Public Speaking - A Greater Fear Than Death?

Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. Public speaking is definitely an important skill that everyone needs, especially in the work force because in just about every well-paid position, some form of public speaking is required whether it be presenting to the board of directors, giving a group sales presentation, speaking to a committee, or just a group of peers.

According to studies, public speaking is a bigger fear than death. Fear of public speaking is reported to be the number one fear of American adults, with many people experiencing tremendous suffering because of it. The fear of public speaking is the most common phobia that has ever been diagnosed and while this does not mean people would rather be dead than speak in public, as some authors would like you to believe, it does illustrate why communication of ideas through public speaking is often avoided by professionals. Yet quite simply, one of the most powerful sources of confidence in your public speaking ability is knowing that you are prepared.

Mastering the art of public speaking may not make you world famous, but it will most certainly help you to succeed in anything you do. So let's jump right into my quick guide to public speaking. Your first step in preparing a speech is to understand the nature of the people you' will be speaking to.
Choosing your audience is almost as important as choosing your topic when you are speaking in public. You can distract yourself by paying attention to the environment in which you're speaking and seeing how you can make it work for you. So to help you gain more confidence when speaking in public, think of ways to engage your audience.

You can learn to enjoy public speaking and become far more effective at standing in front of a group of people and delivering a potent message especially if you distract yourself by paying attention to the environment in which you're speaking and seeing how you can make it work for you. By all means make use of your hands when speaking, but be sure to avoid problem gestures, such as pointing.

Knowing your material well will allow you to present your speech in a way that best keeps the listener's attention while allowing you to make changes based on the response of the listeners. The better you know the material the more confident you will be when presenting and the better the flow of the speech will sound. If you plan your speech and rehearse your presentation, you may still be nervous but at least people will listen.

Your speech will be most effective if you plan your opening and closing statements and key transitions down to the last word. Organise your speech logically with a beginning, middle, and end. Pay particular attention to the beginning and end of your speech, since these will be what the audience remembers most. Practice your speech carefully as many times as you need to until you feel the presentation flows and becomes natural sounding; you feel comfortable working without your notes, and you can complete the speech in the assigned amount of time.

Public speaking is not an art; it is skill that can be learned. It is an important element of effective communication that can be beneficial in so many ways. One of the most powerful tools in public speaking is to be believable; and that comes from your knowledge and enthusiasm for the material. When you understand that you need no longer fear public speaking or wish you were dead!