Confidence in Public Speaking

Would you like to have confidence when speaking in front of a group? Would you like to make your oral presentations come alive?  Would you like to fully engage your audience?

Did you know the greatest fear in people is public speaking?  I am the opposite, a born actress who loves to be in front of people.  I can tell you it’s not hard to achieve confidence when speaking in front of a group, whether the material be assigned, chosen by you or written by you.

I suggest before practicing and then presenting, do some basic relaxation and focus work in the way most effective for you. This will lead to concentration, relaxation and focus when presenting.  Then the confidence will naturally be there.

Think of yourself as the CONDUIT between the words and the audience.  Get out of your head.  Think of yourself as the intermediary whose task it is to convey the material from your mind to your mouth to your audience’s eyes and ears.

Here are three ways to present material:

Here are steps to take to GRAB your audience’s interest, attention and retention:

1. KNOW your material, KNOW its meaning.  Be familiar with what you are saying, putting the emphasis on core ideas.  This will allow you to look at your audience more;

2. Identify beginning, middle and end of the material.  Break it into “BEATS,” smaller areas of the whole. This helps in knowing when to pause;

3. Identify and mark key words and phrases for emphasis. I mark my material with underlines​​​​​​, /slash marks, BOLD TYPE, CAPS, etc.;

4. Please do not RUSH your words.  Rushing the words, swallowing the words (especially the ends of sentences) is a common mistake in public speaking.

Rushing words is caused by the need to get over the perceived “ORDEAL” of public speaking.  THINK OF PUBLIC SPEAKING AS AN HONOR AND AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT AS AN ORDEAL.  This will curtail the need to rush the words.  By not rushing, you will ENGAGE and INSPIRE your audience more.

Our wonderful Rabbis and teachers at Temple Solel INSPIRE us with their sermons and teachings.

5. Visualize and use imagery.  Find imagery in your material, visualize those images in your mind’s eye, then transmit those images to your audience.

6. Let’s address vocal techniques.  Here please do as I say, not as I do.  I just turned 72, and my voice is not what it was even just a few years ago.  To achieve a rich voice, use DIAPHRAGMATIC breathing.  Put your hand on your belly, breathe in and hold as long as you comfortably can. then slowly release.  Do this a few minutes a day. Practice clear enunciation a few minutes a day.  Say the alphabet and tongue twisters, read aloud from a book, etc., all while using DIAPHRAGMATIC breathing.  Vary your tone and pitch to avoid speaking in a monotone.  If you know anyone practiced in yoga, meditation, mindfulness. etc. (I’m terrible at those),

solicit their help in deep breathing.  Drink some water and/or put a Hall’s cough drop in your mouth and let it dissolve before speaking.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.  Gather your family and besties and practice in front of them. Even use stuffed animals as your audience. Google history’s best speakers and speeches, and listen to those for inspiration.  My latest inspiration is Amanda Gorman.  Google her reading her poem she read at Biden’s inauguration.

NOW, SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE AND MEANING TO INSPIRE YOUR AUDIENCE.  YOU CAN DO THIS!

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Patsy Parker

Patsy has a B.A. in Speech Arts from American University, Washington, DC and is an experienced actress, director, stage manager and public speaking and drama coach for all ages.
If anyone would like complimentary coaching via ZOOM, Facetime, or phone, as long as YOU can set up the tech, please feel free to contact me at pats4949@hotmail.com

Thank you!