Public Speaking

Robsweezie

The words sometimes don't come, I nearly freeze up and start babbling off script just to keep talking. The all eyes on you element throws me off. I pull myself together toward the end though. I've never completely botched it.

How do you find it?

Uriel.

I find the build up to a public presentation or speech etc. To be far worse than delivering the actual presentation /speech. I find that once you're up there and get into it, it's generally fine.

Being well prepared, in terms of your "script" and knowing your audience makes a huge difference.

Still always hate the idea of having to give a public presentation

CINCLANTFLT

I agree, it's the waiting before speaking that makes me nervous... once I'm on, I'm fine.

Main thing for me is realising that we're all human and if worse comes to worse, it's only a botched appearance and people are forgiving...

Shenshen

I actually don't have a big problem with it, I don't know why.
It could be because the first few times I had to do it was in school when I was around 10 years old, and I got to talk about books I had read. I remember the teacher having to tell me 4 or 5 times to come to a close and get back to my desk, but there was still so much more to tell!

gramar

Most people's minds are elsewhere so they aren't even listening.

seamus

People are far more understanding and accepting of nervousness and screw ups than we tend to think. The assumption is that everyone is listening intensely and judging you on every little syllable and falter. They're not.

It's all about practice really, there's not much else to it. It seems like some people are natural public speakers who will stand up and talk effortlessly with no fear, when in reality they're just very used to it and not fazed by it.

Age also helps a lot; the older you get the less of a fnck you give of what other people think about you, and the more you understand that most others aren't really thinking anything about you at all anyway.

pickarooney

Never had a problem with it. Would much prefer it to public listening.

biko

It can be daunting alright. I find knowing the topic well helps.

mad muffin

Pro tip… visualise your audience naked. Just try to avoid getting an erection.

GLaDOS

I try not to think too much about the actual talk beforehand and just focus on the subject matter.

That said, a dry run or two always helps.

gramar

Know your subject, know your audience and know the place.

Duff

No matter how many times I go over my queue cards or slides I always stutter or mis-pronounce words. Happens us all. Best presentation I ever done was when I was in college, still drunk from the night before :pac:

osarusan

I do presentations on research at meetings and conferences. I don't get nervous but I am confident that I know what I am talking about and that I've prepared properly.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Used to panic but now it doesn't bother me, I'd talk to the wall

Mr.Plough

Grand when I've practiced. 15 times is the golden number I've heard.

Winging it rarely works if ever

It doesn't bother me at all as long as I'm confident that I know the topic. I don't like using slides or power point, they cause me to get all muddled. I have a few prompts in my hand and just wing it from there. Again as long as I know my stuff inside out.

Hammer89

I'm not used to public squeaking, I piss-pronunciate a lot of my worms.

Hercule Poirot

I like to think I'm a fairly confident person, I'm quite good at meeting new people or if I find myself with a group of strangers but I absolutely cannot do public speaking - had to give a best man speech at my friends wedding last year, I knew nearly everyone in the room and had planned for ages what I was going to say...as soon as I stood up to make the speech everything went to pieces, I managed to fumble through it and got a few laughs but I was horrendous

A few months after that another friend asked me to read a short prayer at his wedding - four lines and I just about managed to get it out, my nerves in both cases were shot to pieces - on the plus side I doubt I'll be asked again

I think it's just something some people can (or cannot) do - I've seen quiet, reserved people give excellent speeches and loud, obnoxious people like myself fall to pieces; we humans are strange, complicated beasts.

5rtytry56

Personally, I'm an introvert.

I can still manage Public Speaking, if I will myself.
The other side of the equation is the audience. Just like boards, you have many types of audience dependent on age, teens and so on;
Then there's the attitude of the audience: Are they there to listen to you, or as happens in Irish society take the pi$s. Or shout you down, Slag you off the stage?

So, yeah, I muchly prefer a formal setting.

Informal / Leisure - no thanks.;)

Annasopra

I'm in Toastmasters and find it really boosts peoples confidence and improves peoples abilities. I would strongly reccomend it to everyone.

whoopsadoodles

Doesn't bother me, as long as I know what the hell I'm talking about, and sure why would be I be speaking publicly about something I didn't understand!

"I don't know the answer to that, but I will find out for you" is probably the most useful phrase if you're presenting something. If you start trying to bullsh*t people, you will get flustered so there's no point.

Walking into a new group of people that I have to initiate a conversation with, that's very different and I will be pretty nauseous and panicked at first.

I speak to large numbers - up to about 150 - several times a week.

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Robsweezie

Does depend on how well practiced you are. I never do it so id say im rusty.