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#325068 - 03/02/05 10:44 PM Public Speaking
bankguy Offline
100 Club
bankguy
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 174
Faber College
Do you fear public speaking?
In general, do you fear public speaking?
single choice


Votes accepted starting: 03/02/05 10:43 PM
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#325069 - 03/02/05 11:09 PM Re: Public Speaking
bankguy Offline
100 Club
bankguy
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 174
Faber College
At what attendence level do you begin to fear public speaking?
At what audience level do you begin to fear public speaking?
single choice


Votes accepted starting: 03/02/05 11:06 PM
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#325070 - 03/02/05 11:15 PM Re: Public Speaking
Anonymous
Unregistered

I've never been afraid because for the most part it's been small groups or people that I somewhat know. But my niece has asked me to speak at her June wedding. I said ok, then the other day I asked her how many people and almost fainted when she said 250, I didn't know she knew that many (all her grandparents are dead as are most of the great aunts and uncles). She only has me and 2 uncles. She only has 4 cousin of which only 1 is married. Where did these people come from? Now I'm getting very nervous. Hope the wedding is later in the day so I have a drink to calm down!!!!!!!

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#325071 - 03/03/05 03:15 AM Re: Public Speaking
Anonymous
Unregistered

Quote:

At what attendence level do you begin to fear public speaking?




Oops, you left off the 501 to 999 level.

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#325072 - 03/03/05 04:58 AM Re: Public Speaking
Anonymous
Unregistered

Quote:

Quote:

At what attendence level do you begin to fear public speaking?




Oops, you left off the 501 to 999 level.




Oops, oops! You mean the 101 to 499 level.

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#325073 - 03/03/05 01:39 PM Re: Public Speaking
Darkwater Offline
New Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
I know the problem: You might think, other people will be laughing at you, or doesn't take you for full, or run away screaming while you begin to talk, or hate you the rest of your life for being addicted to sit in your audience. Then your mind, your body and your voice sends the vias of your doubts to the people in the crowd. They will catch it up. Then they will start thinking the way you fear. Because of that you get more nervous, etc...

It is like a chain reaction. The only way is to KNOW that you won't bother them in any way. Without having trust in your own skills, it is not possible to reflect your confidence to other people, no matter how many they would be.

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#325074 - 03/03/05 02:15 PM Re: Public Speaking
E.E.G.B Offline
Power Poster
E.E.G.B
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 6,726
the sandy shore
I discovered that once you get over about 300 people, it all just becomes a big blur and it's not quite as scary. But the small groups still make me nervous.
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#325075 - 03/03/05 02:33 PM Re: Public Speaking
Cat Woman Offline
Diamond Poster
Cat Woman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,342
New England
I'm petrified of it. My biggest fear is that everyone is going to think I'm stupid - no matter how prepared I am. My neck breaks out into hives. Usually when I have to give a presentation of any kind, I have to wear a turtleneck!

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#325076 - 03/03/05 02:35 PM Re: Public Speaking
Anonymous
Unregistered

Speaking about something you know and are intimately familiar with gives you the license and authority. You have earned the right to convey the information to others. The rest is all in your personal style and in properly preparing the sequence, cadence, and delivery of the material. Soon, you can't wait to give the next discussion!

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#325077 - 03/03/05 02:46 PM Re: Public Speaking
Zamboni Driver Offline
Platinum Poster
Zamboni Driver
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 776
Going round and round
I have to agree with EGB - small groups make me nervous, but larger groups become a thing, not a group of people. The only thing that really makes me nervous is a group of 10 people or less.
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#325078 - 03/03/05 02:49 PM Re: Public Speaking
beaten blind Offline
Gold Star
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 473
the Bat Cave
Sure, I get butterflies, but I love training, lecturing, speaking in public in general. That's actually where I feel most comfortable. Maybe I should have been a teacher??? Anyway, I approach speaking in public the same way I would a spider - it is probably more afraid of me that I am of it! Most of the people in the audience wouldn't dare speak in public, so who are they to complain about me? Besides, they got dressed the same way I did that morning - one leg at a time!!!

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#325079 - 03/03/05 02:56 PM Re: Public Speaking
HappyGilmore Offline
10K Club
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,844
Pulling people out of the ditc...
I've spoken in a group as large as 700, and have no issues. Only time I ever had a problem was when I was doing the eulogy for my father-in-law, but that was not related to fear.
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#325080 - 03/03/05 03:48 PM Re: Public Speaking
Princess Leia Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,975
Alderaan
I was a shy little girl (yeah, no one can believe it that knows me) so my dad thought he'd cure that and made me be on the speech team in high school. At the time he wasn't on my "Most Popular" list, but what a gift he gave me. I now enjoy public speaking.

Couple tricks I learned then:

1) When you make eye contact, look over the tops of everyone's heads - everyone will think you are looking at the person behind them. I still sometimes lose my concentration if I look directly at someone - I start to wonder what they're thinking.

2) When you first come on, go out, what ever. . . imagine the audience sitting in their underwear. It usually makes me smile (one time I laughed) and you'll realize they look sillier than you do!

3) Practice in front of a mirror. It simulates an audience - again I don't look myself in the eye or I'll get distracted.

4) Practice with a pencil in your teeth longways - that way you'll enunciate and have to slow down.

5) I always take a huge deep breath before I begin. Helps my heart rate drop and slows down my breathing.
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#325081 - 03/03/05 04:47 PM Re: Public Speaking
Bones Offline
Power Poster
Bones
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,020
Land of Enchantment
I hate public speaking!!! I have always been a very quiet person and tend to keep to myself a lot. Because of my position at my last job, I had to speak in front of groups quite often, whether it was trainings or meetings etc. I had to totally psych myself out before the get together in order to get myself through it. It's not like I didn't know the people personally, it was just having to stand up in front of everyone and speak that freaked (and still does) me out. I usually did well, but it never got any easier for me.

I haven't had to do it at my current job, Thank God!
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#325082 - 03/03/05 04:55 PM Re: Public Speaking
thomasj Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,063
Pennsylvania
When I was a child, I was painfully shy. When I was about 13 I became involved in DeMolay (for those who do not know it is a fraternal youth organization sponsored by the Masons) which really promoted memorization and presentation of speaches. While my first few presentations were terrifying, eventually I became comfortable speaking in front of large groups of people. I think that the experience I gained then has really helped me with presentations and training today.
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#325083 - 03/03/05 05:02 PM Re: Public Speaking
GreatBlue Offline
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GreatBlue
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,362
Colorado
Quote:

4) Practice with a pencil in your teeth longways - that way you'll enunciate and have to slow down.




I'm glad you specified "longways"!! Picturing the alternative cracked me up!
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#325084 - 03/03/05 05:21 PM Re: Public Speaking
Princess Leia Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,975
Alderaan
Quote:

Quote:

4) Practice with a pencil in your teeth longways - that way you'll enunciate and have to slow down.




I'm glad you specified "longways"!! Picturing the alternative cracked me up!




I caught it when I previewed it. I figured I'd get some funny responses if I didn't change it
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#325085 - 03/03/05 06:29 PM Re: Public Speaking
Beagles22 Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,626
State of confusion
What about 101 to 499 people?
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#325086 - 03/03/05 07:00 PM Re: Public Speaking
E.E.G.B Offline
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E.E.G.B
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 6,726
the sandy shore
Anyone think speaking to strangers is easier than speaking to people you know?
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#325087 - 03/03/05 07:12 PM Re: Public Speaking
KAT Offline
Platinum Poster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 986
Massachusetts
It is much easier speaking to strangers. If they have any complaints you never wonder if it was personal or if it would carry over into work

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#325088 - 03/03/05 07:30 PM Re: Public Speaking
Princess Leia Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,975
Alderaan
I agree - strangers are much easier!
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#325089 - 03/03/05 08:24 PM Re: Public Speaking
corkygirl Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4,241
middle of the country
Actually, public speaking doesn't bother me much at all, strangers or people I know. I do better in small groups because I do better with immediate feedback from the audience. But then, my family always said I have "the gift of gabbing", my hubbie has always said I can talk a leg off!! And I will talk to almost anyone anywhere!! I do love doing taining session, must be the teacher in me, I was going to be a teacher before my first was born and changed almost everything.
Every once in a while I think maybe I should try to change that part of me, I probably tell people too much, but then I decide thats just me and not necessarily a bad thing.
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#325090 - 03/04/05 07:34 PM Re: Public Speaking
EllenA Offline
Platinum Poster
EllenA
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 598
Flushing, NY
I agree, strangers are easier. I lecture at my church often, and I am never nervous. I can do it without any warning ( go to church and get asked on the spot). However, my best friends daughter asked me to lecture at her wedding. I was shocked and saddened at how nervous I was at the rehearsal (all friends and family) you could even hear it in my voice. Fortunately, at the ceremony itself, the church was pretty full, so the "stranger" rule applied and I sounded OK.
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#325091 - 03/04/05 10:34 PM Re: Public Speaking
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
I don't tend to get nervous, in front of 10 or 1,000. I think the smaller groups are easier. More interaction, which makes for an easier flow (if you can controll it).

I prepare well, and in the old days, I used to tape myself (a very good technique to controll your speed and enunciation...as well as those ummmm and ahhhh's that drive me CRAZY to listen to). I've alwways thought as long as I know my subject, it's not a big deal. If I didn't know what I was talking about, I wouldn't be at the podium.

The only time that I get nervous...and It's not even nervous, it's more of a voice controll thing, is when I'm peeved as heckfire. You know I'm ready to bury a hatchet in your back right about the time my voice wabbles. I may sound whimpy, but what I really am is MAD! That's more of a board room problem than a public speaking issue. (I sit on several boards and many have some real idiots on them!)

I don't prepare speaches very often. I often have a powerpoint guide, but never more than a guide. I put a great deal of information on the powerpoint for the audience to take home, but NEVER read directly from it (I hate that in a speaker). But again, that depends on the audience. I'm better shooting from the cuff, but I like to practice even that The one thing I always do is frame out what I want to say (just a few bullet points) and then practice saying it without an audience so I know my timing will be ok. There's nothing worse than a speaker who goes 20 mins longer than they're supposed to! It makes the following speaker have to rush, which just isn't fair
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#325092 - 03/04/05 10:41 PM Re: Public Speaking
litmachog Offline
Member
litmachog
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 83
Arkansas
I actually enjoy public speaking. I grew up in a Forensics department at a school that at that time was the best school in forensics in a three state area (always won the big tournaments) and learned from one of the best then. Since then I've done plenty of training with various size groups, did some substitute preaching, and other speaking. Now don't ask me to get up and sing in front of people. My wife is the singer in the family but I've had to do it a couple times and felt like I was going to pass out.
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