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2022

Public Speaking For Introverts

So many introverts are sitting behind our computers lurking and hiding behind the scenes. Unfortunately, some of us are losing our ability to socialize and interact with people in real life that we are not only becoming introverts, our social skills are breaking down.

When I was at the recent Affiliate Summit Conference, someone asked me if I had the nerve to get up in speak and I quickly thought to myself, "No freaking way!" But then my "other" voice came in and said, "Why not?"

Of course what immediately jumped out at me was the fear and terror of getting up on stage. I don't want to look like a fool up there and be ridiculed or looked down upon by my peers. When I took some time to contemplate this, I realized how silly this was and it was then where I decided to jump head on into becoming a public speaker.

For years I had a crippling fear of public speaking. It was a long time before I became comfortable in front of large groups. I was so scared my hands would sweat and visibly shake. I would stutter and even feel nauseous before a speech.
In high school a teacher, knowing my fear, made me speak in front of the class on a regular basis, stating that I would "get used to it." I never did.

It wasn't until my third year in college did it get any better. A professor of poetry required us to read our work to the class for credit. If someone else read for you, they received half your credit. I quickly realized my A grade would drop sharing points and began reading them myself.

There were six ways I overcame my fear and actually became comfortable with public speaking:

1. Know Your Material - Reviewing and becoming familiar with your material is worth it's weight in gold. This allows you to focus more on your topic and your audience as opposed to your notes. In a recent article published on the professional speaker website Keynote Speakers, it says that knowing your material inside and out is the key to great speaking so that you don't sound like a scared robot on stage.
2. Highlighting your most important points will pull your eye to that part of the page. It will also help you remember that particular passage, just as it did when you highlighted notes before an exam.
3. Don't try to be funny right away. Ever notice when someone is trying to be funny it is almost painful? As you become more comfortable your natural sense of humor will make an appearance without a set up joke.
4. Plant someone in the audience who you know and are comfortable with. When I first began giving speeches regarding domestic violence, I had a co-worker/friend sit and listen while I spoke. This allowed me to have a friendly face to look at, someone who was rooting for me. Also, during the question and answer portion, many people are reluctant to ask the first question. My friend would break the ice by asking the first one.
5. A second is not an eternity. When you are in front of a crowd a second feels like an eternity. It's not. It's just a blip on the screen. According to the speaker website Motivational Speakers, if you ask a question, give people some time to formulate an answer. If anything, could to ten in your head before proceeding.
6. If possible discuss something you are passionate about. When I was a domestic violence counselor, it was very important to me for people to have a better understanding of dangerous relationships. My passion for education came through and made me a better speaker.
   

The truth is that if you are serious about speaking in public, it just requires a little practice and dedication to become good at it.

by jasonadamz on 2022-05-25 01:53:49