Public Speaking and Fear

Your day was perfect until this moment. You woke up on time and arrived to your destination with smooth traffic and a nice breeze. You were having a wonderful day until this moment. Until now. A look of sheer terror takes over your face as you receive your instructions. It's your worst nightmare.

• Your professor assigned a speech presentation due in one week.
• Your manager thought you would be the best person to present at this month's regional meeting.
• You have to give a speech at your best friend’s wedding.

Although the scenarios are different, the response is still the same.

Fear.

I know. You'd rather do anything than speak... in public... alone. Why? That's the only question that comes to mind as you put on your fake smile and accept the task. There's no getting out of this. Not this time.

Squashing Myths

Let me ease your mind. No one carries perfectly ripe tomatoes to an event to throw at others. This is what I tell my students because it's true. No one wants to see you fail. Truth be told, your audience is happy they are not standing in your shoes. Most people would love to be anywhere except in front of a microphone or podium. And this is where you will find yourself in a few weeks.

So what do you do?

First, understand that fear is a liar. It feels real because it is real. However, fears' job is to lie to you. It wants you to believe that the worst possible scenario will happen to you. It wants you to believe that someone purchased a large bag of tomatoes especially for you. Fear wants you to believe that if someone laughs, it's because of you. It takes to you to the extreme and causes you to worry about something that has not happened yet.

Fear is the shadow on the wall scaring you. Fear says, "I am the shadow. Be very afraid!" In reality, fear is the small object that you kick out of your way.

Speaking Made Easy

Let's keep this simple. Here are five steps that will help you on your next presentation.

1. Be prepared.

The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be. Don't wait until the last minute. Work on your presentation a little bit every day. Become familiar with your content. Remember, Preparation Precedes Success.

2. Use notecards.

This is not a theatrical play where you have to memorize your lines. Having said that, use note cards. Note cards help us remember important information. Do you have specific data you want to share? Write it on your note card. It's okay.

3. Deliver well.

Half of your presentation is what you say while the other half is what you do. As you stand in front of your audience, remember the following:

Keep your volume loud (according to the space you are in). You will lose the attention of your audience if your volume is low.

Don't be afraid to look at your audience. Use your eye contact to command their attention. This is not a contest to see how long I can stare at one person. Imagine you are having a conversation with a large group.

4. Avoid sweets.

This sounds silly but it's practical. Sweets cause our mouths to water. When this happens, we reach for something to drink. This can be quite uncomfortable when you are giving a presentation. Avoid snacks or meals that will cause you to drink out of your norm. This is definitely one way to keep control over your delivery.

5. Be You.

Last but not least. No one is expecting you to become Dr. Phil or Oprah. Be yourself. Attempting to deliver like someone else adds extra pressure and hard-to-reach expectations. Relax, smile, and do your best.

Remember, this is not forever. You will not stand up and give a 24-hour presentation. There is an ending. Prepare, organize, and be yourself.