Glossophobia — the fear of public speaking
— is one of the most common phobias
among us today.
According to the National Institute of Mental
Health, a whopping 74% of people suffer
from speech anxiety .
And, as most people know, when we're
nervous or anxious, our minds and bodies
tend to do weird things that we can't always
control.
However, if you make a conscious effort, you
may be able to avoid some of the common
mistakes public speakers make.
Here are some habits you'll want to avoid,
along with their potential consequences and
suggested remedies:
View As: One Page Slides
1. Not tailoring your message to
your audience
As Benjamin Disraeli once said, "Talk to a
man about himself and he will listen for
hours."
On the other hand, if you don't talk to your
audience about themselves, they most likely
won't listen, says Darlene Price, president
of Well Said, Inc. and author of " Well Said!
Presentations and Conversations That Get
Results ." "Speakers frequently fall into the
bad habit of giving generic off-the-shelf
presentations that are not tailored to address
the needs of this particular audience.
Listeners know when the speaker has not
done their homework, and their response
ranges from disappointment and frustration
to anger and disengaging."
To avoid this, ask yourself: Who is my
audience? What are their burning issues?
How does my message help them? How much
do they know about my topic? What will I
ask them to do in response to my message?
"All the best practices in public speaking
depend upon this first tenet: Know Your
Audience."
2. Eye dart
From beginners to veterans, the majority of
speakers fail to maintain meaningful,
sustained eye contact with their listeners.
"Unconsciously, their eyes scurry from
person to person, darting around the room,
without ever pausing to actually see the
recipients of their message," Price says. "A
lack of eye contact implies a list of offenses:
insincerity, disinterest, detachment,
insecurity, shiftiness, and even arrogance."
To visually connect, maintain eye contact for
at least two to three seconds per person, or
long enough to complete a full phrase or
sentence. Effective eye communication is the
most important nonverbal skill in a
speaker's toolbox.
3. Distracting mannerisms
There are at least 20 common tics to tackle,
including: clenching or wringing your hands,
pacing back and forth, keeping your hands
in pockets, jingling change or keys, twisting
your ring, gripping the lectern, licking your
lips, adjusting your hair or clothing,
fidgeting with a pen, bobbing your head,
placing your arms behind your back, and
touching your face. "One or more of these
habits can distract the audience from your
message and jeopardize your credibility,"
Price explains.
As a remedy, record yourself speaking and
watch the playback. "Practice often to
increase your comfort level and reduce
anxiety. Take a public speaking class or enlist
the help of a local coach to eliminate
distracting mannerisms and habituate
purposeful movement."
4. Low energy
"As the Guinness World Record holder for
the most performances in the same
Broadway show, George Lee Andrews is
famous for playing the role of Monsieur
André in The Phantom of the Opera," Price
says. "Surely, he must have felt tired during
at least one or two of his 9,382
performances, but he didn't show it
considering his contract was renewed 45
times over 23 years."
Enthusiasm, defined as eager enjoyment and
active interest, is an audience's most desired
trait in a presenter. Conversely, a boring
delivery — evidenced by a low monotone
voice, dull facial expressions, and overall
lethargy — is their most disliked trait.
"To avoid losing your audience in a New
York minute, crank up the energy level,"
says Price. "Speak expressively, smile
sincerely, move naturally, and enjoy the
moment."To be continued in our next post .
0 comments:
Post a Comment