Public Speaking

**Posts:** 5 · by **Andy B.** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 8:10 pm

With respect, it occurs to me that labelling "public speaking" as the No. 1 Fear is about as counterproductive as it gets. And please don't think I'm getting personal, because I see it all the time.

As someone who has been in training and education for over three decades I've done a fair number of public speaking gigs, to children of around 11, through to graduates and business people at all levels.

Did I start out brilliant?
No.
Did I EXPECT to be brilliant straight away?
No.
Did I get better as time went by?
Yes.
Did I expect to get better as time went by?
Yes.
Am I brilliant now?
Modesty forbids :wink:

Far too many people fear they won't be much cop first time out, completely fulfil their self-prophesy and use this as a reason never to take another chance.

- Start out with realistic expectations.
- Look for regular improvement rather than 0-120 in 6 seconds.
- Treat EVERY event as a learning experience.
- Run a check after EVERY event on what went well - no matter how minor it may seem - and what you could improve.
- If you REALLY don't want to give a presentation DON'T FORCE IT. And don't wait till the last moment to turn it down. A few of us thrive on walking on a knife edge, for most people it's trying to fight their fear without really knowing how to do it effectively that leaves them feeling like they have PTSD.

Oh, and you could get a copy of my book - it's very reasonably priced!

:lol:

Hope this is of some use

Andy B.

**Posts:** 2951 · by **Anthony Jacquin** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 10:00 pm

Fair comment and sound advice....

perhaps it is known as the No 1 fear because it is the one many people are forced to confront at some point...

Ant

**Posts:** 5 · by **Andy B.** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 11:03 am

Ant

I'm sorry - I didn't make myself clear.

Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that public speaking really has been rated the No. 1 fear in some poll or study.
The question is, which of these two statements is likely to be more empowering for someone who is about to speak in public for the first time:

1. Do you know that polls have shown that people fear speaking in public more than anything else, more than dying, even?

2. Do you know that each business day thousands of people give their first ever presentation, and the overwhelming majority of those presentations are a success?

I was just expressing puzzlement that anyone would want to highlight the negative aspect of public speaking in a forum like this. Even if it's true (does anyone have an actual reference for this statistic?) surely that doesn't mean it is necessarily productive to make this the focal point of the discussion?

Be well

Andy B.

**Posts:** 3 · by **andrew de** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:56 am

I have a stammer and therefore it grieves me to hear that non-stammerers regard public-speaking as a major fear. I also read that this fear is common in the USA ..yet, Americans always come over as very confident people. I am convinced that confidence skills are imparted at US schools, how else could one explain the ubiquitous exhibition of confidence potrayed by most Americans ?

The funny thing is that most people in the audience wish the performer to put on a good display ; Yet the speaker is nervous ! Why ?

**Posts:** 492 · by **Mark Tyrrell** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 3:42 pm

Actually, as Ant said, it probably isn't the number one fear as most people aren't confronted at knife point or held upside down out of a high rise building. It may be the number one fear that many people actually experience. However as an ex-nervous now relaxed public speaker I know that it is an anxiety which can be over come.

As to why it might be a (less than completely rare :wink:

) concern, shall we say, is that in times gone by being 'in the group/tribe meant safety where as the threat of being seperate from or disapproved by, the tribe meant being possibly outcast and therefore not having access to shared food supplies and shelter.

Fortunately I always bring my own lunch

Mark

**Posts:** 19 · by **Apexus** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:14 pm

By the way. Concentrating too much upon an upcoming speech, especially right before giving one will cause quite a bit of distress. (My Solution: I usually try not to care about the speech I have to give. It usually helps to have a positive, "all systems go" attitude.

**Posts:** 11 · by **ksully** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:39 am

I've got plenty of problems with confidence and what not, but public speaking doesn't scare me at all. When I was younger I took part in Speech club which made public speaking seem like more of a sport rather than a death sentence. Speech clubs and such help alot, thats all I'm saying.

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