Public Speaking and its Challenges
Public speaking is an oratory that involves the art of speaking to a large audience. This form of communication facilitates passing of information to people for education, entertainment, motivate change, and sometimes influence people to change for the better (Coopman & Lull, 2014). However, communicating with a large number of audiences is not an easy task for everyone, sometimes people develop fear and anxiety that may prevent people from communicating successfully and effectively. Nervousness and anxiety are common fears that people experience prior to speaking to the public. This fear leads to poor communication skills, like inaudibility, vague messages, and sometimes stage fright that make people unable to speak.
Tips for Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking
There are helpful tips that help individuals to speak without any fear. An organization is important as it helps one get a logical flow of ideas and materials (Duck & McMahan, 2011). The organization also helps in relaxation. Research and preparation about audience analysis, the topic in question and the venue is a critical factor. Knowing ones audience prepares one on what to expect and also identify the right message that suits them (Duck & McMahan, 2011). Knowing and visiting the venue before the actual date helps one in familiarization. Many individuals also prefer to practice and perfume their speech before their friends to increase their confidence. Practicing provides one with confidence and deeper understanding of the topic (Duck & McMahan, 2011). It makes it easy for one to answer any questions that the audience might ask. I also find it hard to talk to a large audience. Conversely, to ensure that I eliminate my fear I write my points down and practice before a mirror and sometimes colleagues who point out my mistakes and offer suggestions for improvement. This does not only help me perfect my speech but also increase my confidence. I also love to conduct an audience analysis before the actual presentation as it aids in the gathering of information that allows for better speech preparation.
References
Coopman, S. J., " Lull, J. (2014). Public speaking: The evolving art. Cengage Learning.
Duck, S., " McMahan, D. T. (2011). The basics of communication: A relational perspective. Sage.
