yeah, you were a real loser, but now you're the hero of the day!"
All over abortions.. Man, I'm glad the audience was mostly women.. Wheeeew!

 

[Drama]

shaking voice and blushing I know all about it. I have to present something this semestre, and I'm still telling myself it will be all right. And that I should imagine the people in front of me like worms it will be easier. lol