Public Speaking SUCKS - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

CubicleGeek · 12-19-2006, 04:53 PM

As long as you get to know your stuff reasonably well and don't be afraid to say I don't know if he/she asks you something that, well, you don't know, you'll be fine. You can always find the answer and get back to them. At the end of the day, you're probably the expert and what know chances are alot more than what the presentee knows. Just play to your strengths.

As for the slides, either study the hell out of them and ask questions of the author for things you're not entirely sure of, or request that you make your own modifications so that the information is presented in such a way your are comfortable with. Nothing worse than presenting a slide, being asked a question about something in said slide and not knowing why something is there or not having the proper context to explain some of the information.

Jagger · 12-19-2006, 04:54 PM

That it does. No. 1 fear in the world ahead of death even! Like Seinfled says that means most people would rather be in the casket then doing the eulogy at a funeral!

As for tips: I find it best to look towards the back of the room, not at people directly as this gets too intimidating. Know your speech too. Practice beforehand if possible.

When it comes down to it, I bet you'll do just fine.

SeeGeeWhy · 12-19-2006, 04:54 PM

Know the material and do not simply read what is on the slides. Engage the audience and add to the substance of the talk with your own knowledge. Cut out some material of the presentation if you have to and just speak to it in order to keep them engaged, and you sounding like you know what you're talking about.

Spend some time on an introduction, even if he knows you, just to get talking and to get the jitters out.

Repeat anything important 3 times throughout the course of the presentation (in the intro, in the main presentation, and in the summary).

Breathe.

Don't say Ummm, Ahhh..., or those sorts of things. It's better to just be quiet if you're thinking about something.

Don't figet.

Make eye contact.

Change the inflection and tone of your voice every once and a while.. i.e. by emphasizing certain words.

Have fun... you'll be golden.

Jagger · 12-19-2006, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeeGeeWhy

Make eye contact.
.

I actually agree with this but have trouble doing so. I guess I should have said that it depends on how many people you are giving the speech to. If it's only a few then, definitely, you should make eye content. If it's a lot then I look towards the back of the room. It depends on the situation.

SeeGeeWhy, makes a lot of good points.

SpitFire40 · 12-19-2006, 05:00 PM

For me, the anticipation kills me... Once i'm up there it's all good.

troutman · 12-19-2006, 05:00 PM

Imagine everyone in the audience is naked.

I-Hate-Hulse · 12-19-2006, 05:04 PM

Try not to open with:

"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now mother######er. Throw his as* out. He's a Billionaire! He's a Billionaire! He's a Billionaire! A Billionaire, look, there's a Billionaire!"

CGW - has the points covered off well. Try and at least fake the confidence if that's what it takes.

Fobby · 12-19-2006, 05:17 PM

http://idc-online.com/pdf/employment/inst_outline.pdf

ignore everything except chapter 6

MrMastodonFarm · 12-19-2006, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpitFire40

For me, the anticipation kills me... Once i'm up there it's all good.

Nailed it, the wait is what kills most people. I find once they get up there everything is pretty normal and fine.

burn_baby_burn · 12-19-2006, 05:24 PM

Just relax. The thing with public speaking is that it takes practice. The more you do it the better you will get. I have been lucky enough to have been encouraged to public speak at a young age. I still get a little nervous before. But once I get into it, it just comes natural.

SeeGeeWhy covered most of the points. Also try not to talk to fast. That is one thing that I used to have to concentrate on. If your really worried about it. Video yourself and see for yourself what you need to work on or change. ie hand placement, talking too fast, oohing and aahhhing. Things of that nature.

Flames_Gimp · 12-19-2006, 05:36 PM

get smashed before you go up to speak

Red Mile Style · 12-19-2006, 05:58 PM

Good luck fotzer! Don't stress out about it, just relax, it's not that big of a deal.

I love public speaking... as long as I don't know the people I am speaking to. I can improv in front of 1000 people, but get me to say a speech in front of 10 of my buddies... impossible.

Maritime Q-Scout · 12-19-2006, 06:23 PM

first off: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...ublic+speaking

Now aside from that

you shouldn't read the slides, which means you can do up your own notes for each slide. That means you still use the presentation as given to you but give the speech how you want to.

IT'S YOUR SPEECH - say what you have to say how you want to say it

I don't know how confidential any of this stuff is, but I've offered to help others with public speaking on this board in the past, feel free to PM me with questions or if you want me to look anything over.

Have fun with it, relax, so a billionaire's in the audience, in all honesty he/she's just another person who has to **** and **** like the rest of us

Maritime Q-Scout · 12-19-2006, 06:24 PM

PS: Public speaking doesn't suck it rocks, and paxil has weight gain side effects try something else

Barnes · 12-19-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Nailed it, the wait is what kills most people. I find once they get up there everything is pretty normal and fine.

Really. I get super nervous right near the end when I start to critique my performance in my head. I'm calm at the begining and shaking by the end.

SpitFire40 · 12-19-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnes

Really. I get super nervous right near the end when I start to critique my performance in my head. I'm calm at the begining and shaking by the end.

That's odd... funny how people's minds seem to work so differently.

Incinerator · 12-19-2006, 06:55 PM

This is why engineers are required to take COMS 363 at the UofC

as for you fotze, just visualize the entire audience as "fotzes" and you should have no problems at all

Flames_Gimp · 12-19-2006, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incinerator

This is why engineers are required to take COMS 363 at the UofC

as for you fotze, just visualize the entire audience as "fotzes" and you should have no problems at all

Tron_fdc · 12-19-2006, 07:19 PM

Instead of looking people in the eye (which makes some people uncomfortable) look at their forehead. They can't tell, and you won't lose your train of thought.

Fozzie_DeBear · 12-19-2006, 07:35 PM

Another tip for eye contact...pick three people (or general areas) in the room one on the left, centre and right and insure that you spend some time making eye contact with these 'anchors'

Smile!

Talk slowly and its ok to take a few seconds to pause for emphasis/collect yourself

Talk a walk to compose yourself 5 minutes before you present

And remember that no-one knows how nervous you feel...so no worries

Have fun!