Fear of Public Speaking: How to Avoid Panic When Addressing a Live Audience

Talking to multitude is not an easy job. Panic and shivering accompany many first timers when asked to deliver a speech or a lecture to a live audience, with some going to the extent of stammering and vividly shivering. Though you might fear this embarrassment, evading it is a matter of self consciousness and confidence.

The fist time I was asked to speak publicly was when I attended a new church and every visitor was required to say hello to the congregation. A brief introduction was also necessary so that the church could know exactly who their visitor was. When it was my turn to speak, words could not come out, and after speaking to myself, I sat down.

Many years later I was asked to demonstrate to a group of ingathered students how a mathematical formula is derived during the school's math symposium. When I was out of the black board, both the board and my body were wet due to excessive sweating.

Public confidence is not easy. A lot of public appearance on my side was required so that I could master the art of speaking eloquently and without fear. After many years of learning, I have come to know that there are just three basic things one need to do in order to speak to large and live audience without fear.

One of the three things someone needs to do in order to evade this fear is to know the source of fear. Fear of this kind spring from being self conscious personal inadequacy. Imagine standing before a group of professionals to lecture them on the requirements of being a professional, when you know very well that you have no idea of being a professional. Or imagine being requested to deliver a lecture on e-governance because you a university graduate yet you cannot explain even a single jargon. These are some of the sources of fear but not all feelings of personal inadequacies are real. Sometimes a person just feels inadequate simply because he has not built in self confidence.

The second reason for fear of public speaking is lack of interest to do public speaking. My high school councilor told us that if you say you can't, you can't. This is even real when it comes to building the art of professional public speaking. There is a feeling in almost if not all of those who fear public appearance that it requires a talent to do that. Though there are people who are talented to speak eloquently in public than others, having a sound public presentation does not have to be a matter of talent and just developing interest in public speaking will be the requirement of desired public appearance.

Finally, I have come to realize that public speaking can ease by research on particular subject. Well, starting from the feeling of being above the rest in a particular subject, and that you have all the reasons in the world to share the information you have got, will be an added advantage to gain the confidence you require in order to have the public speaking ability.

Some few tips that someone who desires the art of public speaking and confidence for eloquence may include:

i. Starting from a small group. Group sharing is easy and builds confidence rather fast

ii. Looking for new information that you should share with those who you would like to know

iii. Talking in seclusion. When you want to share on something, whether a formal presentation or just personal presentation (informal), you should at least have a loud rehearsal that will engage you mind and vocals for a larger audience and,

iv. Pre-presentations especially for formal presentations like thesis defense or just a project proposal presentation will require a small audience for rehearsal in order to suggest areas of improvement before you appear before the panel.