Conquering Your Fear of Public Speaking
Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is one of my greatest weaknesses. The thought of standing in front of a crowd to speak is terrifying. There have been countless times where I have stood in front of a crowd only to feel my entire body freeze as I attempt to speak. My heart rate increases and more sweat builds up with every word.
A fear of public speaking is normal, and students should be taught ways to cope and learn to prepare themselves for a big speech. Through my own experiences, I’ve learned five key tips to succeed when delivering a speech: be prepared, think positively, don’t expect perfection, utilize outside resources to help you, and know that you’re not alone.
1. Be prepared.
Practice a few times in front of a family member, friend, or roommate to get yourself comfortable with the material. Make sure you stand up, use your presenting voice, and use notes if needed to best simulate reality.
2. Think positively.
It’s all about the mindset. If you go in front of an audience with thoughts in your head like “I’m going to fail,” or “What if I mess up?” chances are you probably won’t give your best performance. Replace those negative thoughts with positive ones such as “I can do it,” or “I’m prepared.” This has helped me immensely in my journey to becoming more comfortable with public speaking.
3. Don’t expect perfection.
Whenever I give a speech, I always worry about stuttering or missing an important point I need to hit. I’ve come to the realization that it’s okay to miss a section or to have a stutter in the middle of my speech. Most of the time YOU will be the only one that notices the little hiccup you had in your delivery or the section you forgot about. If you really think about it, you’ve probably never heard a perfect speech before.
4. Utilize outside resources to help you.
For college students, it’s important that we take public speaking courses, such as a speech class, to help us learn to be more comfortable with speaking in front of large audiences. I recommend that Grand Valley State University students take Carl Brown's 201 Speech class, as it has helped me immensely, and has given me a strong foundation in my skills. Additionally, GVSU offers a speech lab that will brainstorm ideas, practice, and give you pointers on your upcoming speech. Visit GVSU Speech Lab to learn more!
5. Know that you’re not alone.
As a public relations professional, it’s important that you’re both comfortable and confident when speaking in front of others. Understandably, though, this can be daunting. Know that you’re not alone if you have a fear of public speaking, because an estimated 77% of people have some sort of resentment towards it.
One interesting fact I learned about myself is that even though I have trouble giving a speech, I can dance in front of a group of people with no problem. I can talk to a fly on the wall for hours. I’ve always wondered why I had a fear of public speaking, even as an extrovert, but through using these tips, I’ve learned how to cope with speech anxiety instead of ignoring it. Apply these tips in confidence during your next speech and know that you’ve got this!
About Alexis
Alexis Carpenter is a Junior Standing studying Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Marketing. She loves coming up with creative, out-of-the-box ideas when it comes to APR. Alexis has not had an internship, but last summer started a virtual brand segment in NJ. Using her APR skills, she promoted the business using billboard advertisements, and Instagram/Facebook ads. While also using leadership skills lead the team to success by creating an efficient high-profit business. This summer, she will continue to expand the business by helping to open a second restaurant to grow revenue. This will be Alexis’ first year involved in GrandPR and has accepted the position and Media Coordinator. Alexis is excited to grow and develop her skills in the public relations world.