Fear of Public Speaking Don't feel alone--we ALL go through it, and it CAN be beat!

Fear of Public Speaking Some degree of fear seems to be common for most speakers--true or false?

Fear of Public Speaking TRUE! Studies show that nearly everyone feels some kind of anxiety when facing an audience. Even the most skilled and experienced performers indicate fear before a performance.

Fear of Public Speaking The best speakers have learned to eliminate their fear. True or False?

Fear of Public Speaking FALSE: we never completely eliminate fear, but we learn to control it. Experienced performers try to use their fear to their advantage.

Fear of Public Speaking Speaking experience commonly decreases fear.

Fear of Public Speaking TRUE! Regular speaking experience helps decrease stage fright for speakers.

Fear of Public Speaking If an inexperienced speaker is nervous, the audience finds out largely through nonverbal cues.

Fear of Public Speaking TRUE. The most obvious cues are nonverbal: shaking hands, a quivering voice, avoiding eye contact, etc.

Fear of Public Speaking A speaker's fear is obvious to the audience.

Fear of Public Speaking FALSE! Studies have shown that listeners cannot usually tell the extent of a speaker's fear. They are not as apparent as the speaker thinks.

Fear of Public Speaking What things can a speaker do to lessen anxieties about speaking?

Fear of Public Speaking 1. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! 2. TAKE A DEEP BREATH

Fear of Public Speaking 3. VISUALIZE YOURSELF DOING A GREAT JOB AND BEING RELAXED 4. DON'T RUSH!

Fear of Public Speaking 5. BEFORE SPEAKING, IF NECESSARY, PICTURE YOURSELF IN A PLACE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ESPECIALLY SAFE AND RELAXING FOR YOU

Fear of Public Speaking 6. Focus on the audience. Doing so helps prevent the speaker from thinking too much about him or herself and to calm down.

Fear of Public Speaking 7. Have a positive attitude 8. Use energy constructively

Fear of Public Speaking 9a. Ignore it. Don't call attention to your nervousness. 9b. Don’t call attention to any mistakes you make; everyone make mistakes. 10. Use humor. It relaxes both you and the audience.

Fear of Public Speaking 11. Realize that fear or anxiety is actually a GOOD thing. Adrenaline will get you ramped up, but it also gives you energy and the ability to think and react more quickly than we normally do. Professional athletes experience the same kind of fear and anxiety. They USE IT to perform better. You can too!