Friday, November 22, 2019

Flying Off To Give A Speech? Conquering Your Fear of Public Speaking. My ten top tips


Angela Lansbury, President of Braddell Heights Advanced Speakers' Club, standing left. 

Sylvia, second runner up of the club's International Speech contest and the Table Topics (impromptu speech) contest. Standing on the right, Arinjay, first runner up in both contests. Seated on the right, is Faith, winner of both the club's International Speech Contest and the Table Topics (Impromptu Speech) contest.

As they say, you've got to be in it to win it.
Conquering Fear of Public Speaking
My ten top tips

1 You are the most confident person in the room.
The members of the audience are more afraid than you are. You are on the stage. They are sitting at the back and avoiding the front rows.

2 Don't tell them you are afraid. 
Would you want the the pilot of a plane to tell you he was nervous, or a train driver, or a bus driver, or the chef in a restaurant, or the person on the till counting out your change? Instead look confident to reassure the audience they are not wasting their time. 

3 Take a deep breath and speak loudly. 
Several members of the audience are worried they won't hear. They are aged over 50, have hearing loss, are sitting behind somebody with a large head, are distracted by somebody nearby whispering, or speak English as a second language. Be kind. Be audible.

4 This is not the hardest speech.
The speech at your mother's funeral is your hardest speech. Same goes for any other funeral speech. No other speech comes near. Practise speaking this silly speech so that when you have to give one of life's hardest speeches you can be fair to the audience and the occasion. 

5 The audience are hoping to enjoy themselves. 
Make sure they do. Smile at them Focus on what they want. Their chief concern is: - what is in it for me?

6 Go to a Toastmasters International meeting.
Do a table topic (impromptu speech). 

7 Add a quotation.
This adds importance to your speech.
The audience will be impressed. You will feel enthusiastic about the hero or heroine you are quoting.

8 Add Drama
Add conflict, conversation, or song.

9 Use one prop to symbolise your message.
You can use up to three props, If you have three stories, have one prop for each story. That will help you remember the message and will help the audience remember. 

10  Repetition Adds Clarity And Memorability.
If your title, your opening line and your clsing line are your message, the audience will remember it.

The USA
In America there are online clubs speaking English and Spanish.

Singapore
One online club is bilingual. My club based online in Singapore is English speaking. Singapore also has bilingual clubs, and clubs speaking only in French, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tamil (an official language in Singapore and spoken in Southern India and Sri Lanka).

If you are interested in finding a club near you, at home or on holiday or a business trip, go to Toastmasters International Find A Club.

Useful Websites
https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
member of:
Harrovians Speakers Club, London, England, UK.
President of Braddell Heights Advanced Club 2019-2020.
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