{"id":1368,"date":"2018-11-19T19:25:02","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T19:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/?p=1368"},"modified":"2018-11-20T16:26:47","modified_gmt":"2018-11-20T16:26:47","slug":"the-pitfalls-of-public-speaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/2018\/11\/19\/the-pitfalls-of-public-speaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Avoiding the Pitfalls of Public Speaking"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\u201cPublic speaking ranks as our No. 1 fear, even outranking the fear of death, says Peter Desberg, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University,\u201d according to www.everydayhealth.com<\/a>. The website also reports Desberg, who is the author of\u00a0Speaking Scared, Sounding Good: Public Speaking for the Private Person<\/em> as saying, \u201cSome people have so much anxiety about speaking in front of an audience that they turn down promotions and ruin their careers.\u201d<\/p>\n

I intimately understand this phobic dread, despite being a public speaker for more than 25 years. Yet the first time I presented a brief message in a public speaking class at a Columbus college, I think I actually cried.<\/p>\n

This occurred decades ago, leaving my memory about the terrifying experience a little fuzzy. I believe I also received the award for the \u201cmost improved\u201d student that semester. Not the \u201cbest,\u201d rather the one who no longer dissolved into a puddle of tears making a presentation. Later, I even became part of the Intercollegiate Speech Team at Bluffton University<\/em>.\"\"<\/p>\n

Back then, I would have never imagined I would eventually become a (former) TV reporter, speak in conferences, churches, civic meetings, or teach in a university setting. But like many folks presented with a challenging opportunity, we can either close the door due to fear, or we can walk through the open door with our hearts racing with anxiety.<\/p>\n

After all, a famous Ralph Waldo Emerson quote says, \u201cAlways do what you are afraid to do,\u201d and public speaking terrifies lots of people. With this in mind, I\u2019ve written a list of pitfalls a public speaker can avoid. Most of these, I\u2019ve learned the hard way.<\/p>\n

First, \u201cKnow your audience.\u201d Define your audience and be aware of the specific demographics, dress appropriately and tailor your message accordingly.<\/p>\n

\"\"Secondly, \u201cBe prepared.\u201d Absolutely, do a run-through for technical issues at the designated venue ensuring your technology is compatible with their technology. Plus, practice, practice, practice your presentation in front of a mirror, for a willing family member, or even for your dog. Also, make sure it fits into the allotted time slot.\u00a0Thirdly, \u201cBe confident.\u201d Your knees might be shaking, your stomach might be rumbling, and you might be perspiring from terror, but employ the classic philosophy, \u201cDon\u2019t let them see you sweat.\u201d Smile and act like \u201cI\u2019ve got this,\u201d even if you feel like you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Back to the second point, by being well-prepared you will have the confidence to present the subject matter with authority. If, despite your best preparation, technology fails you, proceed without it, acting in complete control, despite the fact you are churning with disappointment.<\/p>\n

The fourth vital point is, \u201cEngage your audience.\u201d Avoid the trap of constantly looking down at your notes or monotonously reading from them. It frustrates the listener to hear someone with a riveting message deliver it as though the audience isn\u2019t there. Fear might cause you to look down, but look up. Avoid making eye contact with individuals who appear bored or disapproving, and lock eyes with supportive audience members. It\u2019s the only way you will be effective.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cEngaging your audience\u201d holds true whether you are speaking to a civic club, delivering a sermon, reporting for TV, or instructing a college class. Envision one person in the crowd, who sincerely needs to hear what you have to say. Then speak to that fictitious individual who probably really does exist out there. That way your presentation won\u2019t seemed staged or emotionless.<\/p>\n

In closing, another paramount point is to watch for reliance on repetitive words throughout the presentation. Most of us who do public speaking fall into a bad habit of having \u201cpet\u201d words or phrases including: 1) you know, 2) okay, 3) um, 4) and the new \u201cyou know,\u201d which is 4) \u201cso.\u201d Whether used when stalling for time to formulate our next thought, as a transition, or due to a bad habit of repeatedly saying the word, this can be quite distracting for the listener and negatively impact our message\u2019s effectiveness.<\/p>\n

There are other significant pitfalls, but not enough space to write them all. \u201cSo,\u201d if this information isn\u2019t helpful in combating your phobia about public speaking, \u201cyou know,\u201d you could run from the challenge. \u201cUm,\u201d but that wouldn\u2019t be a good idea. We never experience success without pushing past our fears to embrace a new opportunity. \u201cOkay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Christina Ryan Claypool is a freelance journalist and public speaker both in the secular and Christian communities. Her new Inspirational book, “Secrets of the Pastor’s Wife: A Novel”<\/a> is available at all major online outlets. Or for more information contact her through her website at <\/em>www.christinaryanclaypool.com<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cPublic speaking ranks as our No. 1 fear, even outranking the fear of death, says Peter Desberg, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University,\u201d according to www.everydayhealth.com. The website also reports Desberg, who is the author of\u00a0Speaking Scared, Sounding … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1210,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[995,993,19,839,994,992,996,867,624],"class_list":["post-1368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-practical-advice-on-the-road-less-traveled","tag-audience","tag-bluffton-university","tag-college","tag-fear","tag-phobic","tag-pitfalls","tag-presentation","tag-public-speaking","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1368"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1368\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1373,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1368\/revisions\/1373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christinaryanclaypool.com\/blog1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}