Corporate Directors, Professors, Managers, Team Leaders, Supervisors and many other people still record that they experience awkward feelings before and or during a speech. This include feelings and symptoms such as headaches, anxiousness, panic attacks, being petrified, having sweaty palms, their mouth gets dry, breathlessness, body is shaking, feeling nauseous, their heart is racing, quivering voice, feel sick to their stomach, can’t sleep the night before the speech and wake up every ten minutes. You might even relate to some of these feelings and symptoms. Feelings are a great part of who we are, and all these negative feelings causes’ people to avoid public speaking. As they progress in their career, they realise that they lack the skill to talk in front of a group of people.

“The human brain starts working the moment your are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public” – George Jesse.”

What can I physically do about it?

Mini exercises is one way to eliminate the fear of public speaking. 

Stress, nervousness and anxiety cause our mussels to tens up. Tens mussels are easy visible to your audience. Your body language will be affected by tense mussels. The following small mini exercises before your speech can relieve mussel tension fast.

Take note: See your doctor if you have a medical condition. You do not want to walk on stage all sweaty.

Head – Put your head slowly on one shoulder and then the other while breathing in and out for seven seconds.

Shoulder – roll you shoulders forward while slowly breathing five times and then toll your shoulders backwards five times while breathing slowly.

Hands – Shake your hands as if you just washed them and there is no towel. A clear indication that you are nervous is hands that are shaking. You do not want your audience to see your hands shake.

Legs – Walking up and down stairs can help you to get the blood flowing to your toes. If there is no stairs, kick your legs lightly forward or go for a short walk.

Mouth – The word COW stretches your jaw mussels to get rid of some tension in your mouth. Give a big smile while you say the “C” letter. The “O” will be in a big O form and the “W” end in a small kiss.

Nervous indicators

Your audience cannot see that you are nervous, unless you show them. Look at the following signs of anxiousness and fear.

1.Speed up – By talking fast, you highlight your nervousness. Talk slowly and pause regular. Pausing for a second will also give you time to quickly look at your notes if you have to.

2.      Moving too much too fast – Speakers who move a lot on stage without purpose, appears very nervous.

3.      Fidget – Playing with your wedding ring, a pen, touching your nose all the time, fidget with your clothes etc. annoys an audience and they will not listen to what you say.

4.    A dry mouth – do not drink small amounts of water every 2 minutes, it a clear sign that you are stressing.

5.      Jittery hands – Your notes will amplify the signs that your hands are shaking. Put your notes down on a lectern to free up your hands. Put your hand on the lectern as if you are playing piano if you are not sure what you should do with them. Stand up straight and never lean on the lectern.

Nervousness is a feeling driven by a meaning – Trevor Ambrose

The fear of public speaking is real, but you can control it. 

Copyright ChangingTools.com

Perhaps, more than enough preparation is one of the best things that gives the speaker all the necessary confidence in hitting the spotlight and begin belting out words which would stir, convince, inform, and inspire your audience.

However, preparation alone cannot be a prime factor in the speaker’s assured confidence and success in the delivery of unique talks.

Skills, attitude and a wide knowledge of the subject matter you are talking about can add up to the chances of winning your audience’s attention and respect.

Also, it should be pointed out that public speaking is no easy task for it requires your diligence and dedication and a clear goal toward the fulfillment of your goal and objectives.

Practice is a number one tool in making your speech a big hit and gain a good reputation. The moment you stride along the stage towards the rostrum, the whole place is yours, meaning you are responsible for your client’s entertainment and educational or informational needs and wants as well.

If things turn out the way you did not expect them to and you are not well prepared to deliver your lecture, some of the following not-so-good symptoms will surely manifest:

A dry mouth
Tigthness in the throat
Increased heart palpitations
Sweaty palms
.    Profuse sweating
.    Trembling lips and hands
.    A feeling of nausea.

Interestingly, whether some people have made a huge preparation for the event, they still do not manage to get away from the fear of public speaking and consequently are unable to concentrate and therefore fail as a result.

In order to overcome typical symptoms of glossophobia (fear of public speaking), you should consider takeing some form of training that will effectively enchance your oratorical skills to aid you in achieving the results you want.

Drawing from the length of time observing the evolution of oration, public debate and speech, speakers of today have taken up a whole new strategy in holding such events and moving away from the more conventional and stiff rules surrounding the old way of speech delivery.

Performance assessments are not based entirely on how well your speech was crafted but rather on how you were able to deliver it in a way that your listeners understand it and remember at least some of the details of your speech.

According to a recent national survey, audiences of today are more concerned on how the speaker delivers his message than in the content of the message they have to convey.

More than 60% of those interviewed commented on the speaker’s educational qualification or expertise while more than 93% of the surveyed population considers the speaker’s relative adaptation to the nature of the client audiences an important factor in a successful informational or motivational talk.

If you choose to invest in a more formal training environment, this alone will not satisfy the your need to improve one’s ability to deliver interesting talks. Conventional public speaking training courses encourage the “old school” type of giving speeches. They emphasize more on the satisfaction of rules that tends to corrupt your speech of the necessary elements that helps to getting your listeners’ attention.

If you can afford the fees associated with individualized training, you may want to try one-on-one coaching instructions. Professional individuals who are adept in public speaking could give you insights on how you can work on your opportunities for improvement and advise you on several techniques that will help you with better speech delivery.

Joining public speaking organization such as Toastmasters International is another way to go if you are working your way to enhancing your relative speaking skills towards the proper delivery of your oratorical talks.

Additionally, browsing through international speech forums were also proved helpful because many of the most updated ways and strategies in improving your speaking skills are talked about and discussed completely with full freedom.

Watching international contests such as the North American Public Speaking Championship or the ToastMasters International World Championship of Public Speaking will also help you compare how effective and convincing speakers carry out their strategies which makes them good at their craft.