Tips on Public Speaking: Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

If you start having butterflies in your stomach the moment you hear about “public speaking,” you are not the only person who suffers from the fear of public speaking. Many of us feel terrified the moment we are asked to speak before an audience, primarily because we feel that we aren't well prepared to deliver the intended message. This lack of confidence makes us fear about the consequences, and gives rise to public speaking anxiety. So, if you too are having nightmares about public speaking, it's time to get over them. Remember – like any other craft, the art of public speaking too has some rules and guidelines that you should follow to become a master.

This is our tip on public speaking – to begin with, ask yourself about the message that you want to deliver and its objective. A speech to raise funds for a charitable cause would surely be different from one that intends to sell some products. Once you have a clear idea about your topic, do your own research to gather information that you can share with your audience. Good public speaking skills demand that you stay away from too many numerical data. Instead, try to use humor (where applicable) and share personal anecdotes to convey your point to the audience. In case you plan to speak for more than 15 minutes, try using some notes with the briefs of your topics on them so that you don't miss out on anything of importance. You can use a music stand to arrange your notes, and come back to it when you seem lost while giving public speaking presentations to get back on the right track even before the audience realizes the slip.

To master the art of public speaking, you can make use of various public speaking courses available in the market or on the internet. You may even join a public speaking school. However, the best way to overcome your public speaking phobia is to practice under the guidance of a mentor who has the competence and experience to guide you through the nuances of effective public speaking.

So, here's wishing good luck to your public speaking endeavor!

Do you have the fear of public speaking? Leave a comment. I would love to know.

Ciao, Maurice