Everyone has different talents and strengths. Some of us have a talent for cooking, others are great athletes, and others still are musically gifted. One strength that many people struggle with is speaking in public. Now, for some, this comes as naturally as breathing, and these go-getter types are perfectly at home in a room full of people, talking about the things they love. However, others would rather write a 20-page paper instead of “comfortably” exchanging ideas with 20+ strangers. I am among this nerve-racked group. I can’t stand speaking in public, and every time I have to do so, I feel as if I’m walking to the guillotine. However, I attended a conference this weekend to present a paper of mine, and it went much better than I had expected. 'Tis the season for writing papers and presenting final projects, so here are several tips that I picked up along the way that made my experience run much more smoothly. It might help you too!
Even Introverts Can Benefit
- Public speaking can be torture for introverts. Why would you want to expose yourself to a bunch of strangers? Being an introvert myself, I can understand the anxiety that surrounds events in which we must play a crucial part. However, no matter how introverted we are, I believe there is something to be said for stepping out of your comfort zone from time to time. The more I have done public speaking, the more I realize that I can handle it. I will always be more on the quiet side, so my nerves will probably never go away, but at least I can walk away from the experience knowing I did well, or at least put forth my best effort. It imparts a sense of confidence that can’t be gained by reading self-help books. I put myself out there a bit, but I didn’t have to sacrifice my individuality or become somebody I’m not.
Choose to Ignore Negative Opinions
- I also made the choice to ignore the potential judgements of others. Sure, I wondered if I turned that page too loudly, or if people noticed a couple of warbles in my voice, but I decided that, as one of my professors put it, I don’t owe them anything. I was asked to read a paper and perhaps answer a few questions, but that was it. Besides, half of my worries are the product of my own mind. I focused all my attention on reading my paper properly, and that made a huge difference. I just made the decision that I was too tired to care about everybody else, and for my own sanity, I plunged myself into my work. I was doing this for me, to see where the path would lead, and I wasn’t going to pay attention to any pests. Actually, the audience and the moderator were very welcoming and courteous, which was a pleasant surprise.
Mind Over Matter
- I had a practice session for this conference earlier in the week, and I am glad I took advantage of it. I got some great tips from my professors. I worked on my eye contact with the audience (which is always the hardest part for me), so that I wasn’t looking at the same spot on the back wall each time I raised my head. I remembered to breathe, matching my breathing pattern with the rhythm of the words. This reminded me of The King’s Speech with Colin Firth. The final scene of the movie, which features a flawless wartime speech from King George VI (who had a stuttering problem), is how I like to mentally prepare for speaking in front of a crowd. The first few minutes are the hardest, but I can feel myself giving into the rhythmic flow of the paper, my breathing, and the pattern of looking up from the right, center, and left. As the movie shows, the whole experience has an almost musical quality, and when I remember that, it helps me to pace myself. I give a short pause after each sentence, and a longer pause between paragraphs. Trying to be relaxed and calm is a challenge at first, but by forcing myself to act that way, I start to feel that way for real.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
- Finally, I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to practice and to take care of yourself physically. The more you practice, the more comfortable you are with your material. I enlarged the font size on my paper so I wouldn’t get lost and I wrote notes to myself in the margins. I didn’t have to hand in the paper, so this was super effective. I learned my limitations too, I had gone out to dinner the night before; instead of a glass of red wine (which can cause headaches), I only had 1 glass of white wine and not a drop more. I went to bed earlier that night, I dressed professional, and I had a larger breakfast than the usual Poptart and cup of tea in the morning. By taking care of my physical health, my mind was better able to prepare and handle what was to come.
If you take them seriously, these tips can help all of you in any future speaking engagements. I know they seem small and insignificant, but when I put my mind to it, they actually worked, and I was also complimented several times. Public speaking will always feel somewhat torturous, but it is my hope that these pieces of advice will help all of us to at least overcome that fear to certain degree. Most importantly, I think that it will show you that you really can overcome obstacles, as it did for me.
