Talking To A Crowd With Confidence

There is no doubt about it: speaking in front of people is one of our culture's biggest fears

. A recent study asked a group of United States Air Force pilots, guys who can land a multi-million dollar fighter jet on an aircraft carrier at night without breaking a sweat, what their greatest fear was. Their answer? Public speaking. Another study found that most people would rather be in the coffin at a funeral than up at the pulpit giving the eulogy. All in all, only 5% of Americans are ready and willing to command the public platform.

The good news, however, is that it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, by using a few simple tricks, you can easily conquer your fears and speak in public with confidence. This article will show you how.

The first to thing to know about public speaking is how to quash the butterflies in your stomach and psyche yourself up to the point where you can actually make it out onto the stage. In this area, nothing is more important than preparation. If you have prepared adequately and you know exactly what you need to say, then you will be much more confident about you speaking. The more you practice and memorize your speech, the less likely it is that you will get stage fright and blank out on what you have to say.

So, you have bitten the bullet and here you are, standing up in front of a group of people. How can you make yourself appear nonchalant and poised, even when you are shaking like a leaf on the inside? First off, do not fidget. Many amateur speakers, and not a few experienced ones as well, do not know what to do with their hands, so they fidget: buttoning and unbuttoning pockets, twisting your hands, playing with clothing -- all of these things distract from your speech, and let your audience know that you are afraid.

Instead, keep your hands either at your sides, not moving, or if you are a little more advanced then in the air gesturing. If you have a script with you, don't focus on the script -- instead of covering your face with it, hold it a comfortable chest level and look at your audience.

Don't speak too fast. Measure your words and speak slowly and deliberately. Some people's voices do all sorts of strange things when they are nervous, so speak up, making sure that the audience can hear you, but don't be too loud. Try to keep your voice from becoming high and squeaky, as well.

In the end, the best speeches are those that don't seem like speeches. Aim for a conversational style: when you are speaking, pretend that you are just talking with your best friend about something that you genuinely care about. Relax, act naturally, and you will find that your point gets across much better than it does when you are jittery and stilted.

by: Jay A. Jenkin

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