If you have a fear of public speaking, you are certainly not alone. The idea of standing up in front of crowds of people who will be listening only to your voice; the worry that you might lose the thread of your thoughts; the dreaded possibility of having to ad lib – these are all pretty common. Not everybody is a naturally gifted orator – indeed few of us are. But this doesn’t mean you can’t learn. If you have been called upon to give a speech or a presentation and the thought of it is sending cold chills through your heart, it’s time to take control.
What follows are some very effective methods through which even the most retiring wallflower can become a more effective public speaker:
Find Examples: If there are any people you particularly admire for their public speaking skills, spend some time watching clips of them. What is it you particularly like about their style? What do you think they are doing to put their listeners at ease? Bear in mind that a lot of these people probably didn’t start off being excellent speakers: many will have had to learn this skill, the same as you are.
Take An Acting Class: A large part of effective public speaking is about being confident and comfortable in your own skin. Taking an acting class or joining an amateur dramatics group is a great way to do this and it can also be a lot of fun. Learning acting techniques will help you understand how body language is used to get a point across or convey a certain impression.
Learn About Delivery: There are a lot of techniques at work in a successful speech or presentation. You will need to learn about different kinds of intonation, how to engage with your audience and how to get them to relax early on. These things can take time to master, so it’s probably worth getting public speaking training at this point to help you hone your skills.
Speak Slowly And Clearly: It sounds obvious, but a lot of people tend to mumble or talk too quickly when they are nervous. You’ve probably noticed yourself doing it conversation on occasion, so imagine how difficult it will be for a roomful of people to follow what you are saying if you do this. Take a deep breath, slow down and get someone to listen to you when you feel ready. Or alternatively, you could record your speech and play it back to yourself to see where improvements could be made. This is another area in which public speaking training may be helpful.
Learn To Relax: Many nervous speakers will use some relaxation techniques before they go on stage and it can really make a difference. Whether it’s meditating, listening to some calming music or going for a walk around the block to clear you head, find a method that works for you and use it. Also, remember to always have some water to hand: this will allow you to pause and collect your thoughts if you find yourself running off course, and will also stop your throat from getting too dry.
Not everyone is naturally gifted at public speaking – in fact many of us are terrified at the very thought of it. But the good news is that with some training and confidence building exercises we can all improve our skills in this area. If you live in Essex then searching on line for ‘Public Speaking Training Essex’ will help you to find someone.
No comments:
Post a Comment