Forum
Notifications
Clear all
IECT Group Discussion Forum
19
Posts
9
Users
0
Likes
248
Views
Topic starter
October 13, 2021 11:28 am
Post-lockdown stage fright? These experts remind you how to speak in front of a crowd
(CNN)"If you have to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy." When comedian Jerry Seinfeld delivered that punchline during a Broadway show in 1998, he was appealing to a wide audience.
The fear of public speaking -- known as glossophobia -- is among the world's top phobias. As many as 73% of Americans suffer from a fear of public speaking, often ahead of other common phobias such as heights, spiders and clowns.
With lockdown restrictions easing in many places and a possible end in sight to seemingly endless virtual meetings, you might be starting to get the public speaking jitters again. CNN spoke to four public speaking experts for advice on how to beat post-lockdown stage fright.
1. Have a clear, written intention
"Write your speech -- this may seem like an obvious one, but in the age of Zoom we have become more accustomed to winging it," explains Lawrence Bernstein, speechwriter and director of Great Speech Writing, a UK-based speech writing and coaching company.
Enter your email to subscribe to the CNN Fareed Zakaria global analysis newsletter.
close dialog
Bernstein suggests identifying one point you want people to remember from the speech and focusing on that goal with every line you write. "If you don't know what the ultimate point of your speech is, I think it will fail," he says.
2. Be empathetic
With so much time spent indoors over the last year, many people are more inclined than ever to introspection. To appeal to an audience's ego, you have to make them feel like you're talking to them directly -- and the way to do that is to be empathetic.
"Michelle Obama is massively underrated," Bernstein says, adding that what makes her a great speaker is the relevance of her speeches, her clarity, and ultimately her empathy.
That's the key combination, he says. "You can be relevant and clear -- that's all very well and good, but Alexa is relevant and clear," Bernstein tells CNN. "Alexa will give me a very relevant answer that is clear to my needs but lacks empathy. Only a human can do all three together."
3. Keep it short and sweet
After a year and a half online, attention spans have been sapped, explains speech coach and learning consultant Alan Barker.
"One of the key things that will have changed in the audience is (the) level of patience," says Barker. "You can create something really dynamic and interesting in five or six minutes. Once you've done that, going back to 45 minutes seems kind of ridiculous."
Keeping in mind that the maximum length of a TED talk is 18 minutes, distill your speech down to only the crucial points. This will mean a shorter speech and one that is focused and clear.
4. Bring your message to life
Barker says he uses the acronym "P.R.A.I.S.E." as a technique to bring material to life. "'P' stands for proverb," he says; if you can express your message using a common saying, it will be more memorable.
Next, 'R' for resonate. Barker says it's important to use concrete examples that demonstrate your idea.
"'A' is for attention-grabbers," he says. He suggests using language devices such as the rule of three, rhythmic devices and rhetorical questions.
'I' stands for influence. "How can you use your reputation, your credibility?" asks Barker.
Steve Jobs gave the most watched commencement speech of all time 01:23
"'S' is for stories," he says. He advises using narrative, as "stories have a shape that's inherently satisfying and are an easy way to engage your audience."
And finally, 'E' for emotion. Barker says in order to elevate your speech, you have to present your audience with something they can engage with emotionally.
5. Use an appropriate volume
When learning to speak in public we are usually taught to project our voices. Consultant speech and language therapist Sharon Adjei-Nicol thinks that long periods of digital communication may have left us with the opposite problem.
Adjei-Nicol says we might need to make a conscious effort to avoid shouting. Remember that live audiences don't have the option to reduce your volume.
"Online communication tends to lead to people talking quite loudly or shouting," she says. "There is an adjustment that needs to be made as we resume '3D' communication about what is a normal volume."
Hear the words of Stephen Hawking that are traveling through space 01:22
6. Move around
During this virtual age of the pandemic, we've only seen heads and shoulders -- so capitalize on being out from behind your desk; gesture, move around, and make the most of the space you have.
"Make use of the environment," says Adjei-Nicol. "It could be about how the room is set up, it could be about where you stand to speak, how much you move around, use of props."
Body language offers essential non-verbal cues that greatly enhance our ability to communicate. "Stand up, walk about a little and use natural body gestures such as an open palm to compliment what you are saying," she suggests.
7. Use your vulnerability
Physical comedian Luke Rollason thinks that great speakers aren't too polished. "People like [UK prime minister] Boris Johnson so much because there's so much mess there," he says.
Rollason feels that Hillary Clinton's concession speech after the 2016 US presidential election is a good example of one that inspired support through compassion.
"Maybe it's just that we feel sorry for them," says Rollason. "Whatever it is, I think it's undeniable: your vulnerability is so important."
8. Build a relationship with your audience
"The main piece of advice I give someone is just breathe and relax your face," says Rollason. He says once you relax your face, you're then able to talk to your audience on the terms of what's happening in the room.
According to Rollason, your relationship with your audience is the most important factor as it influences whether your speech achieves what you intended.
"Most of my material is absolute rubbish," he says, "which means I really have to survive on a relationship with an audience."
9. Be Brave
It's normal to be terrified of public speaking. Remember that your audience understands the horror that is stage fright, and hopefully they will empathize with you.
"You're essentially a sacrificial lamb because they don't want to be where you are," says Rollason, and whether it's a best man speech or an office presentation, "everyone's pretty happy it's you and not them."
Topic starter
October 18, 2021 4:34 pm
I have spoken at several events over the years. I'm always nervous before the event all the way up to the podium. Once I start I'm actually relaxed and I have enjoyed it. Speaking at my brothers funeral was not what I had planned on as I could hardly put a sentence together to talk to one person. I had a few notes but they went out the window when I began speaking. Words came so easy to me that I even surprised myself. I felt a calmness and ease in front of everyone.
February 5, 2022 5:56 pm
Even pre-lockdown i HATED speaking in front of large groups of people. Unless it was something i felt strongly about or if i knew it like the back of my hand. It goes as far back as "popcorn reading" as child. When the teacher would randomly call on a student to read exactly where the previous child left off . I would get so nervous that itd mess up or wouldnt be able to pronounce a word that id speed read pages ahead just so that if i was called on i knew i could read it confidently. Most of the time i still messed up. Oddly though, im apart of the training program at work, where we have to get up in front of the new hires and teach them different segments, presenting slide shows ,etc. This i dont find as hard because i know it like the back of my hand and dont have to rely on the slides behind me and i can freestyle a little bit.
February 7, 2022 1:33 pm
Even prior to covid I was never really a fan of speaking in front of people, I took a public speaking class while I was in highschool my senior year and it really helped me to get over my fear of speaking. Even with covid and our lockdown I don't think it really effected me in that particular way.
February 7, 2022 1:34 pm
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I hated popcorn reading! I would pray so hard my teacher would not call on my name because I hated speaking in front of my classmates especially when it was elementary school age.
February 7, 2022 1:36 pm
@deborahwatersiectskin-com I am the same way, I will write down everything I want to say and rehearse it over and over but once you actually start speaking its almost like you don't even need the paper anymore and it just flows out. Then you kind of feel silly for being so nervous.
February 21, 2022 5:15 pm
Public speaking is a NO for me personally. I have never been brave enough to speak in front of a big crowd by myself. Even when reading or speaking in front of people I know, I still get a little anxious about it. During my junior year of high school I was in drama and I hated every time I had to act out a skit or read something out loud in front of the entire class, but I had no choice because my grade depended on it. During the time I was in drama we were working on a play for the end of the school year and lucky I didn't have to be in it (or so I thought). My teacher knew how I felt about being in front of big crowds so she made me the student director of the play. On the night of the play the main character had a panic attack and couldn't get on stage. My teacher pulled me aside and told me I had to play the main character role. I have never been so terrified in my life.
February 21, 2022 5:48 pm
@keyonnastarksiectskin-com Wow I can completely agree with this. I remember my junior year when I had to pick classes out and my guidance counselor had recommended that I take public speaking, I was terrified. Even after taking the class I am still terrified now. I have to go over what I am going to say in my head at least 20 times before I actually say it. It's a mental thing i'm trying to work on and sometimes we have to tell ourselves to just fight the fear and do it anyway.
March 1, 2022 5:44 pm
Public speaking was never a enjoyable thing for me to do. I always get nervous and scared no matter how much I would practice in the mirror or in front of family. Whenever I do public speaking I always try to find somebody that I know in the audience. It relaxes me and makes the public speaking seem more like a conversation. I feel post the lockdown it has gotten worse because for a while we barely had any close interaction with others.
March 1, 2022 5:48 pm
@keyonnastarksiectskin-com I definitely understand where you are coming from. I took drama one year in middle school and lets just say never again. I dreaded going to that class every other day. I also made it my mission to get a backstage job during the play we had.
March 1, 2022 5:51 pm
@gabriellemrasiectskin-com Fortunately for me in college I took my public speaking class online so I had to record all my projects and posted them. I felt less anxious doing it that way and also seen a improvement in my progress.
Topic starter
March 1, 2022 5:55 pm
In high school I was very shy and to speak in class was not for me. I took speech class in college and was a little better. Now I have learned to really like speaking to audiences. I find it fun.
July 2, 2023 12:24 am
Public speaking has always been a huge no for me. I get very anxious and stutter when I talk in front of big crowds. I took a public speaking class 2 summers ago but it was online due to covid so that didn't help me much at all because we would just record ourselves talking and send it in. I think the pandemic may have made it worse for people since there was not really any social interaction for the time we were in lockdown.
July 2, 2023 12:29 am
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I hated popcorn reading! i would always get so anxious my teacher would call on me.
July 2, 2023 12:31 am
@camiryndavisiectskin-com I took mine online as well but I feel like it didn't help me much because i really get anxious when I physically see a large crowd of people.
July 5, 2023 1:40 pm
diagnosed social anxiety here ? , it was not until my teenage years that I started experiencing intense fear of large crowds, and would be desperate to get out of class presentations, from sweating my shirts, shaking, intense fear and sadness. Managing this early on in life can help overcome this overwhelming fear into adulthood. Working towards smaller victories that always make you anxious can help, and then taking something like a drama class, or a public speaking class can also help with this feeling!
July 5, 2023 1:41 pm
@deborahwatersiectskin-com I agree! emotions can be heightened and intense at a young age that most people grow out of including myself.
July 8, 2023 2:23 pm
I started to get social anxiety when I was in middle school. When I have to speak publicly it does not go well for me, I stutter, forget what I am even supposed to be talking about and my face will start to get red.
July 8, 2023 2:24 pm
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com Gosh I remember popcorn reading and it was the worst. It always gave me anxiety. I was more worried about when and what I was going to read rather than what I was supposed to be learning.
