What do people think about being asked to speak publicly? I’m a lawyer and do it all the time - don’t even notice if there’s anyone in court other than judge and counsel. But people keep saying to me that they can’t imagine doing it, would be so scared they couldn’t talk, etc.
I’m puzzled by this reaction - I find it fun. Getting into a debate with the judge and opposing counsel is my idea of a good time. I’ve also taught classes at university, given upgrade classes to public servants, and so on. Can’t really remember a time when I was scared.
I get scared because I have a severe lack of self confidence. I’m not a take charge kinda guy. I do, however, admire those that can get up in front of people and speak their minds. I just can’t get up the courage to do it myself.
My WAG…that when you stand up in front of a large group of people, everything is open for critique by strangers. Your voice, mannerisms, looks, ideas…I suppose that is intimidating.
I have taught a couple of classes, & don’t mind speaking up in public. I do get a little nervous sometimes if there are a lot of people I don’t know, though. Once the ice is broken, I think it’s fun!
If you’d rather be dead than be speaking publicly, that means that you’d rather be inside the casket at a funeral, than have to do the uelogy. Funny ehh?
[sup]props to a Mr Seinfeld on that one ;)[/sup]
It depends on whether or not I know what I’m talking about. If I’m familiar with the content, I could do it naked, standing on my head, pedaling a unicycle, doesn’t matter. No stage fright at all.
If it’s something I’m not familiar with (here, slortar, give a lecture on nuclear physics…), then I’m absolutely terrified.
Well, I have heard that public speaking is #1 in the list of common fears. I don’t have it – the bigger the audience, the better. If I know the subject, great, but if I were suddenly called to give a speech with five minutes prep time, I’d manage. (I’ve learned that there’s no point in my writing out a speech – I just do a page of notes for each half hour I plan to talk and take it from there).
But most people want to avoid speaking in public. They’re afraid they’re going to make some sort of mistake and embarass themselves. I’m sure the image of a group of people howling with derisive laughter is part of it. (In reality, audiences tend to either not notice mistakes, or just ignore them).
This shows up in surprising ways. Anyone remember the time Clint Eastwood had to introduce the Academy Awards? He was Vice President and the President (Gregory Peck) was delayed in a car accident. He was terrified.
I’ve done quite a bit of it - from pitching proposals and speaking in front of community leaders, elected officials and the like, to speaking in front of groups at either the local college or local jail. Topics have ranged from my speciality (general field of community corrections, including job seeking for exoffenders) to speaking to education classes about working cooperatively with parents.
I enjoy it. rarely use notes. In the pitching proposals gig, I was the only one in general who didn’t read from 3X5 cards. They never slept through my presentations…
In high school, I skipped a couple of major projects because they would have required a presentation in front of the class. I still never ask questions in class, even when I’m completely confused (often) because I don’t want to speak up in front of others. The thought of having to get a job interacting with people scares the hell out of me.
I haven’t done it in a while, but I have to at least have some preparation. Off the cuff public speaking still makes me nervous.
At my school, we had to do speeches in front of the class every year as part of the preliminary rounds of the school speech competition. At first, I was so nervous I was almost hyperventilating. I still recognise the way that I felt in other folk when they’re unprepared and in a public speaking situation.
But after a few years of it, I got used to it, especially when I started winning rounds of the competition and had to do more speech-making and -reading during subsequent rounds. And one year I actually won the cup. The year after that (I wasn’t eligible after that) I hosted the finals, and told dumb jokes nobody understood.
After I left school I started acting in a small repertory theatre, and that also was similarly nerve-wracking - i.e. not nervewracking I mean, as I was already used to public speaking. I only froze on stage twice during 7 years of acting, which is an impressive record, and the nerves came after the freeze, not before.
What others have said hits the nail on the head - they feel exposed and on trial when they are speaking, they can’t handle the scrutinisation from so many people. You just need to overcome this fear, which takes either supreme confidence, or just practice and acceptance of the fact that really, nobody cares if you fuck it up, they just want to hear what you’re saying.
In High School and College I was nervous during speeches. More so right at the beginning of the class. As I made more speeches I got less nervous.
Several years ago I attended the “Executive Speaking Experience” which is a really intense training course. Your seat isn’t even warm before you are up in front of the class giving your first talk with a video camera rolling. The first required talk was not your typical “Hi my name is and I do this” type speech. The first one was an informative speech that you had about ten minutes to compose. I did mine on the difference between icing and offsides in hockey. What a disaster. On the tape the instructor kept pointing out how I looked like I was trying to jump out of my shoes.
In three days we did something like 15 speeches all video taped and then reviewed by the instructor and the entire class. It was kinda like boot camp for speaking. After this I no longer have any real fear of public speaking. If I really own the speech material I actually enjoy it.
Even the most shy person in the group was more confident after the class and I mean confident as a person not just a speaker. So for you shrinking violets out there I highly recommend an intense public speaking class. If it doesn’t drive you to jump out a window you will emerge more confidant.
nahh public speaking has never bothered me…in fact I like being the centre of attention…holding peoples attention with your words and voice. I guess its because I have done a fair bit of acting and I am comfortable in front of a group. Now singing in public is a whole 'nother ball game…if I stand up to sing nothing escapes my lips but a faint “weee”…
Not a problem for me. I was shoved out on stage at the tender age of 6 to do my first public speaking–the prologue to our class play. Since then, it’s been a non-issue for me. I got a little nervous a couple of times when I was doing dramatic monologues on stage, but that was more fear of forgetting part of the monologue than fear of ridicule. (I’d gotten plenty of ridicule in my life for other things and was not afraid of more for this.)
However, the captain of the cheerleading squad in my highschool would take a “0” rather than give an oral book report…go figure…
Fear of embarassment is definitely what makes public speaking uncomfortable for me. I can grit my teeth and do it, but I doubt I’ll ever enjoy it. The feeling of intense scrutiny with a large number of people clearly listening to you magnifies your awareness of every mistake. Great if you’ve got your stuff down and don’t make any mistakes, not so great if you do.
For example, I’ve been speaking to a group, doing fine and then realized my posture’s sort of stiff, which kicks in a negative feedback cycle where my shoulders tense incredibly and it’s like I’m wearing a neckbrace, I can’t even turn my head!
So whenever I speak to a group there’s always the nagging realization that a similar reaction might be triggered, which is why I don’t enjoy public speaking (I’m not scared, just wary, heh).
Ahh, public speaking – people forced to listen to me. Heaven! I love public speaking, even joined Toastmasters just so I could do the speeches.
Sick, I know. I listen to ‘Selected Shorts’, on NPR, and I’m jealous of the readers. I want to be the guy reading that great story to thousands!
I read to my family, and not just for holidays. Right now (no, not right this instant) I’m reading ‘Penrod’, by Booth Tarkington to Mrs. Danalan & Davidgary. Maybe I just love the sound of my voice, but I think it’s the appreciation of the audience. When you read a poignant passage and they sigh, or relate a humorous anecdote and they laugh, well, it’s so encouraging.
BTW, if you fear public speaking, that’s what Toastmasters is really for – I was shocked (and so were they) when I found out it was mainly a club for people who were terrible at or terrified of public speaking, yet had to (speak publicly) in their job, or wanted to overcome their fear. I recommend it heartily. They are constructively critical in a structured environment, and supportive.
I have some training materials from my last job. One of the flipcharts listed people’s fears. Public speaking was number one, death was seventh. I guess as usual, Dilbert got it right.
I hated any sort of public speaking at school, but put me on a stage where I was doing a play, and I was in 7th heaven. I suppose the difference is that when acting, your pretending to be someone else and that dosen’t seem as hard as standing up in front of people being yourself. I also think it has alot to do with confidence in yourself as a person.
Nearly a dozen years ago, when I was a shiney new Ph.D, I was hired on a Friday to teach a statistics class that began on the following Monday. In that hot, stuffy classroom, after explaining what we would be covering and the grading scale, I decided to take roll to make sure that the 80 bodies that stared at me were supposed to be there. Realization of what I was getting myself in as well as an explosive case of flop sweat set in. A bead of sweat the size of Rhode Island slowly, itchngly made its way down the middle of my face and fell off the tip of my nose. The front row snickered.
:rolleyes:
At least I didn’t have an explosive case of gas. And by the second week, I was a lot more confident and ended up having a blast teaching the class.
Still, it took me a few years and many presentations before my peers at national meetings to get comfortable giving talks. Having to do several in a short period of time really helped. I sometimes still get a little nervous, but that disappears after the first few sentences. I want my audience to hear the story I’m going to tell.
I’ve never had a problem with public speaking. I do it pretty much on a daily basis. In a few cases, I’ve had to do it under extreme circumstances and even then the speaking part wasn’t a problem.
In one of the Flashman novels, the hero, a self-professed coward and battle veteran, had to play in an important cricket match. He realized he was even more frightened of this than he was of going into combat. After a minute of reflection, he decided this was because he was certain to survive the cricket match, so he’d have to face any possible consequences if he screwed up.
