Combating Nervousness During Public Speaking
As far as public speaking is concerned, nervousness comes automatically. For a speaker to be successful, it is his job to retain his nerves and make sure that it does not come in the way of delivering a speech that is not only interesting but one that meets its desired objectives. Ways to overcome this delimiting factor exist some of which have been explained as under:
a) Be prepared for the Event: It is always better to be prepared for the speech before actually going on stage. Being prepared does not mean knowing the script by heart. What it really means is that the speaker should have knowledge of what he would be speaking about soon. If he knows about them, he would be able to give a faultless speech without even referring to the script. Factually, it is this that is the secret of all who have made it high in the league of public speakers.
Further, knowing about the subject alone is also insufficient. The speaker needs to know the correct way of greeting people, introducing yourself and the topic and concluding it. Jolt down the important sections to discuss during the event on a postcard which can be carried along. Facts and figures to prove valid points are always welcome as they have the capability to make even those who disagree think again. If these are known, all insecurities arising from low confidence will automatically vanish.
b) Practice: Public speaking is an art which cannot be mastered overnight. It needs constant practice and rehearsals seem to be the best way to do that. Stand in front of the bedroom mirror and give the presentation to yourself; a major number of errors would get rectified automatically. This can also be done in front of the spouse or friends who would then be able to give valuable feedback on the areas that need improvement. Small things such as maintaining eye contact with the audience, staying at one place, avoiding the usage of filler words such as "you know" and "hmmm" can greatly help an individual improve.
c) Pay Attention to Body Requirements: Different speakers have different bodily traits. For example, some experience dry throat quicker than the rest whereas others have problems standing for longer durations. Never do the mistake of taking these for granted as it might backfire anytime. It is best to either consume some water or eat a fruit before going on stage.
d) Gestures: Gestures play a huge role in making any public speaking event a success. A confident speaker would always be found making hand and facial gestures while speaking. However, there is nothing wrong in keeping the hands at both sides too. Many a times, gestures come naturally and one should not make a conscious effort to restrict them.
While these are things that need to be brought about in oneself, it would be stupid for anyone not to include the audience. The fact that they are sitting as audience is enough to state that they are interested in what the speaker has to say. However, it is his duty to make sure that he speaks to them and not at them.
