Public Speaking

lahalane

Are you comfortable addressing a crowd?

I had to give a speech yesterday and I didn't look out to the crowd once. Just kept my head down and read as quick as I could. I was shaking a bit when I was on the stand and even for a few minutes after I sat down. Usually when speaking to crowds I kind of stutter but managed to avoid that thankfully. I'm glad I done it now but **** me, it doesn't half scare the crap out of me.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

Hitler was good a public speaking. I am not good at public speaking. 2 + 2 = 4.

hungry hippo 4

id rather fight mike tyson than give a speech! no joke! Its my kryptonite.

Sunnyisland

Had to do it a few times,not great at it and for me at least it can be a bit nerve wrecking.

Have seen people doing it and not a bother on them.

lycan238

lahalane wrote: »

Are you comfortable addressing a crowd?

sort of. I read at mass for a month a year so that helps me. Also have done a lot of presentations recently. In saying that I would prefer to walk around if i was speaking. Was at a function with the youth club once and one of the speakers had a headset on and walked around during his speech using hand gestures to there full extent to make relevant points during his speech.

The next speaker was behind the stand and was to be honest not as interesting as the first.

Micky Dolenz

Depends. If I'm prepared I'm grand. If I'm not, it can be hairy.

Talib Fiasco

Yeah preparation is key. I'm a confident guy anyway and even though I'm nervous while doing it, loads of people have remarked on how calm and powerful I appear while speaking. If it's something you'd like to improve on OP check out Toastmasters.

tommyboy2222

lahalane wrote: »

Are you comfortable addressing a crowd?

I had to give a speech yesterday and I didn't look out to the crowd once. Just kept my head down and read as quick as I could. I was shaking a bit when I was on the stand and even for a few minutes after I sat down. Usually when speaking to crowds I kind of stutter but managed to avoid that thankfully. I'm glad I done it now but **** me, it doesn't half scare the crap out of me.

Did you just read out your speech ? Cheater !!

aziz

I remember reading somewhere that most people have more
of a fear of public speaking than death.
So in other words,if they were at a funeral they would rather
be in the coffin than giving the ulogy.

Mint Aero

I barely speak to one person week to week odds of me ever addressing a crowd of more than three is 2.784 million to 1

PizzamanIRL

Just picture the crowd as skeletons, because that's all they are with skin and flesh on them.

If I'm confident in my knowledge of the topic I'm talking about then I'm grand.

McPete

lahalane wrote: »

Are you comfortable addressing a crowd?

I had to give a speech yesterday and I didn't look out to the crowd once. Just kept my head down and read as quick as I could. I was shaking a bit when I was on the stand and even for a few minutes after I sat down. Usually when speaking to crowds I kind of stutter but managed to avoid that thankfully. I'm glad I done it now but **** me, it doesn't half scare the crap out of me.

Just imagine everyone naked. All those peniles and vageens in the room !

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

I don't panic or stutter, but it's a chore. I have to address issues and answer questions from a group when I'm at work, and they can be aggressive enough with their questioning.

Meangadh

I've no problem public speaking. Quite enjoy it actually. I can understand why people find it daunting but I've been doing it for years now so the more I did it the easier it got.

Miaireland

I hated it when I was in school and I had a teacher in 4th year who spotted that and made me do public speaking at any opportunity. I now have no bother speaking in front of people whether it is a speech I had time to prepare or having to speak on a topic off the top of my head.

Legs.Eleven

There's probably nothing that scares me more tbh although I get up in front of adults everyday and teach. I think the fact that teaching is more interactive and not just talking AT people (or at least it shouldn't be when you're teaching a language).

PhlegmyMoses

Was fine throughout school and college. In college I'd present to over 100 at a time. Got to work and things changed. Began to become quite self-conscious and anxious about it, to the point that I started to avoid it.

Decided that immersion was the best remedy, so offered myself up to do stuff like that as much as I could. Now I'd say I'm 90% comfortable speaking in front of any size group, whether it's new people or people I know.

It was daunting at the start but I'm glad I did it. Avoidance builds these things up in your head, even though it's never as bad as you would imagine. If you want to move up in most workplaces you've got to get used to it, so work at it as much as you can.

martinedwards

given the choice between going to a meet and greet with 10 of people who know each other but I don't know them.......

and addressing a hall of 3000 with 5 bullet points on a card?

gimme the card ANY DAY!!

Overheal

I just am about finished up with a few college credits in public speaking so yeah I'm OK with that

anncoates

I'll do it if I have to but it scares the life out of me.

Femme_Fatale

Sh1t myself at the thought of it, but then actually doing it I relax. I find the best approach is to be light-hearted, bring in a bit of humour - and bingo, ice broken and there are less expectations. I know that's not always easy though. Prep is important but ad-libbing a bit rather than just sticking rigidly to reading cards helps relax you too.

The One Who Knocks

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Prep is important but ad-libbing a bit rather than just sticking rigidly to reading cards helps relax you too.

Hahahah you just reminded me of a speech where some lad was using about 100 cards consisting of about 5 words per card.

"Hi my name is John-"

*Shuffles for a good 2-3 seconds*

"Doe. Today I am"

*Shuffles again*

"going to be talking to you about"


Painful experience

Wurly

I am a voice coach who specialises in public speaking fears. Fear of public speaking has been cited as one of the top fears ever. Scarier than death for some. The people who are afraid of public speaking tend to listen to their own internal bully who tells them that they're crap and that people will judge them. They are acutely aware of every person in the room looking at them. Whereas, skilled public speakers tend to speak from a place of passion. This distracts them from their own internal dialogue and allows them to become lost in the story they're telling. They therefore come across as more relaxed and sincere to their audience.

Agricola

Miaireland wrote: »

I hated it when I was in school and I had a teacher in 4th year who spotted that and made me do public speaking at any opportunity. I now have no bother speaking in front of people whether it is a speech I had time to prepare or having to speak on a topic off the top of my head.

I had a lecturer in 1st year who was of the same opinion. I think that approach works for the majority of people as they just need practise to get over nerves. But for some people, public speaking is the same as going infront of a firing squad and no amount of practise makes it massively better.

I remember losing control of my voice and shaking doing it in school. I got by in college on the few times I had to do it, and the last time was a funeral reading. Its silly really to think people are focused on you in that situation but all rationality goes out the window. I find its just a matter of gritting your teeth.

Micky Dolenz

I'm to do something tomorrow evening and am completely unprepared. Stupid thread is stupid

Say Your Number

I had to do a few presentations as part of a course I was doing earlier in the year, while I found the though of doing them daunting I discovered if I found the relevant information on the topic and memorised it well enough it wasn't much of a problem, I would be fairly shy and low on confidence but I'd no problem looking around the room and making eye contact with the audience, if I have to do any in future it wouldn't worry me that much.

BillyMitchel

Ever see Bertie speaking?! If he can do it anyone can. That gimp gets paid for it.

I used to suffer from panic attacks and had serious public anxiety issues and always looked for a way out of public speaking. Got into serious trouble before for missing them. Nearly failed University.

8-10 years later I've zero nerves or anxiety and probably over confident when speaking in public. A little nerves can be good.

RikkFlair

Hate public speaking, wouldn't it be great if you could just do a little dance instead or something.

BillyMitchel

RikkFlair wrote: »

Hate public speaking, wouldn't it be great if you could just do a little dance instead or something.

The rick flair dance? WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Femme_Fatale

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Sh1t myself at the thought of it, but then actually doing it I relax. I find the best approach is to be light-hearted, bring in a bit of humour - and bingo, ice broken and there are less expectations.

Looks like I'm talking about a weird sex act.

BillyMitchel

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Looks like I'm talking about a weird sex act.

Thats your own filthy mind! You sure you're not meant to be on the dirty talk in bed thread?!

RikkFlair

BillyMitchel wrote: »

The rick flair dance? WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Shoulda done that at my brothers wedding instead of the mumbling sermon I subjected the room to.

Mariasofia

Have done a fair bit of public speaking and not too bad with it now. First one was the hardest though and someone had told me focus on one face and keep returning to it. Only problem was I focused on one face and couldnt leave it I was so terrified. Poor fvuker was mortified as I gave entire speech to him and him alone......

BillyMitchel

RikkFlair wrote: »

Shoulda done that at my brothers wedding instead of the mumbling sermon I subjected the room to.

HaHa love it!


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Stheno

Meangadh wrote: »

I've no problem public speaking. Quite enjoy it actually. I can understand why people find it daunting but I've been doing it for years now so the more I did it the easier it got.

Same here

Meangadh

I can't remember a time where I was nervous talking in front of a crowd actually. I used to do debating in school and would get a little nervous then but that was more due to it being a competition rather than having to talk in public.

I'd definitely encourage parents to get their kids involved in public speaking, debating, drama, reading at mass if your family are into that, just various things like that- I did loads of that in secondary school and that's why I'm ok with it.

confuseddotcom

Nothing major - a couple of Presentations in College and used to do an odd Reading at Mass. Would consider returning to Mass-attending if there was a chance of being a Reader to get the experience lol! Don't mind it but would prefer to know / have some idea what am talking about rather than just winging it or ad-libbing or making it up as ya go along, don't think would be able to do that. Is anyone involved in ToastMasters? What is it all about?

Amirani

I'm actually far more comfortable speaking to a crowd than speaking to just 1/2 people. I think a large part of it is that public speaking is relatively scripted and formal. I'm absolutely awful at small talk.

pharmaton

had to give a brief speech to my class last week, I don't think it's the nerves but it takes a huge amount of effort for me to speak loudly, it's like speaking while running and it just makes me sound breathless, like my lungs are in some kind of vacuum and the pressure to vocalize squeezes my voice to a whisper. I find projecting my voice at an audible level to be straining.

mikemac1

If a man who stuttered and mumbled can become leader of our country for 11 years you've not so much to be worrying about

LadyAthame

lahalane wrote: »

Are you comfortable addressing a crowd?

I had to give a speech yesterday and I didn't look out to the crowd once. Just kept my head down and read as quick as I could. I was shaking a bit when I was on the stand and even for a few minutes after I sat down. Usually when speaking to crowds I kind of stutter but managed to avoid that thankfully. I'm glad I done it now but **** me, it doesn't half scare the crap out of me.

More comfortable public speaking than speaking with some people. I quite enjoy it. I have thought recently of teaching drama or public speaking coaching in the future. I enjoy it. There would be no money in it I don't think but I could still enjoy it.

My Dad was always saying I should consider doing coaching in it for people in business. He is in HR. He has had to give a few speeches for various bodies in his area of work and I helped him out.

I did drama for years and did it full time for a year after Uni.

Pumpkinseeds

I've had to do it a few times and didn't particularly enjoy it, although apparently I'm very effective at it The key thing is to be thoroughly prepared and know all the facts before you start, oh, and take a deep breath.:)

Dangerous Man

They say you should picture the crowd naked.

I disagree with this.

I view them as pigs. Because that's what they are. ****ing pigs.

bb1234567

Hate it. But not doing public speaking isn't an option in my college course..unfortunately. So I have to suck it up, well I tried to and it went horrible. I would go red, stutter, forget my lines, and it never improved week in week out despite every know it all telling me Ill improve my public speaking by practising. Anyway, I went to my GP to get meds to calm me down before speeches. Xanax works, Im now a good public speaker. :pac:

Howard the Duck

Done a best man speech a couple of years ago. It was my first time doing a public speech. At the time i thought i wasn't nervous but after i done it it felt like a ton of weight off my shoulders.
I would never do another best man speech but i think i could do speeches for work i think, so it might have helped me.

Birneybau

If I could say a few words...I'd be a better public speaker.

Anyway, Zombie thread.