Public Speaking

[Simon]

What are you're guys opinion on this and how you deal with it?

I have to give three speeches in my human communication class, one is coming in about a week or two. To narrow it down, it has to be about five minutes long and we pretty much have to memorize it, but important topics or information can be written down on index cards and my topic is the best gambling scandals in sports.

But basically, I have public speaking anxiety, and this is actually about my first time presenting in college and this class as about 30-35 people in it.

I feel comfortable about my topic.

My main three points I will be talking about is the Little League World Series scandal in 2001, Pete Rose and the Chicago White Sox "Black Sox Scandal."

Do you guys have any tips on how to deal with your anxiety in talking in front of a large crowd?

 

[Randolphkeys]

1. Do it as often as possible, because eventually it isn't a big deal.
2. If you get self conscious, look at the wall behind everyone. They can't tell the difference.
3. Make eye contact with the teacher during a part you are confident about, they have to say you aren't just looking at the back wall.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Keys is on it. Definitely do it as often as possible cause it really helps get you used to it.

Also, if it's a big enough audience, if you start feeling nervous, don't look people in the eye, but look right between two people in the middle and act like you're making eye contact. That way you won't get freaked out by locking eyes, but you still keep your eyes focused on the audience.

 

[Chris]

Had to do this many, many times in my first degree (Communications) at Ohio State. Often in front of 50-75 people, not huge classes but certainly enough to cause anxiety. Eventually it just became an annoyance rather than some kind of experience I dreaded. I will never like presenting, but I am good at it now, and I it merely inconveniences me when I have to do it now.

I'd make sure you know what you're talking about 110%. Can't stress this enough. If you know your topic through and through you don't need cards, and you will be VERY comfortable. For example if I asked you to get in front of the class right now and detail the Cavs' offseason to us all, wouldn't that be super fuckin easy?

Keys is right about eye contact. I never look at any one person, I kind of divide the room into segments and make sure each one gets my attention for a few seconds before moving to the next.

Be confident and speak confidently. I know it goes without saying, but you can actually talk yourself into being confident even if you aren't. Just know the material like the back of your hand and it's pretty easy.

 

[Simmy]

Keys, Stereo and Chris are pretty much spot on.

I was the same about 4-5 years back. Thought I'd be pretty comfortable but when it was time to speak, the anxiety would strangle my through, making everything feel very uneasy.

The key is to continue speaking as often as possible and to understand that the people you're presenting to (in a classroom environment) are feeling much the same as you are or (in a working environment) are there to hear what you have to say. If you can establish a mindset by which you know that delivering a confident, relaxed and almost informal presentation will not only engage your audience but go a long way in delivering the kind of results you're hoping to achieve from the presentation, you'll be in good shape.

It's also a good idea to take your time and to breathe comfortably. Try to process and think before you speak, and ensure that what you're saying can be easily understood by the audience. And as Chris said, just make sure you know what you're talking about. It's so easy to discuss a topic you know inside and out. But if you're there with pre-written text material that you've memorized, this might make things a bit difficult.

Just try to be as prepared as possible, practice, and you'll be fine!

Oh, and one other thing. Always try to form conversations with others in your daily/work life if you have a part time job. By improving your ability to communicate, you'll naturally see a progression in your ability to confidently public speak.

 

[David.]

take .5mg of xanax and shut the fuck up

 

[natedagg]

1. You are not abnormal. Public speaking is tough for most people, so know that you aren't some exceptionally nervous person. Anyone presenting after you will be mind-racing about their own shit.
2. This gets easier with practice. Interviews are the same way for most people, so it just matters how much it would bother you up until the event.
3. Start w the Clearing Exercise: what could go wrong and what would this say about you? Write that all down, and be extra hard on yourself... Then read it when you are done and realize that these things about you and your core being are not true.
4. On to implementation: if you aren't that bothered, then just practice the key points and go at it the day of. If you want to build the muscle a bit more, do this: go to Starbucks, buy gift cards, 4x$5. Approach a couple, tell them that you are trying to practice and you aren't worried about your content, just need to get over the rush, ask them to listen for 5 mins for the $5 gc, then give feedback, which will likely be that your content was spot on but your delivery, cadence, and enthusiasm were off kilter. Thank them then go recover until next day. This time $5 for a group of 5 or more. Hopefully you get told no a couple of times to realize that the world will keep turning. Recover. Next day $10 for a group of 10 or more. Might work best at the library. Will def work if you ask a theatre or dance class teacher to let you ask his/her students. Maybe that's the last day, if you can get 20 or 40 people.
5. Try to go first or nearest to first if possible. Then you can really listen to the others and don't have to sit there w anxiety waiting to be called. Don't listen to their words or points either. Listen with all of your senses, and decide what you like and don't like.
6. Finally, after the worst person goes, someone who is just really nervous and in agony up there, when they are done, say something like "obviously I have a lot of work to do myself, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but I really think you showed tons of courage getting up there and I really think you did well once you relaxed a little bit."

It's there if you want it, Simon. Go get it.

 

[Adam]

There are some great practical tips already in this thread. A couple of things i would add from both a large amount of speaking and helping some students prep for college presentations:

Firstly realise that confidence is a myth, it is judged purely by external observation and most people are nervous inside during some situations they appear confident, so get your body language right, keep yourself open to the room remember to breathe between points and dont be afraid to gesticulate as you would discussing the idea to a group of friends.

Secondly remember 5mins is not a very long time when you are up there it might seem ages but if you have a card that signposts your points so you dont go off track you should be fine

Good luck

 

[Toph]

Taking it at a small community college over the summer instead of at Clemson was a great idea. 3 weeks of class 4 days a week instead of a whole semester. Easiest A of my life.

What always helps me with public speaking is practicing in the mirror by myself a few times and then do it in front of my girlfriend or a roommate or something. Just remember no one will care if you screw up, and that half the people aren't even listening. Everyone is just worried about what they are going to say. Even if you aren't a very confident person, fake it. You can always tell who is nervous if their voice is shakey or if they are talking too fast.

And the final thing: take adderall. Unless it's against your beliefs or something. Super easy to find on a college campus. I'm prescribed to it and it helps me so much with speeches.

 

[Simon]

Thanks guys, appreciate it!

 

[Soda]

I happen to think that speaking is the most important thing you can do in a job. You can be a freaking wizard, but if you're a shitty speaker, you're going to have a tough time meshing with your co-workers/peers.

 

[Ruken]

Also have only key points on maybe two notecards just to jump start your mind in case you freeze. Anything more you'll use it as a crutch.

Also practice in front of someone before you give the speech and also time it in advance to make sure it is long enough. 5 minutes is longer than you think when speaking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

If you find yourself getting stuck, practice your speech while walking. It's a technique for developing a smoother delivery, and the best part is that once you become good at actually speaking, you'll also be more comfortable with moving out from behind a podium and really nailing it.

 

[Ruken]

Also don't say um

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

One more thing -- if you know your actual material, the most important things to practice are your transitions from one point to the next within your speech. You can do it with humor, or just something that makes the flow from one point to the next more natural. Practice your transitions (you'd probably have 3 or so in a speech that long), and really know them cold. They'll act as sort of mile markers -- or escape hatches -- for you. Knowing those things will help keep you from rambling too long on one point, and will help bail you out if you get lost in one point and just want to get to the next.

Just as an example, say your baseball topics were all in one speech, and you were doing them in the order Black Sox/Rose/LL. You might memorize your first transition as something like "the Black Sox Scandal became such a legend in baseball that we didn't see another gambling scandal for more than 60 years. And just as the Black Sox scandal brought down a World Series Champion, the next scandal brought down the games all time leader for most career hits. Pete Rose was..."

And that gets you from point 1 to point 2. Then you'd say something like "Now if those two scandals didn't completely destroy our faith in the purity of the game, the most recent scandal definitely will. The Little League Word Series"

That's two transitions, but knowing those cold will make it go smoother and bail you out if you fuck up.