The hit TV series, "Fear Factor," has nothing on giving a speech. In fact, according to The Book of Lists, standing up in front of an audience and giving a speech can be the most fearful experience a person can have in life. But it doesn't have to be that way. With this 10-step guide, you can confidently give a speech anywhere, anytime.
You’re assigned to give a speech to a group in your church. It’s two weeks off but already you’re starting to feel nervous. You can’t get the upcoming situation out of your mind. The anxiety mounts as the big day approaches. Maybe you should just say you can’t do it. And at the last minute how about just saying you’re too sick? You spend a great deal of time and dutifully write down what you plan to talk about, word for word. And you rehearse and rehearse, thinking it will alleviate your worries. But it doesn’t. Your family and close friends tell you everything will be fine. But you know it may not be OK. And as each day passes you become even more anxious. You picture the hall again and again and being introduced and walking up to the podium – all eyes on you. Then the inevitable “what ifs” start. What if I get so scared I faint? What if my knees shake so much that everyone sees it? What if my voice starts trembling and I can’t talk? What if I forget everything? The list is almost endless. You can’t sleep the night before your speech. And as you get ready your heart is already pounding. You think, “Oh God, what am I going to do?”
Does any of this sound familiar? Why is this particular fear so acute and so unfounded? The primary reason is that you, as a speaker, don’t want to be embarrassed – especially in front of people you know. And ever afterwards perhaps people will remember how badly you failed. It is a stigma that no one wants to carry around like heavy, depressing baggage. The fear of speaking to even a small group, say at work, can be much worse than if you were speaking to a large crowd at an event where no one really knew you. So, it is no solace if only a relatively few people will hear you.
Your author knows first hand about being frightened at the prospect of public speaking. But I got help. For two years, I took a professional speech class and gave a speech every week. With the instructor’s expert training I am able to pass on these “fear-less” secrets to you. Oh, and what were my results you may ask? Well, I wound up heading an industry speakers bureau, gave at least 50 speeches a year for the next ten year, became a motivational speaker, TV show host, DJ, and years later at that same industry convention I gave a long and humorous introduction for one of the country’s top celebrities.
Here are my 10 “fear-less” speaking secrets:
Don’t Write It Down. One of the pressures of giving a speech is thinking that you have to write it word for word and rehearse it that way. Only very formal speeches such as the State of the Union address have to be prepared in this fashion. The vast majority don’t. For one thing it usually makes the speech stilted and boring. Jokes or humorous stories, if they are included at all, come across awkwardly. The speech isn’t conversational and the audience feels a distance from the speaker and the message. And having to read something word for word greatly increases the chance of stumbling and stammering.
Think “Word Pictures.” Instead of words, think of what is known as “word pictures.” How would you describe a trip to Disneyland, for example? Can you picture Main Street in your mind? How would you tell someone about it? Let’s say you were giving a speech about theme parks and instead of writing a word-for-word description of Disneyland, you simply wrote the words, “ Disneyland / Main Street / Stores / Parades / Fire truck ride / Mickey,” your description would be conversational and more interesting. A word pictures speech is usually a few brief words or sentences on a page that can be written in a few minutes, instead of the hours involved in a totally written speech. In rehearsing the speech you may not give it exactly the same each time but who cares as long as the message is communicated.
The 3-Part Speech. An effective speech is usually written in three parts, i.e. the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. In the introduction you want to acknowledge the group to whom you are speaking, perhaps say something humorous to break the ice, and briefly tell the audience what you are going to talk about. In the body (which is the longest part) you give the pertinent details. And in the conclusion, you briefly summarize the key points, thank the audience, and sit down. You would be surprised how many speakers don’t know how to conclude their remarks so as a result the audience is left hanging. When organizing your speech, simply start listing the items you wish to mention, in any particular order. Then you can later arrange things in their final order. The most important thing is at first to get things down on paper.
Capture The Atmosphere. An effective way to get into a speech in a casual, friendly way is to include something that has just happened. It immediately involves the audience. For example, if you are speaking to an service organization such as Kiwanis, or the Lions, there will be some club business ahead of your speech. Pay attention. Maybe someone has been given an award. In your introduction, you might say, “It is so nice to be here with you today. Before I get into my remarks I wanted to also recognize John Smith for his attendance award. It’s great to see such a commitment to your mission and to that of this community.” Without saying another word, you already have the audience engaged because you’ve paid attention and made them feel special.
Using Humor. Now this isn’t easy. And it takes practice. First of all, it is better to tell a humorous story than a joke. It seems more natural and you will eventually find you can weave it into your speech. It helps to smile because it is a signal to the audience that it is OK to laugh. Also, humor doesn’t have to elicit huge guffaws. Just getting a chuckle warms up the audience. And not everything goes over well. I always kept a couple of blank index cards with me and if something didn’t work out I would often toss the card over my shoulder saying, “well I see that one didn’t work.” Guess what - it got laughs.
Look At The Audience. Nothing is more of a disconnect that having a speaker not look at the audience. It might be a little disconcerting at first but when you look at people in the eye you’re involving them and they know it. Look at people in different parts of the room. And if you’re at a head table be sure to turn and took to your right or left of where you are. It is also important to not fidget. And, don’t keep sticking your hands in your pocket. This is distracting and is a sign of nervousness.
Use Distractions. If you are especially uncomfortable at the beginning of your speech it might be a good idea to ask questions of the audience. It can be anything. It gets someone else to respond and takes the eyes off of you. Many speakers use this technique to give them time to relax a little more. Also, if it works in your remarks use a chart, slides, etc. It takes the attention off of you.
Speak Up. Be sure you are heard. Using a strong voice gives you confidence. Strangely it alleviates fear much more than speaking softly and mumbling, hoping the audience won’t hear your mistakes and fear.
Rehearse But Don’t Memorize. It is of course important to rehearse your speech. Not so much to memorize it but to make sure things are in the order they should be, and then making sure your speech is tailored to the time allotted. Plan on using a little more material than you think you’ll use. If you see yourself running short on time, simply eliminate what you don’t need. Keep in mind that if you are somewhat nervous you will talk a little faster than normal.
Where To Start. There is a relatively safe place to start speaking in public. Service clubs such as Kiwanis, Lions, Optimists, etc. are always looking for speakers from all kinds of areas. The speeches are usually no more than 15 minutes and it is doubtful you will personally know anyone in the group. So even if you don’t do well, the members will quickly forget and you will too. Also, many of these clubs are quite small – no more than 15 to 25 people. It generally is a relaxing atmosphere. You can also join Toastmasters or some other speaking organization. They are very supportive and many started out being terrified at the prospect of giving a speech.
Remember, the greatest fear in life can turn into the one of your greatest accomplishments. Speaking in public doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience. It can actually turn out to be fun. Eventually you will look forward to giving a speech…and you will be “fear-less"!