Hesitation, awkwardness, totally blank not able to think anything, hard to utter even a single word, that humiliation, and embarrassment, this is probably something which every second person would have suffered from, while trying to address the mob or sometimes even while speaking in front of a small group of just five people. Surely, the one who speaks confidently, leaves a footprint on everyone’s heart, maybe you also want to be the one. Don’t worry then you are at the right place, problems, and strategies to boost up self-confidence and ways to improve oratory skills are going to be discussed in the looming paragraphs.
- The Primary Issue regarding Public speaking:
- Gain the Art of public speaking:
- (1) Let’s embark on by looking at the fundamentals of building self-confidence and valor:
- (2) Pre-planning is necessary:
- (a) What is planning or preparation? What is the correct way to prepare?
- (3) Attributes of a Vigorous speech:
- Tell your audience about its profitableness in daily life:
- Try to quote real-life examples:
- Add on personal experiences:
- Humor:
- Shreds of evidence:
- (3) Most Paramount: SMILE
The Primary Issue regarding Public speaking:
The major problem that most of the people face while speaking in public is that they become self-conscious and think, that surely they will not be able to speak properly, and listeners will judge them only based upon what they said, to some extent this fear is valid because mocost of us judge people very often, by whatever they say. And this terror in the mind about public speaking ceases your lips and your brain seems to have stopped functioning. Don’t panic, this is all pretty normal, happens with almost everyone. Our emotions are controlled by a part called the amygdala. Whenever there is such a situation it triggers the release of the stress hormone, eventually, we feel that uneasiness.
Gain the Art of public speaking:
This tickling in your stomach before speaking in public is also imperative. If tackled positively this will gear you up to present yourself better, think clearly, and speak with confidence. Hence, helps in lifting your whole performance.
You may be surprised to know that even the most popular speakers of the time faced the same situation initially, that you must have also encountered at some point of time when asked to speak publicly.
(1) Let’s embark on by looking at the fundamentals of building self-confidence and valor:
(a) Firstly, to achieve any goal you need a strong desire to do that and will power, so same is the case here, begin with a strong yearn, have that feeling in yourself that you have to and you will then, feel that unexpected essence of audacity in yourself.
You also need to be very regular in whatever you are learning, if you will follow your aim like a predator behind the prey, then no superpower in this universe can stop you from attaining your target, just don’t take off your eyes from your target.
Thus, inculcate that excitement for self-study within you, think of the advantages of public speaking, think what it means to you socially and personally, for example: it will also help you to make more friends, apparently you will have powerful impact on the audience, and it will give you opportunities to become a leader, and a respectable position in the society, also it adds on to your overall personality. Think of the glare of that glory that you will accumulate after you have completed the hunt for this treasure of oratory skills. You will feel that joy and sense of gratification, delectation and an absolute impression of fulfillment. It gives you the power and takes you at another level, elevates you above your mates.
Public speaking is not that terrorizing as most of the people assume it to be, it merely means to orally communicate with the public or to address a group of people, not too hard. But it has to be so effective that the listeners are blown away along with the speaker’s thoughts and feel that real connectivity with the speaker.
(b) The second step, before speaking, is that you should have a clear image of what you are going to speak. Once, you are not confused about your speech and are well planned you eventually, feel more complacent.
Take two minutes before you go to stage or enter the room where you are going to speak and just speak the first sentence of your speech, to some extent this will help you to recall the content and therefore, you will feel more prepared and easy.
(c) The third step, Execution, and practice, As per me fear is just an illusion, a self-developed monster that does not let you do what you can. Practice helps you to abolish this terrible fear. Practice speaking in front of the mirror, then try to speak in your peer group and then notice the difference in you.
(d) Inevitably, not to forget the fourth step, I have personally experienced this, pose as if you are ready to win the battle of speaking and are very confident, appear to be confident even if you are not, by doing this you will gradually start feeling more comfortable and confident, also you will have a good impression on the audience as it will give a positive message to them and they will also feel more excited to listen to you.
If you are not able to cope up with this then, you can hold something firmly in your palm but make sure that it is not visible to your audience or if there is a chair or table nearby stand near it and hold it or if possible have some introduction, a kind of healthy communication with your audience so that both, the listener and the speaker feel comfortable or keep your hands in such a position that it does not deliver a negative message to your audience. (your audience should not know that you are nervous)
Most importantly note down what you are not supposed to do, do not keep shifting your body weight from one leg to the other, do not do over-exaggerate your actions, keep your hand gestures simple and adequate, and do not point out one single person in the audience, keep your eye movement throughout so that nobody feels excluded.
(e) The fifth step is self-motivation, motivate yourself, before delivering any speech say these five sentences to yourself, repeat these lines in your mind:
- “I am here for a reason.”
- “I have been selected for this task because I am capable enough to do this.”
- “I can do this.”
- “I will do this.”
- “Everything will end up with applause and praise, I will stand strong with pride.”
Now, go and try implementing what you have learned till now, before moving ahead. Think of any one topic, prepare it and try speaking it in front of your companions. For the time being forget about what others will think of you and focus on what you think about yourself and go ahead, believe me, the atmosphere of that horror will soon go away.
(2) Pre-planning is necessary:
Preparation is very important not only in public speaking but everywhere else also, it increases the chances of victory. You must have felt that sometimes unknowingly we are captivated towards the speaker, know why? the reason is, that we feel whatever the speaker has to present before us is real not reel, the ideas are really his own.
(a) What is planning or preparation? What is the correct way to prepare?
Initially, begin by being relaxed, both physically and mentally, as the calm mind has a high tendency to think better. Then try to eliminate the distractions in your vicinity, to ensure that your mind is not diverted while you are working on your topic. Moreover, preparation is a way to conquer your fear.
After that, the actual phase of your preparation will take off, understand the topic of your speech thoroughly before thinking or searching for the content, complete understanding of the subject will allow you to think productively. Thereafter, think what you feel about the subject, what are your views regarding the topic, do you agree or disagree or something else, then put yourself questions that why do you think so? If you do not have any idea about the subject and it is mandatory for you to search or read about it from somewhere, then go for it, understand, again think of your views or what you understood Do not try to cover too much in a short talk. Do not put forward the exact bookish language or simply the copied content of a book or any other source. Since, Preparation is not grabbing of few sentences, some paragraphs, error-less expressions and clauses, NO, more than this it is about assimilation, absorption, and digestion of the subject.
Try to include some evidence and examples, so that the point you are putting forward is strong enough to convince your audience. If possible write down some main points or keywords then establish links and form a clear layout which should be like introduction, your point of view, basic ideas or content including examples and evidence, and in the end, conclusion. (what other things need to be there in a strong speech will be discussed ahead) At last have a glance at everything. Speaking without preparation would be an imprudent approach just as entering in a battle without weapons.
Why should you prepare? For smooth conduct of your speech. Right!
But why not present the copied content from any source? Why to think and understand when it is so easy other way? Answer to this question is, that if this is not followed, then speakers will also not be eager to tell something, least interested and not at all enthusiastic, whole conduct would be quite flat and the same is the case with the audience they also feel disconnected. If the speaker has understood the subject and have his own ideas with him, then he will be excited and full of energy and with new thoughts in the head, then listeners can also feel that energy, those powerful vibes spread out and enlighten the entire locus with intense power, positivity, and curiosity to explore, subsequently, words also pop out of mouth like a volcanic eruption.
(b) Another thing to keep in mind while preparing is, Audience: Always consider your listeners, their age, how much knowledge they already have about the subject. this will enable you to filter the content and choose the appropriate lexical resources.
(3) Attributes of a Vigorous speech:
Tell your audience about its profitableness in daily life:
Most people are only interested in something if they feel that it has some importance or usefulness in their life. The best way to create their interest is, to tell that what you are going to talk about is beneficial for them.
Try to quote real-life examples:
Giving real-life examples related to the topic makes it easier for the listeners to co-relate it with their lives. Therefore, facilitates them to grasp better.
Add on personal experiences:
If you have any personal experiences related to the subject and they are worth telling then, never hesitate to include them in your talk. It makes your speech more interesting and also inspires the listeners.
Humor:
If your topic and the situation allow then definitely add on some anecdotes or something like that which is humorous, to ensure that your audience does not get bored and tired while the entire conduct.
Shreds of evidence:
Provide your audiences with the proof of your argument, to convince them and to make them think the way you are thinking. This will help them to easily digest what you are saying.
(3) Most Paramount: SMILE
Never forget to Smile. Start with a smile, continue with a smile and end with a smile. Just a smile has the tendency to transform the whole scenario from gloomy to cheerful.
The only way to vanish your fear of public speaking is to speak. Follow these simple steps, move ahead and stand strong with too many thoughts jumping in your mind just looking for an opportunity to hatch your silence and come out with grace.