Mar 10
There is plenty of dubious material which suggests you can combat public speaking fear. Much of it includes fancy techniques such as ‘visualisation’ or ‘breathing techniques’. Well, they might work. But this ten step system is GUARANTEED TO WORK. That’s because instead of fancy tricks and techniques, this system of dealing with public speaking fear uses your body’s natural defences against fear.

STEP ONE Prepare well. Naturally enough, the more prepared you are the more likely you are to feel in control, which will NATURALLY help your nervousness reduce.

STEP TWO Practice, practice, practice. You can’t do too much practice. Don’t listen to those people who say you can over-practice. Tell that to circus artists who practice day in day out for decades, just to get their act right. You don’t hear actors and musicians complaining they had ‘too much’ rehearsal time. The more your rehearse, the better.

STEP THREE Say your speech OUT LOUD. Whether you are in the car, the bath, or going for a walk with the dog, say it out loud. Going through your talk ‘in your head’ means you don’t benefit from something called ‘psychomotor memory’ – whereby the memory for what you need to say is partly embedded in the muscles of your mouth.

STEP FOUR Get to the venue early. Get a feel for the room. Sit where the audience will sit so you can see it from their perspective. Walk around the auditorium. Practice your speech on the stage itself. The more comfortable you are with the room, the less your nerves will be.

STEP FIVE Get some exercise. A walk, a swim, a session in the gym, it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you get some exercise in the couple of hours before your talk. That way you’ll change the chemistry of your blood supply in your own favour. Exercise is essential in reducing nerves. Do not skimp on this.

STEP SIX Chew some mints or sweets. While waiting to go on stage, chew something. This will produce saliva which also helps reduce nerves. If you drink water your saliva production will go down and your nervousness will rise. Avoid water when presenting.

STEP SEVEN When you go up on stage, smile. No matter how false it feels to you, the audience won’t notice. Just smile. It helps produce hormones that lead to a more relaxed feeling.

STEP EIGHT Be active on the stage. Move around, use big gestures and get as much body movement as you can. The more you move the more relaxed you will feel.

STEP NINE Look people in the eye. Make as much eye contact as you can. The more the better. Eye contact is essential in helping you feel good and reducing your nerves.

STEP TEN Use feedback. Always gain feedback on your speeches. You’ll soon discover you are a lot better than you think you are, which is bound to help boost your confidence.

 

Graham Jones is a psychologist and public speaker. He has helped over 17,000 people overcome their fear of public speaking. He runs The Presentation Business to help you speak in public. See: www.presentationbiz.com

Or sign up for a series of tips via email: tips@presentationbiz.com

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Mar 5

I’m convinced that it’s nearly impossible to get through life without speaking in public. Perhaps you are asked to give a toast at a wedding. Maybe you want to give a eulogy at a dear friend’s funeral. Maybe you’re invited to speak to a group of potential contributors for the charitable organization you’re a part of. Maybe you are called upon to speak to your peers at work to give an update on your department’s progress.

Whatever the case may be, there are so many situations in life where we could find ourselves standing in front of a group of people and trying to inform or persuade them. How would you do in that situation?

For some, the fear of public speaking is debilitating enough for them to do whatever is necessary to get out of the situation. For many, that fear causes extreme anxiety but they push through and speak anyway. Being able to speak effectively means potentially advancing in your work or social life or bringing honor to the deserving person you’re speaking about. It’s important, then, to be able to speak effectively and to overcome your fear.

One way to help you is with a visualization technique. I advise people who are planning on presenting to visualize themselves taking the stage and giving an incredible presentation. The result? They feel the scenario long before they deal with it and they enjoy the visualized success. This builds confidence and having confidence helps to create actual success. Here’s how you an visualize your way to a successful presentation:

First, imagine that you’re sitting there in the room. Imagine the room and its surroundings in detail, including the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and temperature. Are there others nearby? Is someone wearing perfume? Did you just drink the too-strong coffee? Picture the scenario exactly as you expect it to be.

Next, imagine yourself being called to the stage in the manner that will likely happen. Sometimes it’s an introduction by the Master of Ceremonies, or maybe it’s a glowing report by your manager. Imagine yourself standing and walking to the stage. In your imagination, think about every step you’ll take and each breath you inhale and exhale as you go.

Now, imagine taking the stage and beginning your speech. Imagine the speech in detail: visualize yourself speaking, thinking on the spot, interacting with the audience. Don’t gloss over your speech, but actually deliver it while doing this visualization exercise. Imagine yourself hearing your voice booming over the audio system. Imagine yourself referencing some of the visuals that you might have with you. Imagine the sights and sounds that you’ll experience as you present.

Lastly, imagine the audience. As you present, visualize them enthusiastically responding to you. Imagine them nodding in agreement or writing copious notes because of what you have to say. And finally, imagine them applauding enthusiastically as you finish and then rushing out to perform the ultimate action you want them to take (for example, to donate money to your cause or to buy the product you’re selling). Visualization: it’s an effective way to practice your presentation.

Deborah Torres Patel is an internationally acclaimed Voice & Presentation Coach. Sign up for a complimentary 35 lesson voice & presentation skills online training course at http://www.expressingyou.com . To dramatically reduce fear of public speaking, register for 20 free lessons at http://www.fearlessinfive.com .

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Mar 4

Like most pubic speaking consultants, I usually hammer all the reasons a person should not be afraid of presenting. However, the more coaching I do, the more I realize the fear is legit. People should be afraid of getting in front of a group.

While there is a lot to gain from speaking publicly, there is also a lot to lose. Here are seven reasons to be scared…

Number One: No skill.

Would you want someone repairing your car that knows nothing about mechanics? The average speaker receives no training, takes no classes, and doesn’t read one book on presenting. He or she expects to do an adequate job with no experience.

Number Two: Not Fearing Death

The OLD adage is that public speaking is the #1 fear. If you would RATHER die than speak, then you don’t need to be speaking. Period.

If you spillover Niagara Falls walking a tightrope, you’re going to die and it will all be over. When speaking you won’t die. You’ll live to face the embarrassment, the whispers, and the snickers. But you’ll still be alive. If you look forward to a Niagara, yet look away from speaking then put on your swim trunks and stay away from the podium.

Number Three: Failing to Organize.

One of my services is critiquing the outlines of speakers. On average the format and structure is elementary at best and confusing at worse. It’s as if the speaker’s brain spewed out on a sheet of paper and left it at that. Organizing does not take long, nor is it difficult, but only a handful do it successfully. Without a proper outline the fear is understandable.

Number Four: Confusing Writing and Speaking.

Writing is formal. People rarely forgive errors in spelling and grammar. From this article I’ll get several people attempting to correct me. However, there is room for error when speaking. The ears are very forgiving and the brain is sharp enough to fill in the blanks.

Speakers get tripped up when they try to talk like they write. They become more academic and antiseptic and who wants to listen to someone like that. How many college professors did you find hypnotizing? Do you remind yourself of a monotone bore? Frightening, yes?

Number Five: Trying to Survive.

“I just want to get through the speech and get it over with.” If that is your attitude then be afraid. Chances are extremely high that you will not do well. “Survival” causes you to do and say things you wouldn’t without the duress.

Number Six: Lack of Commitment.

This ties into the first point. The majority of speakers do a single presentation and that’s it. No problem. A book can help them. On the other hand, there are thousands of monthly, or even daily presenters who fail to make marked improvement. Why? No commitment.

You can’t take one class and do brain surgery. You can’t attend one seminar and suddenly become a tax expert. The same with speaking. One book, class, or course will not create excellence. To become the best you have to commit yourself to long term achievement.

Number Seven: The Freeze Factor.

Chances are high that you will forget something and freeze during your speech. Unless you know how to play it off, or use the moment, you will look uncomfortable, or even stupid. People will talk about it afterwards. They will mention how they felt sorry for you.

It seems that folks are always looking for ways to be afraid. Well, you just got seven reasons. The question is: What are you going to do about it?

Paul Evans is the executive creator of Instant Speaking Success. His company has helped over 35,000 speakers avoid the fear and strengthen their skills. If you just want to survive one speech go to http://www.instantspeakingsuccesspro.com If you’re committed to becoming a speaker audiences want to hear time and time again then claim your public speaking training

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Feb 27

Do you suffer from the fear of public speaking? You’re not alone! In fact, speaking in public is not only one of people’s biggest fears, it’s also the fear shared by a majority of people around the world. No one wants to get up in front of others and suffer under their scrutiny while stumbling through a speech and trying to keep sweaty palms dry.

In spite of this all-encompassing fear, it’s surprising that presentation skills, including public speaking skills, are crucial “must-haves” for the person who wants to advance in their career. Opportunities to speak in public are business-building and career-boosting situations that can’t be ignored. From sales presentations to annual meetings, and from Chamber of Commerce events to trade shows, there will be a lot of opportunities in your career to get up in front of an audience and speak.

Will you let the fear of public speaking keep you from succeeding?

Don’t let the fear of public speaking eliminate the many opportunities to succeed at work. There are several ways that you can overcome your public speaking phobia. One of those ways is to simply pretend that you are confident.

That’s right – feign self-assurance! Why? People see the exterior: someone that has a smile on his face and can hear your clear, strong voice speaking knowledgably and engagingly about a topic won’t be aware of your knocking knees or pounding heart.

How can you act more confident? Here are 6 simple ways:

1. Offer to speak when the opportunities present themselves. Other people share your fear of public speaking and that keeps them from presenting. That leaves a vacuum… that you can fill!

2. Smile when called upon. Don’t frown or shake your head. Stride confidently up to the stage, shake the hand of the person who introduced you, face the audience and make eye contact.

3. Breathe! Inhale and exhale to help calm yourself down.

4. Remember that even though you’re scared to be up there, most people can’t even make it that far!

5. Be prepared. Know what you want to say before you have to say it. This requires doing some homework and practice, but the confidence & credibility it will give you will be unmatched.

6. Before going up to the front, look around the room for a couple friendly faces of people. When you take the stage, look for their faces again and make eye contact. Those faces smiling back at you, will help to give you the confidence, assurance and support that you need to begin speaking.

Many people will agree the hardest thing is getting started. Planning and practicing the moments immediately before public speaking and the first few minutes into your speech are the hardest. Being aware of these simple facts can give you the security you need to take a leap of faith to overcome the fear of public speaking one speech at a time.

Deborah Torres Patel an internationally acclaimed Voice & Presentation Coach. Sign up for complimentary online training at http://www.expressingyou.com . To dramatically reduce fear of public speaking, register for 20 free lessons at http://www.fearlessinfive.com .

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Feb 19

The chances are fairly high that most of you already know that public speaking or giving a presentation in front of a group is the Number One fear in the US.

Your presentation skills are an important part of you career path.

To take you career to the next level, you need to overcome that fear. You need to master the art and skill of speaking to others.

I’m a “Whys Guy.”

Let me tell you “why” so many people fear speaking in front of a group.

I believe this fear started at a very early age. What do parents tell their children?

“Children should be seen and …”

“Speak when …”

“If I want your opinion, …”

From an early age we’ve been taught that, “… is golden.”

Then, when we entered the school system, we met classmates who make fun of us if we gave wrong answers.

Even worse, we faced teachers who chided us for not answering fast enough and ridiculed us for wrong answers.

All this negativity added up to a reluctance to offer answers or become involved in class discussions. This traveled with us through our formal education and became a handicap in the business world.

Do you offer comments or questions in meetings? For years, I kept my mouth shut in business meetings for fear I might “make a fool of myself.”

Then I started to realize that what I was thinking or the questions I wanted to ask could have proven valuable in the discussion.

So, I started to contribute my thoughts and feelings at meetings.

Guess what? They were welcomed and sometimes actually acted upon. Not always. But if I never spoke up, none of my ideas would become known.

If you have ever experienced similar feelings, you are not alone. You are good people with good ideas. Let your ideas or questions be known.

And, lose your fear of speaking in front of a group or giving a presentation.

My friend, Mike McKinley’s father used to tell him, “Nobody knows your script.”

That’s true. No one is going to know you made a “mistake” except you.

Think about it this way.

If your are giving a presentation, the chances are very high the people that attend your presentation are there because they are interested in you or your topic.

So, get rid of your fear. Welcome and even look for opportunities to speak in public or at meeting.

Watch your confidence and career grow.

Al Borowski, MEd, CSP, PP, is a communications skills image consultant. He helps business professionals protect or improve their images when they speak, write, or listen. He is an author, speaker, trainer, and coach.

Al has been a popular seminar leader for The American Management Association, Dun & Bradstreet, and several top universities. He also speaks at conventions, conferences, and meetings.

His website, http://www.connectallthedots.com offers free audio, video, and written tips as well as a bi-weekly UseLetter, to help you take your career to the next level.

Al Borowski, MEd, CSP, PP, is a communications skills image consultant. He helps business professionals protect or improve their images when they speak, write, or listen. He is an author, speaker, trainer, and coach.

Al has been a popular seminar leader for The American Management Association, Dun & Bradstreet, and several top universities. He also speaks at conventions, conferences, and meetings.

His website, http://www.connectallthedots.

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Feb 15

With all the articles written on nervousness in public speaking, I thought I would approach this topic from a different perspective. Everyone gets nervous in public speaking (or should). There is a reason why it is man’s greatest fear. The question I would like to ask you is what is the one thing that concerns you the most when you are scheduled to speak?

Your answer cannot be dying while public speaking because that has never happened and I don’t think you will be the 1st one to get that title. Yes, every once in a while a performer dies on stage but that is due to old age or heart conditions and is not related to nervousness.

No matter how you answered that question, it all boils down to one thing: you don’t want to make a fool of yourself. Now, the next question is what could happen that you think would make you look foolish?

  • Forgetting your material.
  • Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
  • Your mind going blank.

You may have another answer to add to that list, but those three are probably the most common responses. What is fascinating about the reasons we get nervous is that if you know your material inside and out, the chances of any of them happening are much less likely than if you do not know and have not rehearsed your content well in advance.

Yes, you may forget your material. That, in itself, is not a reason to stop you from public speaking though. If you forget or if your mind goes blank, simply stop, take a breath, admit that you lost your place, and then quickly find a spot to resume. Audiences are most forgiving. (If this is happening frequently in your presentation, however, then you don’t know your material and you have no reason to be speaking to an audience.)

Have you never heard a professional speaker, TV news broadcaster, or radio announcer make a mistake? If you can honestly say No, then you were just not aware of the occurrence because it does happen and it happens more often than you think. If you were aware of a mistake, on the other hand, did it lessen your opinion of the speaker or the announcer? Of course not. There is no such thing as perfection in public speaking or in any other live venue for that matter.

Instead of focusing on your fear of public speaking, why not concentrate on knowing your material by practicing it out loud not once, not twice, but many, many times. Then you can approach the lectern confident that you will do the best job that you can do.

It is amazing what will happen to your fear if you concentrate on the positive and not the negative. In doing so, you will never look foolish even if you do make a mistake.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, group and corporate training in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. Visit her website at Voice Dynamic and watch as Nancy describes the best means of controlling nervousness in any form of public speaking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Daniels

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Feb 15
An acquaintance told me a story recently about the public speaking experience that paralyzed her mentally for five years.

As the valedictorian of her high school class, she had prepared a speech called “The Power of the Mind.” She was not anxious about the speech, as she was an experienced performer and speaker. She began her speech confidently, with a strong opening.

A short way into the speech, she found herself wondering, “what if I fainted?” It made no sense, since she was not afraid of public speaking, but she started to question whether she would be able to finish the speech. As this thought took hold, she started to see spots in front of her eyes. She began to feel dizzy. She grasped the lectern with all her strength to keep from collapsing.

Finally, she got a grip on herself, took some deep breaths, and was able to finish the speech. She hadn’t delivered it the way she had hoped, but was able to do it without falling over.

For the next five years, every time she had to give a presentation, she would panic, and this fear – that was literally created out of her own mind – took over.

Most of our fears and anxieties about public speaking are based on thoughts that have very little to no basis in reality. Sometimes, a person has actually had real-life negative experiences that trigger those fears. But it’s just as likely that a person who dreads public speaking has never had a bad public speaking experience.

I had a similar experience, in that I created fear and anxiety in my mind, but it was not about public speaking. Here’s another example of this amazing power our minds have to create – and control – fear.

In 1990, I was hit head-on by a car while driving my scooter. I wasn’t wearing a helmet; my head and the car’s front end met in the middle of a busy intersection. I was lucky that nothing was broken and that I didn’t suffer a more severe head injury. Recovery was slow, and soon after the accident I started having panic attacks.

I couldn’t sit in a crowded restaurant. I couldn’t tolerate the middle seat at the movie theater. Elevators made me anxious, and my biggest fear was sitting inside an airplane for ten hours, unable to get out. With a trip to Europe already planned, this was going to happen, whether I liked it or not.

I was referred to a therapist who specialized in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She taught me breathing, visualization and relaxation techniques. I started to find myself reversing the panic attacks. If I felt one coming on, I could close my eyes, visualize a calming scene, breathe deeply, and conquer the anxiety. It was a powerful tool.

However, I realized that I could also CREATE a panic attack, just by thinking of the trigger. So now, I could sit in the middle seat at the movie theater, but I would start worrying, “what if I have a panic attack?” By letting the idea get comfortable in my mind, I could create the panic attack out of thin air. Now I had the tools to combat the attack, and I also had the tools to create one from scratch.

To this day, I am more comfortable in a aisle seat. I know that I can handle a claustrophobic trigger, but I still avoid putting myself there, knowing what my brain is capable of. At the same time, when I don’t have a choice, I know my brain can handle that, too. Recently, I attended a Cirque du Soleil traveling performance. Anyone who’s been to one of these shows knows how tightly packed the audience is. The big top is crowded, dark, hot, and literally defines claustrophobia! I sat through the performance – in a middle seat! – and had a great time, not once feeling the dread (or allowing it to) take over.

If our mind is powerful enough to create fear from “nothing,” it’s also powerful enough to reframe our thoughts to propel us forward in a positive way. There have been many books written about the power of positive thinking – the most well-known of these is Norman Vincent Peale’s, first published over 50 years ago. Recent medical research shows, for example, that a positive expectation of a medication has real measurable physical effects (not just the psychological “placebo effect”) on our health.

How does this apply to you as a public speaker? You can control the amount of fear and anxiety you experience around public speaking. You have the power to turn negative and fearful thoughts into positive ones. How do you do it?

1. The first step is being aware of your negative thoughts. Many of these thoughts are subconscious, but becoming aware of them and bringing them forward to your conscious mind is an important step. Once you are aware of these thoughts, you are then able to replace them with positive thoughts. You might say the following to yourself, “I’m an excellent speaker. People want to hear what I have to say. I’m going to have a great time. I’m excited about sharing my expertise.” You choose the words that work for you; the important thing is to say them to yourself. This is the first step toward believing your positive thoughts.

2. The next step is visualizing yourself being successful at public speaking. Using your imagination, close your eyes and see yourself in the venue, speaking to an attentive audience. They are smiling and nodding. They are fascinated by what you have to say! Visualize yourself standing confidently, smiling and delivering your presentation clearly, concisely and with passion and enthusiasm. Imagine the audience applauding at the end (why not have a standing ovation while you’re at it?). Imagine people seeking you out afterward, expressing gratitude and appreciation for what you’ve just taught them.

3. Finally, you will want to prepare physically for your presentation. On your way to the venue, warm up your voice by singing along to your favorite music. Breathe deeply. Once you get there, stretch and massage your back, neck, shoulders, chest, jaw and face. Continue deep breathing to bring oxygen to your brain and muscles, improve blood flow, and reduce tension that can make your voice weak or quivery.

If you have severe and paralyzing fear, it might help to see a therapist to get started, but most people who fear public speaking are not paralyzed or phobic. These simple tools may be all you need to start turning around your perceptions. It won’t happen overnight, but if you commit to changing your negative thought patterns, you have the power to make it so.

After five years, my acquaintance finally took control of her public speaking fears, and so can you!

Lisa Braithwaite works with individuals to uncover their challenges and build their strengths in presenting themselves confidently as speakers. Find your voice with public speaking coaching! Sign up for my newsletter and find out about my free consultation by visiting http://www.coachlisab.com.

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Feb 8
Myth Number 1 declares that performance nerves are to be expected; everyone has them. Further, that they are necessary. They are what gives a speaker the energy to be exciting or interesting.

Let’s take a hard look at these assumptions. What happens to you, personally, when you have an attack of Performance Jitters? A case of Rollicking Stage Fright?

  • Your predominant emotion is that of dread. You want nothing so devoutly as to Get Out of Here!
  • You get tight around the chest and diaphragm. Your breathing–if any–becomes shallow and your energy wanes.
  • You sweat. (Icky!)
  • Your mouth dries up and you can scarcely swallow.
  • Your hands shake.
  • Your knees knock and are in danger of collapsing.
  • our mind goes blank; did I have a speech in there somewhere? Gone!

    • In other words, your body tries to shut down! Now why would such unpleasant body symptoms serve you? Do they really make you an exciting and interesting speaker?

    It’s important to separate stage fright and the deep fear of speaking in public from excitement. Think of excitement, not as dread, but as pleasant anticipation. When you’re looking forward with pleasure to an activity your body does not try to shut down. It perks up. Your brain goes into high gear. What is about to take place feels good, fulfilling, gratifying, perhaps fun.

    You may indeed be one of those people who has some of the good feelings, but still suffers from several of the nasty ones.

    5 Tips that will stop your Stage Fright suffering:

    1. Think about your responses to having to speak. Separate the actual fear-symptoms from the excitement feelings.

    2. See how many of the negative responses you can shift to the excitement category.

    3. Learn and use deep breathing in your daily life and certainly use it in your speaking life!

    4. Check out your Self Talk. If it’s full of “I’m going to be a failure”, consciously change it to “I’m an excellent speaker and I enjoy speaking in public.” Never mind if that’s a screaming lie at this moment. Your subconscious mind, which has diligently followed your instructions to make you feel like a failure can change its tactics and, over time, alter your belief so that you do indeed enjoy speaking in public and you become very good at it. However, it takes considerable discipline to continually remind yourself to cancel your negative Self Talk and replace it with healthy thoughts. It’s worth it!

    5. Various energy techniques and hypnosis can be very powerful in developing and fulfilling positive, healthy expectations.

    During my thirty-some years as therapist and public speaking coach I’ve observed that these techniques work very well for many people. If, however, a person has underlying and deep feelings of insufficiency, counseling may be helpful in clearing out the personal debris to free up a person to be–and to feel–truly successful.

     

    Carole McMichaels http://getridofpublicspeakingfears.com

     

    Carole McMichaels: Speaker, Therapist, Musician, Coach, Author: “Fearless Public Speaking: How to Get Rid of Your Stage Fright and Prepare and Deliver a Winning Presentation”, invites you to to visit her website http://GetRidOfPublicSpeakingFears.com and download your free report, “How to Write a Mind-Gripping Speech”.

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    Jan 19
    Public Speaking the Easy Way, by Rich Brunelle

    Everybody I know has at one time or another experienced difficulty when having to give a speech, teach a class, or give a report to an audience. Of course, there are those that do public speaking all the time that have little difficulty. But for the rest of us, public speaking gives us a case of nervous jitters.

    Here are a few tips and one trick to help you if you ever have to get up in front of a few hundred strange faces and address them without feeling so sick to your stomach that you cannot speak anyway.

    First of all, do not fall for the “Just pretend their all naked” theory. I tried it. I ended up laughing so hard I had to excuse myself for a moment. And then, I wasn’t able to tell my audience why I broke into the fit of laughter. Try the following:

    1.) Learn your subject matter prior to having to speak on it. I have addressed audiences on topics without prior knowledge of the subject. Trust me; it is far easier if you have a clue what you are talking about.

    2.) Dress for the occasion. Another “Trust Me,” You will find it uncomfortable standing before an audience in the wrong attire. If you are speaking about electricity, and you are an electrician, you can dress like an electrician. But if you are a dentist speaking about tooth decay, do not dress like a plumber. Wear a suit, uniform or applicable work attire if you want to feel comfortable.

    3.) Do not drink too much of anything. If you are already nervous, should you do anything that would require a visit to the restroom at an inopportune time?

    4.) Breathe! That’s right. Calmly. . . In and out, nice steady even breaths. While speaking, many people forget to breathe normally, trying to complete their sentence. Relax a little, and breathe in, out . . . that’s right.

    5.) (This is the trick) Relax yourself and your audience. And, get their attention. One of the easiest ways to relax you and them is by telling a joke. But, I can never remember any. So, I take a copy of the local newspaper Want Ads with me. If you cannot find something humorous in the regular ads, try the personals column. There is always something funny there. Just don’t allow yourself to get inappropriate with your humor.

    If you try the aforementioned and make it through your public speaking session without wetting your pants or looking like an idiot, you have succeeded. If you haven’t, I’m sorry. I wish I could have been more help. And, if you’re still at the podium slobbering all over yourself or laughing like a fool, I warned you not to picture them all naked . . .

     

    Rich Brunelle is CC&BW of datajam’s Internet, a collection of web sites developed to provide linkage resource as well as valuable Internet service. All Registration is free. For additional Information visit http://datajamsinternet.com , http://djam-promo.com , or email admin@djam-promo.com.

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    Jan 18
    Surveys have shown the average American is more afraid of public speaking than they are of death. No wonder many people have let promotions at work pass them by for fear of having to speak in public. It may not even have been a conscious decision, but public speaking fear has been shown to be the cause of missed opportunities for many people. As someone looking to move ahead in your career, working on your public speaking skills even before you need them in the workplace can be a smart move. Having public speaking skills could boost your confidence level so that you would be comfortable volunteering to give a presentation that could earn you extra prestige, or give you the assurance you need to apply for a particular job.

    Developing Public Speaking Skills

    Public speaking is something that does not come naturally for most people. Instead, it is a learned skill. Especially with the prominence of politicians these days, it can be easy to get the impression that good public speaking skills come naturally to many people. This is not really the case. Even politicians work on their public speaking skills, and have the benefit of giving speeches on a regular basis over the course of a long career. The most visible politicians and business leaders often “cheat” by using speech coaches who help them pinpoint specific things they can do to deliver speeches more effectively, plus they often use speech writers and teleprompters.

    As an individual interested in getting ahead in your career, you don’t need to go to the extreme of using a teleprompter or a speech coach. But committing to improving your public speaking skills over the long term can have a major impact in terms of your overall career success. Toastmasters is a great organization that has spent decades perfecting a system of teaching people how to speak effectively in public. Their program is designed so you can get as little or as much out of it as you want. Each Toastmasters meeting gives everyone a chance to practice their public speaking skills through various parts of the meeting, such as the Table Topics, where each attendee can give a brief two-minute impromptu speech based on a topic given to them by the host. Most Toastmasters clubs also have mentorship programs where a more experienced speaker will work with you one on one to help you improve your skills.

    We recommend visiting your local Toastmasters club to see how it works. To find out more about Toastmasters, visit their web site at this address: http://www.toastmasters.org

    Quick Tips for Conquering Your Fear

    - Everyone gets nervous before a speech. Even former President Clinton has talked about how he still gets nervous before speeches, even after having spoken in front of all kinds of audiences all over the world. Experienced speakers talk about harnessing that nervousness and using it to energize and inspire yourself to give a better speech. Plus, they say the nervousness generally goes away after the first couple of minutes of speaking and turns into a feeling of excitement and exhiliration.

    - There usually isn’t as much at stake as you think there is. People often make the mistake of assigning an unreasonable amount of importance to people in their audience. The truth is most audience members in any given situation are preoccupied with their own thoughts: what they’re going to do later that day, their relationship with their spouse, their kids, personal problems, etc. Your speech is much less important to them than it is to you. And they will be much less critical of your performance than you are. Plus, no matter who is in your audience, they are not more important than your family members and people who truly care about you.

    - The speech does not have to be perfect. As mentioned earlier, there’s a tendency to compare yourself with polished public speakers you see on TV. Your audience will not expect you to be at that level, and you should not expect it of yourself.

    - The most important ingredient in a good speech is preperation. This often requires investing time in researching the topic ahead of time so that you have enough material that you could speak for at least twice the amount of time allotted. If your speech has information that the audience finds interesting or that they did not know before, you will have done a good job as a speaker.

     

    Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively.

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