Submitted by Ernest on Sat, 04/08/2012 – 9:42am
What are some of the reasons for you finding it difficult or impossible to do public speaking in front of others? Do the below common barriers to fantastic public speaking sounds familiar?
- “I am afraid to face the audience”
- “I am scared of Q and A”
- “My English is not that good”
- “I am worried about my confidence”
- “I am sure to falter.”
- “I don’t know what to talk about”
- “I am afraid that my mind may go blank.”
- “I dare not look at the audience”
Throughout the years as a public speaking coach, I’ve the privilege to met up with people from all walks of life who suffers from Glossophobia, or commonly known as fear in public speaking.
Barriers to speech communication are plenty and varied in shapes and sizes and there are many advices floating around as to what is the best way to overcome one’s fear in public speaking. And here are myfour expert tips I offer to all my public speaking students on how to overcome their speech anxiety:
Overcome Fear of Public Speaking Tip #1: It Is Impossible to Be Fearless
Fear is the most important barrier. Fear is a hindrance to public speaking.
Fear is a matter of mindset. If you think you are worried, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. Fear is always lurking around, waiting for the moment to appear. You must steady your mind and overcome the fear.
Overcome Fear of Public Speaking Tip #2: Find Your Voice, Be an Authority
You have to choose a topic that you have authority to speak on. Speak on something that you have full knowledge of and do not pretend that you have if you do not have. Do not depend on luck; knowledge is not luck. You must have the passion on that segment of the knowledge and audience can see through you when you talk about this passionate subject.
Overcome Fear of Public Speaking Tip #3: You Need To Be Competent As Well
If you dare to speak, then you must have the competency to speak to an audience. Competency is the skills in rendering speeches. You can develop the competency by joining speech training class, join at oastmasters club and be an active member. You must also be comfortable in the subject matter.
Overcome Fear of Public Speaking Tip #4: Tell theTruth
There is a saying: when in doubt, speak the truth. It is easy to speak the truth because you do not have to play “hide and seek.” People can tell whether you are speaking the truth or not.
If you speak the truth all the way; you can feel the energy level going up. Your face sparkle and audience can feel the speech.
By now, I am sure you must have discovered that I use acrostic – FACT to describe the four pointers to overcoming barriers in speech communication.
While overcoming your fear in public speaking doesn’t happen overnight, however, by following FACTreligiously, most of my public speaking students always manage to achieve and excel in their endeavours in public speaking.
And yes, I think you too can become the great public speaker you desire to be! Just follow the FACT!
Want to learn the proper techniques of public speaking, the tricks and tips to easily changing your style of delivery according to the times and needs of your listeners?
Every speaker is different, so is your audience. Great public speakers not only know how to tell wonderful and convincing stories, they are also great artist in painting images into the hearts of their listeners. And they precisely know how to adjust their speaking styles to suit their audience from different cultures and nations.
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To start your dream of becoming a persuasive and entertaining public speaking without having butterflies in your stomach, visit your local bookstore and get Ernest’s public speaking bestseller, Earnestly Speaking today!
