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How to Overcome Public Speaking Fear

admin — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:04:05 +0000

Ronald Myers asked:

I’m going to show you how to overcome public speaking fear. Surprisingly, statistics show that people fear public speaking more than death. I find that hard to believe because people rarely ever think of “death” all the time, so naturally speaking in front of a large group of people would scare you. There is absolutely no reason to have a fear, I hope to show you how to get past it.

People Don’t See Nervous: When you’re walking out onto the stage toward the podium, no one knows you’re nervous. Your stomach could be in knots and you feel like you’re going to be sick, but you really aren’t showing nervous behavior. I think the idea of nervous thought, especially with public speaking, is that people may notice you’re nervous and this makes you even more nervous. There are only a few sutle cues that show a person is nervous and they’re so small, that the ordinary person wouldn’t put more than 1 second into them. Don’t worry so much. People don’t see that extreme nervous beast inside you. Be Prepared: This is just one important thing that can get you through this. Naturally, this is how to overcome public speaking fear, because you force yourself to be prepared to give a good speech. You know what you’re going to say. You know how you’re going to say it. You know the material. That doesn’t guarantee that you won’t bumble on some words, but you’ll do fine and it’ll really take the edge of knowing you’re prepared. The Impossible Scenarios are Impossible: You’re going to have the most far fetched things going through your head when you’re nervous before a speech. You have to accept the fact that most of these are impossible. You could have situations running through your head of booing, you might even feel like you’ll get sick on stage. All these are scary thoughts, but none are going to happen. Everyone feels these, but none of these will really happen and you need to accept that.

Public Speaking – Professional Tips to Improve Your Speaking

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:42:58 +0000

Edward Hope asked:

Today, to be successful, a person must have a good command of language. They must be able to express themselves clearly and fluently in ordinary business conversation, across the meeting room table or from the speaker’s platform. The rules that apply to success in public speaking also apply to the person who wants to move up the organisation.

In most situations, public speaking is private conversation raised to a larger audience. Effective communication in ordinary business conversation or public speaking is mostly about the effective transmission of ideas rather than the art of performance.

By applying the following tips you will become a more successful speaker who effectively conveys ideas either in public speaking or in private conversation.

Observe other Successful Speakers

Study what they do and how they do it. Also observe how the audience reacts to them. Emulate the speaker’s good points in your next speech but do not imitate the speaker.

Analyze Your Own Delivery

After you have spoken ask yourself – What went well? And, what will you do better next time? If possible record yourself for later review. When analyzing your performance you are looking for ways to improve. The objective is to find ways to enhance your delivery not to condemn it.

Seek Feedback

Ask other successful speakers and friends to comment on your speech. But be careful. You are looking for people who will want to help you succeed not to tear you down.

Keep the Audience in Mind

Ask yourself the following questions when preparing your speech – Why have I been asked to speak? What is their viewpoint? What type of organisation do they belong to? Is it a professional organisation etc? What age group?

Keep It Simple

Unless you are explaining a technical subject to other technical people, use plain everyday language. If the listener does not understand what you are saying they can become listless and bored. If you have chosen to read your speech or are delivering a memorised speech ensure that you are using spoken language rather than written language. Just because it reads well does not mean it sounds great when spoken.

Be Sincere

A part time speaker with something worthwhile to share, believes in what they are saying and enthusiastically delivers can outperform the professional speaker in the audience’s viewpoint.

Be Brief

Your talk should be long enough to cover the essentials fully but like good literature it should leave the listener wanting a little more.

Thorough Preparation

Preparation is of key importance to effective speaking. Being thoroughly prepared is key to building your self confidence.

Identify the principle reason for your speech. Research your idea fully so that you have mastered your subject. Logically set out your ideas so that your speech will convey your ideas effectively. And finally practice, practice, practice.

Success in business today is about effectively communicating ideas. By applying the above basic techniques you can quickly become adept at conveying your ideas. Being fully prepared, sincere in your delivery, to the point in your speech and considering the listener’s viewpoint you will soon improve your effectiveness.

FEB 6 VLOG: GSA PUBLIC SPEAKING?

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:08:07 +0000

GayGod asked:

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What Counts the Most in Public Speaking? Content or Delivery

admin — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 12:02:29 +0000

Nancy Daniels asked:

While some academics may argue that one’s content is more important than one’s delivery, I beg to differ.

If one’s delivery is of lesser value than one’s content, why not copy the speech, pass it out, and then everyone can go home or back to work? Assuming your audience is there to hear you speak about a topic of interest to them, is it not advisable to deliver your material in an engaging fashion? Why not captivate your audience? No matter how well-written your content, a boring delivery doesn’t sell.

Given the opportunity to hear Henry Kissinger or Bill Clinton give a speech, I would sooner listen to Clinton. Without a doubt, Kissinger’s material is going to be much more erudite than that of the former President; however, Mr. Kissinger’s style of delivery is non-existent. His voice is dour; he speaks in a monotone; and, he has absolutely no expression.

Having taught Public Speaking as well as Voice & Diction and Oral Interpretation, I found that, in the beginning of the course, my students tended to be stronger in their content than in their abilities to present. I therefore spent much of the time on improving those skills. Differing from others teaching Public Speaking, I never gave them exams on ‘book material.’ Their presentations were their exams. Public Speaking is a practical course, much like acting or music. Memorizing terminology, rules or theory for a test in this particular subject is of lesser value than the application and practical usage of that material.

Public speaking is exactly what it says: speaking in public. Your audience came to hear you talk to them. If you are giving a speech, you will be reading it; and, if have strong delivery skills, your audience will not know that you are reading. They will think you are talking to them. If you are making a presentation, again you will be talking to your audience, using note cards or some form of visual aid to keep you on topic.

No matter what you intend to deliver to the public, however, ideally you want your content to be as well crafted as possible. Remember, when we listen to others speaking, we generally regard them as experts in their field. Thus, you must craft your presentation as well as the experts do.

If you believe, on the other hand, that your content is more important than your delivery and your speaking skills are poor, watch your audience’s reaction. There will be more coughing, more yawning, more talking amongst themselves, and definitely more sleepers. Should the setting allow for it, some will even get up and leave.

Why not look at the picture differently? Craft your content well, deliver it in a dynamic fashion and you have a win-win situation. Both are of value; both are important.

The great Roman orator, Cicero, said, “Without effective delivery, a speech of the highest mental capacity can be held in no esteem, while one of the moderate abilities, with this qualification, may surpass even those of the highest talent.”

I couldn’t agree more which is why I’d still rather listen to Clinton than Kissinger!

Experts Offer Public Speaking Advice

admin — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 15:06:41 +0000

kocotv asked:

For many people, public speaking is a major fear. However, Eyewitness News 5′s Maggie Carlo talks with a local expert who not only explains why it’s a common fear but how you can conquer it.

Confidence in Public Speaking

admin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:08:30 +0000

Mandip Sohal asked:

Lance Miller, a world champion of public speaking, has a very simple way of looking at speaking when delivering a speech or presentation.

He says that the most important thing in public speaking is your energy and enthusiasm, in other words your delivery, and that this represents 50% of the impact of your speech.

He then says that another 30% of the impact is created by the key message of your talk.

This leaves only 20% for the structure and the writing.

However, it is this last and least impact part of public speaking that most people spend all their time agonizing over, especially someone who feels nervous and lacks confidence.

However, if you know what it is that you are to deliver, then this slight nervousness can be a great source of strength adding to that high impact energy and enthusiasm.

Preparation beforehand is an important part of public speaking but being overly concerned with getting the words exactly ‘right’ leads to looking too much at notes or results in the speech being done in an over-rehearsed way.

What you need is to have something which enables you to focus on your delivery, energy, and enthusiasm.

Clearly, if it’s easy to remember what you want to say, then you will not be chasing the words and will be less nervous, be in control, and have confidence.

Knowing what you’re going to say will leave you free to concentrate on that high impact energy and enthusiasm so the question is; how can I know what to say?

The Learning Well ‘Memory Map’ technique gives you the structure of your speech in a very easy way providing you with the ability to know both your core message and your content when public speaking.

When you are delivering your talk or presentation the Map enables you to very quickly glance down and see what you want to say, the location for each part of your speech is clear on the Map and is therefore clear for when you speak.

The Map locations for what you want to say will become fixed in your mind thereby increasing your confidence and making speeches and presentations so much easier.

So, it’s clear. The Learning Well Memory Map targets all public speaking impact points as set out by World Speaking Champion Lance Miller:

Tony Buzan’s Mind Mapping is great for brain storming and I have to say that when it comes to public speaking and knowing what I want to say and building confidence then Memory Mapping is the thing to go for.

By using Memory Maps your public speaking confidence will grow and grow.

How to Find Lucrative Public Speaking Jobs

admin — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:01:12 +0000

SIMON GARMAH asked:

Public speaking jobs are one kind of the top paying careers as it is outlined in the famous book”top 1000 paying jobs”.the pay could go anywhere between 1000 $ to 50.000 $ or more depending on the duration as well as the amount of work put into the process of the preparation of a given speaking event.It depends also on the importance of the content of the presentation itself.

Because I know the reason why you are here,I’m writing this article to help you to get yourself into the right track in your mission of finding lucrative public speaking jobs.The first thing to consider is to identify the field or the niche you are into and then look at related organizations,companies,associations…etc.Do your homework by contacting each one of the organizations that you found and see if they are looking for public speakers.Here’s a little secret of mine:Start with volunteer works with small businesses,non profit organization,universities and even libraries.The point here is to get noticed,Proclaim your expertise as a brilliant public speaker.Believe me,you will get an unbelievable exposure.Just start small and with determination and good faith,you will get the job of your dreams.

Eric Schmidt Public Speaking Class

admin — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:51:38 +0000

ytacdc asked:

Eric Schmidt Public Speaking Class

Public Speaking – Ways to Deliver Your Speech

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 02:35:49 +0000

Edward Hope asked:

There are 4 possible ways to deliver your speech in public speaking. Each way has its’ pros and cons. The method that s picked will depend on your circumstances. However, there is one way that is the most effective in the majority of cases.

The 4 ways to deliver your speech are:

1. Read it to the audience

In this way the speech is written out and read aloud word for word to the audience. When giving your first speeches this method is attractive because the speaker does not rely on their memory due to the security of the speech. This does ensure that nothing is forgotten and the speech is accurate. The disadvantage is that you lose your personal appeal because your head is bowed reading. And it is difficult to talk expressively and maintain a conversational aspect to your delivery. However it is useful in political and highly controversial speeches to read aloud to prevent misquotes or being sued.

2. Memorize and deliver to your audience

The advantage of this method is that you can employ phrases that you wouldn’t normally use and you are not tied down to reading your speech. You can look at your audience and move around. The difficulty with this approach is if you forget your “lines” and then struggle to determine where you are up to. Also the natural conversational quality of your delivery is difficult to maintain and it is often stiff and stilted.

3. Impromptu Speech

In an impromptu speech the speaker has not prepared a speech and is delivering his thoughts and word on the spur of the moment. This method is very flexible but rarely achieves the quality of a well prepared speech. It is best avoided if you can. But if you think you may be called on to say a few words it is handy to have a few “lines” prepared to avoid any embarrassments. Most experienced speakers have developed some reliable responses to use when they are called upon to make impromptu remarks.

4. Prepare a speaking outline and memorize the ideas

This approach is known as the extemporaneous method. The speech can be delivered with or without notes. When thoroughly prepared (which can include writing your speech in full initially) and practiced there is little need for notes. This is the easiest way for the speaker to achieve the ability to speak in a natural conversational manner. It also gives the ability to adapt the speech for any unexpected events. It does take more time and preparation than the other ways outlined here.

When starting out, it is tempting to read your speech or memorize and recite it word for word. Be careful with these methods because it is difficult to connect with the audience.

When called on for impromptu remarks ensure you have a few memorized responses (an emergency kit). The preferred method is to prepare thoroughly for your speech and memorize the ideas. Your speech has the potential to be more natural and to be more effective in achieving your purpose.

Public Speaking – conquer/cure the fear

admin — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:55:38 +0000

zxcvbnm987 asked:

News interview with Mike Aguilera talking about how to conquer the fear of public speaking. Additional information and tips at: www.MikeAguilera.com and seminar at: www.MikeAguilera.com Get your copy of The Instant Zone Technique CD at: www.mikeaguilera.com www.MikeAguilera.com