DescentBB

Anyone ever have to deal with an absolutely irrational fear of public speaking? My career will involve a great deal of speaking to groups of people, and I'm wondering if anyone has succeeded in overcoming such a fear. No matter how confident I feel going into these things, I wind up trembling like a leaf in the wind and I lose the ability to "think on my feet." I really need the latter, since some members of my audiences will be hostile.

The first of many public talks begins tomorrow when I give my first presentation at our lab meeting. Even though it's a small, friendly group that I know very well, I'll probably panic (as usual). Constructive advice from anyone who has been able to deal with something similar would be GREATLY appreciated. "Imagine your audience is naked" is not something I consider constructive . . . especially if there happen to be hot female scientists in the audience and I get more than just a laser pointer in my pants

I did not have such an irrational fear, but I was *very* nervous whenever I had to give a talk. A few practical things that helped me:
- the most important thing: you have to be confident about what you want to say (the message). If you are not sure about your message, you *will* get nervous.
- remember that in a science setting the audience will not know as much about your topic than you do, even if they are workinig in the same field. You have to assume that they are a little bit dumb. So, keep your talk simple. If it is too complex, people won't get it. And if you see this in their faces, then you think you're doing a bad job, and you will get more nervous.
- because you know more about your topic than eveybody else, it is not very likely that they will come up with anything you have not thought about before. (this is even true for supervisors). So, you need not be afraid of questions.
- if questions are your weak point, prepare some slides for the questions you anticipate. They will help you along.
- have your powerpoint-slides very organized. have enough text on them that the slides can help you find your way if you get lost. This also helps if you don't get a point across in what you say. If every slide has a take-home message on them people will understand you anyway. (the downside is, of course, that you don't want your slides to be too cluttered --- so you can also use the 'notes' feature of powerpoint, or print them out beforehand).
- make sure your talk 'flows' correctly. Practice it several times until you feel confident, and you have ironed out all rough edges. Rough edges or things where you are not sure about the logic of the talk might make you lose your cue in the talk.

One note: over the course of your career you will completely botch some talks. It will be a horrid experience. But ... after you had a few of these worst case scenarios - and you accept them as what they are - you will be less nervous in your next talks. After all, the thing you were afraid of has already happened --- and you are stilll alive.

I have this same fear and I overcame it last semester. I was asked by my co-op teacher to talk to the 3rd semester co-op studetns about my job placement. Now, speaking in front of a class of people scares the bajebees out of me. My friend talked first and I was nervous like usual. Then after about 20 min it was my turn. I started off like usual, stuttering, cracking voice etc, then I realized "hey, I know what I'm talking about, there's nothing to be scared of" and that was it. I talked for 40 min and didn't even realize how fast the time went by.

Just remember that you know what you're talking about and you shoudl be fine. try focusing on 1 person at a time, talk to them for 1 min, then go on to another person on the other side of the room.

Also, for me, you have to treat it like it's not such a big deal. In my head I say, "Who the ★■◆● cares if they think I'm nervous. Who wouldn't be." The key is to know that they know its normal for people to be nervous onstage.

Talk show hosts like Letterman, Leno, Conan, etc. usually provide substantial alcoholic beverages to "loosen up the quest".

However, that probably wouldn't be a good idea as a career move.

Its hard at first maybe you will be rocky the first few but it gets easier as you go. If you can walk around a bit to show you are at ease. Don't cower behind a podium.

You are the one imparting the info so they will look to you. If you know your subject they will pick it up. As the one on "stage" you set the tone for the whole gig.

Start with something about you.

"Hi my name Hahnekam and this is what we are going to cover today" (Give them your reason for being up front here) "We are going to talk about BLAH my experience as pertains to this subject is this. I have delt with BLAH for 10 years and am a BLAH expert"

You have to get the people onboard with what you are going to cover. Then tell them what they will get out of it.

"Upon completion of this presintation you will know how to use and talk about BLAH"

If you know your subject matter and can talk about it you will be fine. If someone asks a question you do not know be honest and tell them you don't. But let them know you will take the time to find out and answer it later.


Back to basics though know what you are going to cover. Relax you as the speaker control what is going on. It gets more easy everytime you do it.

Good Luck!

like others have said, it gets easier as you get used to it. starting in a group you know well is the best way to start, so you're well set.

i don't know what the "imagine your audience naked" thing is all about, i find the best way is to imagine your audience INTERESTED in what you are talking about.

Don't read from your notes - your notes should be an outline that you refer to; you should be familiar with your subject matter so that you can talk about it comfortably. Try to relax, don't hide behind a podium or table, and don't cross your arms or put your hands in your pockets. Look into taking a speech class at your local community college.

I had issues with that also. I found that when I had to answer a question I kept my focus on that one person and not the whole room - I spoke to him as if we where alone and kept my eye's on him vrs the room. Because no matter what you say some will approve and some will not and you will see this throughout the room on everything you say, don't take in the rooms total responce just that person who asked the question and then move on.

I've never done public speaking before. Then, last year, I was catapulted onto the presentation team for BEST Robotics. This year, I'm on it again with my robotics team, and enjoying it. My advice: Know your subject matter very, very well, and simply talk to the audience like they're your best friend who's interested in what you're saying. Pick out an individual person in the audience, talk to him about the subject for a few minutes, and when you continue your topic, walk to the other side of the podium (or whatever, just A. loosen up by moving around a little and B. show the audience that you're not scared to a motionless pulp, even if you are, which is sometimes the case) and look at another person for a few minutes, talking while looking at him. Pick out individual faces and talk to those faces--don't look at the crowd as a whole. This both improves the quality of your presentation and your speaking ability--you'll feel a LOT more comfortable talking to that one person for a minute than you will talking to a "crowd".

I have never been nervous in front of an audience, but I found my quality of unprepared speech superior to prepared speech. Somehow, knowing beforehand what you have to say makes it harder to formulate properly, while if people just fire questions at you, it's a lot easier to answer them out of the blue. That's my experience anyway.

Wouldn't know how to help you keep your cool in that situation.

I started out my career with a horrible fear of public speaking. I did get over it and I have had many opportunities to proove so ... some with over 200 people including Generals and other higher-ups.

Two things helped me to overcome this:

First of all Know What You Are Talking About Inside and Out.

Second of all and probably the one thing that really helps me the most - Pick one or two people in the audience that you know or are familiar with and focus on speaking to them. Pretend that they are the only ones in the room and before long you will become comfortable with them and can begin to extend your gaze to others.

Good Luck!

If you dont want to be nervous, just get to know the material you are presenting really well. When you are confident about that, you will be confident in your speech. And at first you will be nervious but once you get started you will be ok.

Public speaking is the world's most common fear. More common than fear of spiders and snakes even.

Here's something for you: Don't be afraid of silence. The most effective public speakers I've ever heard utilise silence as a powerful tool. Don't talk fast, and don't feel you need to fill every second with your voice.

When you make an important statement, or point, let your audience have 2-3 seconds to think about it before starting another sentence. In that 2-3 seconds, take the time to marshal your thoughts for the next paragraph, and take a good lok at your audience, and make eye contact with a few people before continuing.

Be flexible: judge the mood of your audience, and when you prepare your speech, make sure you recognise sections which you can shorten on the fly, or miss all together.

Make sure you speak your speech during the editing process. Spoken words are far more powerful than written ones, and you often find what you wrote does not sound right when spoken aloud.

Good luck.

Thank you to everyone for your help! Lots of very sound advice. I only had a chance to skim all of your tips before my presentation today (couldn't connect to the DBB after my post last night).

I knew the material very well, so that was covered. During the talk I used the recommendation offered more than once to "make eye contact" or focus on individual people from time to time. It really helped.

The talk was an hour and a half long and it seemed to go well. My adviser just came up to me a few minutes ago and said it was "spectacular." w00t!!

Thanks again

Congrats!

thats sweeeet, 'grats!...confidence in your self and knowledge of your product are your best friends

Congrats! And a hour and a half is a really long time ... ouch!

I had to do that kind of thing in one of my university courses recently... but it was only 5 minutes. (I actually ran overtime and took 7, but oh well, doesn't matter.)

I'm not sure whether this is unusual, but I was told by the tutor present that I seemed quite nervous. I had no idea I was nervous at all. O.o

Still. That's the way it goes I guess.

Yea, thats a big thing with eye contact. You got to engage with your audience to keep them interested with that. But I always have trouble with that too and people will fall asleep anyway.

Pandora wrote:Congrats! And a hour and a half is a really long time ... ouch!

Yah, it literally was painful. I had a sore throat afterwards. For at least a half hour I was mostly just leading a discussion (well, more like the meeting was hijacked by one of my labmates), so I didn't have to speak the entire time.

Fortunately I have nearly three months before I need to do it again.

Mobius wrote:In that 2-3 seconds, take the time to marshal your thoughts for the next paragraph, and take a good lok at your audience..., and make eye contact with a few people before continuing.

I think you meant to type "look", not "lok". If you worked for me, I would have no other choice but to fire you due to your painfully inadequate intelligence.