It’s hard to say that I have no fear at all, but my feelings toward public speaking are the same as any test of my skills or abilities comes up. There’s some anxiety about the outcome, but I could be at bat in baseball, taking a math test, doing a difficult home improvement or researching a difficult tax issue. Public speaking doesn’t have its own level of fear.
Part of what helps me is to focus on speaking like I’m there with an individual person. I’m just out there communicating information. Speaking to a crowd of 100 is only more difficult/scary than speaking to one person because I have to spread out eye contact throughout the crowd.
It also helps that I’m generally modeling myself after a teacher, not after a President (if that makes sense). A teacher in a classroom of students is doing public speaking, but it’s an entirely different style than when the President gives the State of the Union.
I’m fine with public speaking. The odd thing is, though, I’ll sometimes get very nervous (butterflies in stomach and everything) right after a presentation or performance.
Doesn’t bother me. I’m careful to make eye contact with people as I’m speaking, and any butterflies tend to go when I do that. Maybe because it reassures my brain that I’m just speaking to other humans.
I’m comfortable with large groups- moderated a very large panel the other day and made several off-the-cuff remarks that were, to quote the King (Yul Brynner), “so funny I had to laugh myself” and asked really great questions of the panelists. I got an ovation and lots of compliments and thanks from the writers on the panel.
Afterwards people came up to me one on one and I was nervous as a pregnant nun. When it comes to addressing strangers, I’ve always been much better with groups than with individuals.
I get the usual minor performance anxiety, but it goes away once I’m focused on the task at hand. If you appear comfortable and make a good joke or two you’re golden. Getting 'em laughing also dials 'em in. That’s the best time to make an important point.
As far as I can remember, it never bothered me at all. I did take a “Speech” class in high school, which was all about learning about how to compete in inter-school tournaments in such events as debate, extemporaneous speaking (you know the topic an hour before) and impromptu speaking (you don’t know the topic until you are due to start speaking). Also we did dramatic or comedic readings. I don’t remember needing to get acclimatized to speaking in front of people. I can be very shy one on one, but in front of a group I seem to be fine.
I’m envious of the people here who have no issues with it. It’s something I’m working on right now, it bothers me very much that it’s something I find so debilitating. Around a decade ago I had to do one at work that lead to me having a panic attack hyperventilating and passing out, slamming my head against the corner of a table splitting my head open.
Within the past year I’ve been slowly doing them again to small groups, but it’s really uncomfortable for me. Leading up to them I tend to worry about the event. Which I know I shouldn’t, and try not to because that’s part of the problem. I try to get rid of the negative dialogue in my head about it. I also know what I’m talking about, but when it’s time to perform is when I can freeze up some time and I get that 404 look in my face. All of that attention makes me uncomfortable.
When it’s obvious I’m uncomfortable, then some of them become uncomfortable. Then it turns into a shit-show in my head.
I’m going with: The hell with it, exposure therapy route. I have another one in two days for 20 people. I’m prepared for it material wise, rehearsed. But still anxious even though I shouldn’t be. Boss and colleagues are supportive thankfully.
I did a lot of theater in high school and college and as long as I was saying someone else’s words, I was fine. Later on, I started doing presentations and talks with my own words.
I am more comfortable if I have note cards or a PowerPoint as a security blanket, but I hardly ever need to actually use them.
I don’t have a huge fear of public speaking, but I really don’t like it and certainly get butterflies.
I guess I have a hard time getting past the whole “most people won’t notice your mistakes” thing. Because I do notice mistakes. I doubt that even 5% of engagements I listen to meet even a bare minimum standard for adequacy. Given that I have a hard time listening to State of the Union speeches (by any president, mind you), because I feel empathetic embarrassment at such obvious bullshit being spouted, what hope do I have? When I’m listening to speakers, I have a constant monologue going “no, that’s bullshit”, “that’s just factually wrong”, “you just repeated the same phrase like four times”, “you can’t even pronounce words correctly”, “how about you convey some information instead of repeating meaningless platitudes”, and so on.
So yes, this makes me very judgey of other speakers. I can’t help but to think that at least a few people in the audience are judging me the same way. Ironically, it’s people traditionally considered “bad” at public speaking that I consider the best–stutters, stammers, awkward silences, etc. don’t bother me in the slightest, and if they come about because the speaker put a few milliseconds of thought into what they were about to say, I consider it a big net win.
I enjoy public speaking, and performing in improv, readings, plays etc.
Worked as a university lecturer. Never use notes.
I think the fear of public speaking is very real for many people, though. It seems correlated with fear of being laughed at or challenged on ones views.
I don’t mind being laughed at, I don’t find it easy to feel embarrassment in general. But I know that for some people even positive attention is embarrassing and uncomfortable. Definitely glad the phobia/s I do have is/are much less debilitating.
Add me to the list of no problem with it. Which is really a good thing since it is my job. I have 25 years experience as a corporate trainer working for a variety of technology companies. Groups anywhere from 5 people to 5000. Once did a annual sales meeting where we had around 4300 people in the auditorium, and another 850 +/- in 11 countries watching on live streaming.
Not an issue for me. It’s part of my job. I don’t really remember ever being afraid of public speaking. And it’s fun! When I have a good crowd, and they laugh at the right times, listen attentively for the serious stuff, and are nodding their heads thoughtfully, it’s a hoot!
Making oral submissions to the court, especially a panel of judges so you don’t know where the next question will come from - it’s like a good game of tennis, only the exertion is mental - can I return that lob from that judge? Who’s going to jump in next? Have I made my point and can move on to the next one? Are they with me, agin me, or just asking questions?
It’s exhausting by the end but so are most challenging activities.
I’m OK with it. I’ve done it often enough that it doesn’t bother me. I hated it as a kid.
When I was in my early 30s I was asked to give a presentation at work in front of about 300 people. I came through it with flying colours and haven’t looked back.
My first audience. I took off my glasses, and began: “You’d be surprised how much easier it is to lie to people if you can’t see them.”
My first laugh.
Never looked back.
At a recent science fiction convention, the scheduled guest speaker didn’t show up (had to go home sick) and I found myself running one of his workshops. I plunged right in, and did the do. No preparation at all: I just faked it. I loved every microsecond of it – and the audience seemed happy.
For me it’s easier to speak in front of a thousand strangers than to a hundred friends or colleagues. And it’s easier when I have a prepared speech or presentation than to wing it.
