How to Avoid the Common Pitfalls and Traps of Public Speaking

It is one of the oldest pieces of advice in public speaking: If you are nervous, picture the audience naked. And that is the worst advice you can get if you are nervous! Have you ever tried it? I know one man who thought about it so long he had to leave the stage for other reasons. I know a young lady who received the advice, took it to heart, and wound up laughing uncontrollably. Another young man got up to give his speech, pictured the audience naked, and completely forgot his topic.

The advice is given to comfort the speaker and reinforce the idea that the audience is just made up of people, not scary monsters out to get you. There are far better ways to comfort a speaker than to use the naked audience diversion.

If you are nervous before giving a speech, try deep breathing exercises. Place your hand on your diaphragm which is just below where your ribs meet. Breathe deeply and slowly in through the nose and out through the mouth. When you breathe in, your diaphragm should expand and should contract on exhalation. If it does not, you are probably breathing in your chest, which is too shallow.

Once out on stage, confidence is key...even if it is fake. Fake it till you feel it, is far better advice to take.

Making eye contact is important in speech-giving. So instead of a naked audience, which is quite uncomfortable and unnecessary, try instead to look at your audience members' foreheads. It gives the illusion of eye contact without actually having to make it.

Using a Water Glass

One technique untrained speakers like to use is the water glass. It may not even be out there for actual use, but for a comfort object to hold. I understand there are times a speaker does need a water glass but avoid it at all costs.

Here is the problem: water spillage. You may be a very coordinated person but when nervous or out of your comfort zone, you may tend towards clumsiness. Now, it may not sound like a big deal- hey, water dries, right? -but it can be distracting, awkward and potentially dangerous. Your audience is not there to watch you drink water. And the pause you take to drink and swallow can be longer than just a pause in conversing. Your audience is left hanging and watching you drink water which is a good clue that you are nervous. Then you spill water. Even if it is just a little bit, you still have to dab at it with a napkin or hanky. More time wasted. The dangerous part could be if it does not get cleaned up off the floor and you slip. It has happened to me. Live and learn- I spilled a small amount of water on the slick wood floor and in my nice smooth soled heels, I slipped. Embarrassing situation is a mild description.

So instead of bringing a water glass to the podium, try drinking only water prior to your speech. Avoid milk or carbonated sodas as the phlegm builds up more in your throat from those beverages. Stay hydrated before the speech and you will be fine. If you do have a problem with dry mouth/throat, take a glass half full of water, or better yet in a paper cup, with you. Practice your speech using the water beforehand. Figure out where you need to keep the water so it is handy without being distracting. And when you take a drink, sip it, do not gulp. Gulping tends cause coughing or hiccupping.

Practice Makes Perfect

Ah, the great lie. Practice never makes anything perfect if you are not doing it correctly. Practice makes permanent. I have had students practice and practice and practice speeches and then are shocked at a low grade. Perhaps if they had taken the time to research or learn correct pronunciations, it could have been better. Practicing a speech incorrectly is the same as if you keep playing a piano piece incorrectly. Practice breeds a habit- good or bad.

When practicing a speech, videotape yourself. Watch your mannerisms. Critique your own word choices. You will be amazed at how different your speech is from how you thought it went. If you cannot videotape, try rehearsing in front of a mirror or with a friend or family member.

Analyze your speech in three ways. First, look over the content of the speech. Is it researched and substantial? Is it on topic and clear? Second, review your body language and mannerisms. Do you have vocal clutter- clearing throat, repeating words, mumbling, saying "umm" too much? Does your body language reveal openness and confidence? Are you standing tall, do you play with your keys, do you lock your hands behind your back? Third, review your visual aids. Are you handling them with confidence? Are any of the transitions awkward? Do you block any of the views?

Once you have reviewed the speech, make the needed changes and then you are practicing for perfection...instead of permanence.