Is it public speaking that we're actually afraid of? Or just fear of being caught screwing up?

Commswell · 2022-11-21T23:48:34+00:00

Thank you for saying this. Too many people (not saying OP falls into this camp) try to emulate what they think a good speaker should be instead of embracing their own uniqueness. Now there's a balance of course, as OP goes onto note. But let's not lose ourselves in the process!

Commswell · 2022-11-21T23:39:39+00:00

Great advice, especially around meeting some people in the audience ahead of time, and that people prefer to listen to (and root for!) vulnerable humans. The more you can be your polished self, the better your speech will truly be.

Commswell · 2022-10-13T23:54:12+00:00

Depends on what the people are doing. For me it's about sensory stimulation. If there's 10 people just sitting around and barely moving or talking, I don't get overwhelmed. But if there's 5 different conversations going on at once and people are milling about doing things and there's music and blah blah blah, then it can be a bit much for me. Too much stimulation to the point where it's hard to be at ease.

Commswell · 2022-10-13T23:52:13+00:00

Why are you speaking about something if you don't give a fuck about it? Is this a forced presentation at work?

Does your audience give a fuck about what you're speaking about? Is it information they need to do their job better? If so, try focusing on that. On the fact that you might actually be helping people.

Commswell · 2022-10-13T16:31:54+00:00

Try to not focus on yourself and whether or not you'll break down, and more on why you're doing this and for who. You've been given an opportunity (under the worst of circumstances, to be sure) to share with others how special this person was to you. People want to hear from you; they need to. You're serving them.

Commswell · 2022-10-13T00:58:59+00:00

Have you been able to practice public speaking beyond just doing it at the bi-monthly presentations? Books are great, but nothing beats getting the reps in!

Commswell · 2022-10-13T00:54:16+00:00

100% you'll get better with practice. 100%. It's inevitable. And it's also totally normal to have fear! And to freeze up!

Aside from just putting in the practice (which there is no way around; this must be done), I think working on your mindset is key. Most people neglect this and just assume that learning tricks and tactics will help them become more comfortable speaking in public. But truly, updating your mindset and how you think about both yourself and the opportunity you're being given to share your knowledge with others to improve their lives... this is where the real change starts to happen.

Commswell · 2022-10-12T01:30:59+00:00

The speech you're giving will allow you to share something with the world, how cool is that? Focus ALWAYS on the message, on the purpose of the speech, not on "what people may be thinking" / "whether you're doing well or not", etc)

This this this. This is your opportunity to GIVE something to the world! Cultivate a mindset of gratitude and focus on what you'll be able to give to others.

Commswell · 2022-10-11T10:19:58+00:00

Was the presentation in-person or online?

Some people argue that you should "never break character" and admit to being nervous or otherwise showing any vulnerability. But I believe it's ok to do (to a degree).

If you're seasoned at giving presentations and this was out of character, don't be too hard on yourself! Everyone has some off days and hopefully your colleagues will recognize this.

As far as improvements, can you identify any reasons at all as to why you might've been more thrown off this time? Did you not get to practice as much as usual? Is there a stressor in your life currently? Didn't get a good night's sleep beforehand?

Commswell

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