It’s said that for many of us, the Number 1 fear is public speaking.
But I’m weird like that – I love it! Put a microphone in my hand, give me a captive audience and I’m one happy camper.
The hubster, and approximately 90% of the population, wonder why on earth I get myself into these things …
Sure, I still get nervous beforehand but I love getting up there, speaking from the heart, motivating and encouraging others, sharing stories. And afterwards – I’m on a massive high!
This was not always the case however. So how did I grow to love public speaking?
Public Speaking at School
I loathed having to give lecturettes at primary school – a 3 minute talk, which we usually presented with an accompanying poster we had made ourselves. (Do kids still have to do them? Are they still called lecturettes? I think my kids called them “oral presentations” which to my mind, sounds more like something you do at the dentist!).
At high school it was even worse. I remember having to do one in Year 11 and being so terrified my knees LITERALLY shook the whole way through. Which was mega embarrassing, because our uniform skirt was short, so everybody could see it. I was mortified.
But then something happened.
I was in teacher’s college and had to present a 45 minute seminar about a particular aspect of Australian history, for assessment.
I. LOVED. IT!
I surprised myself by relishing every moment of it … and since then, my love of public speaking has only grown. I’ve spoken at conferences with hundreds of attendees; and to small groups of half a dozen. I’ve conducted writer’s workshops; and preached sermons at churches. (Most of these opportunities grew out of the magazine I used to run, which ceased publication in 2012.)
I must confess: I’m a bit out of practice at the moment as I haven’t really done any public speaking since then.
However a couple of weeks ago I had to give a 10 minute presentation as part of the judging process for the Redland Women in Business awards (I’m a finalist!). And gosh it was good to get back behind the microphone, even if I was quite nervous.
5 Tips to Help You Love Public Speaking
I’ve realised that there are a number of things that have helped me to grow to love public speaking, and they might just help you, too!
- Prepare your presentation. I’m a writer, so one of my favourite parts of the process is preparig my presentation and crafting a speech that will hopefully captivate my audience. I also know that preparation is one of the keys to feeling confident, and enjoying public speaking.
- Use props. Whether it’s a Powerpoint presentation, a ball of clay, or paper plates with different faces drawn on them, I’ve been known to use a prop or two in my time. Most people are visual learners, so it’s a good idea to give them something to look at. (It also means they are not starting at you all the time!). However, *always* have a plan B ready, in case the props don’t work – for example, the Powerpoint doesn’t work (as was the case at the Redland Women in Business recently!).
- Get the audience to participate. Whether you get a couple of volunteers to role play something for you, or ask the whole audience to discuss a question with their neighbour, or close their eyes and imagine something – get the audience involved in some way.
- Choose a topic you know and love. If you really know your subject matter, you can’t help but enjoy sharing your knowledge and experience with others.
- Practise, practise, practise. Time your presentation, so you know how long your presentation takes. Consciously work on slowing down your pace when public speaking – when we get nervous, we tend to speed up instead, and you don’t want anybody to miss your pearls of wisdom! Personally, I like to have a full copy of my notes on the podium, or on a clipboard in front of me rather than palm cards – BUT I *never* just read them. They are simply there for moral support, something for me to refer to should I lose my place or to prompt me on the next point.
With my love of public speaking re-ignited, I couldn’t help but wonder (and hope!) that I would have a chance to do it again sometime soon …
Would you believe, the very next day I received an email from a nearby library asking if I would be interested in conducting a blogging workshop for them later this year … I think we can all guess what my response was!
Do you love public speaking or is it something you dread and avoid if at all possible?
Linking up with My Home Truths.
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