Remove this Banner Ad

Public Speaking

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

S

Sportman1987

Club Legend
Suspended
Veteran
Joined
May 19, 2007
Posts
2,037
Reaction score
17
Location
Canberra
AFL Club
Geelong
I'm a decent speaker when I have the chance to prepare beforehand. However, in impromptu situations I'm really average. My thoughts are all over the place, and at times I find it hard to organize them in a logical way on the spot. I've rewritten about 2 sentences in this small post already.

How do you find it? Has anyone taken a course on public speaking?
 
trust your intincts, back yourself and be condident in what you say, (even though you may not be totally sure) people tend to believe what people say when its told in a controlled and confident way

i take it you may be tying your hand in politics??
 
This seems to me to be one of those things that, by the time you reach adulthood (or even your teens), you've either got or you don't. Sure, it can be taught/improved etc to some degree, but some people just seem to have that air of confidence, and some don't.

For whatever reason -- be it the focus some of my primary schools put on public speaking, or the fact I was in the SRC (:o), or whatever -- I am one of the lucky ones who enjoys public speaking and is not to shabby at it. Mind you, I made a clwon of myself once or twice in front of large groups of people when speaking, so I've had the ups and the downs. I learned.

As far as organising your thoughts goes, I'm not really sure how to help you. From what I've read of your posts on the SRP board, you seem like a fairly logical person, so I am surprised that you struggle with this. However, the first step to fixing a problem is to acknowledge that it is there, so I guess you are on the right track.
 
It's not that bad. I mean, the thoughts are there I express them like anyone else. Sometimes I just think I should be able to say more on something/make a stronger argument on the spot.

I think the crux of it is that in real life, discussions in general seem to be more simplistic because of time constraints + neither person having much time to reflect.

I might just be being hard on myself, because I know that in talking to professors etc I can ask them something which they should know, but can't nessecarily give a solid response to just because they're on the spot, only have my attention for a certain amount of time, etc etc.

And to mg nar I'm not making a move into politics at this stage, haha :)
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

As a house captain at school, I get to do debating - hooray!!

Anyway when we have to do the short preperation ones, ie. coming up with an argument mostly on the spot, it is actually quite enjoyable. At one stage I turned a debate on child immunisation onto something about the anzacs. God knows what i was on about, but it was good. Its not so much what you say, but how you say. If you believe, and act like you do, so too will the audience
 
I ****n hate public speaking so much, so do most people in the world apparently. As Jerry Seinfeld says:

"Surveys show that the number 1 fear of people is public speaking. Number 2 is death. Death is number 2! That means that at a funeral, the average person would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy"
 
If i can prepare something and I'm around people I know then I should be alright. Even then I'm still shaking and stumbling through the lines

If I'm in new surroundings and get asked something I dont know or have to speak on the spot I often get lost and just don't no when to stop and calm myself down.

That said I got an A+ for my English oral in year 12 ;)
 
If you've never done it, it's a lot more daunting than people think. I've seen people vomit, before, during and after public speaking.

Personally I'm not that flash at it.
 
I find it a lot easier to talk in front of people when I'm talking about something that relates to me or that I am passionate about. When I have to think too much then I'm not so good.
 
Hate it. Really struggled with it during school. Although, when I did my yr 12 oral I did quite well, probably had something to do with it being in front of two teachers. :rolleyes::o
 
Public speaking was my strength in school. I found I worked alot better without cue cards and mesmorising the speech before hand.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Herne Hill Hammer said:
If you've never done it, it's a lot more daunting than people think. I've seen people vomit, before, during and after public speaking.

Personally I'm not that flash at it.
Click to expand...

How'd this one slip through?
How'd the vomitting during the public speakiing go down HHH?

Not too shabby at public speaking myself, doing drama (strong no homo) and stuff helped me become more confident in front of audiences and sometimes if I wanna at least appear confident in front of the class I just sorta act teh speech out. Also, if you really feel ill before delivering an important speech or whatever, ginger beer/ ale seems to help a bit :thumbsu:
 
I was a presenter of the youth radio program on a local ethnic radio station and never had a problem with it. However, "live" public speaking is a different matter. I'm just not comfortable. It's weird, I know. As a former DJ, I normally hired MC's because I never felt comfortable talking live to the crowds.
 
I used to fear it, but now not so much. Comes with practice. I've spoken at funerals, NZ Ambassador's residence in Berlin (in German-completely ****ed it up), countless award ceremonies etc-and the only way you get better is experience.
 
i love public speaking - in debating i was always the third speaker because i love voicing my opinion and am good at thinking quickly. however, i also did toastmasters in high school (mainly because i went to a girls school and it was an easy way to meet boys but whatever) anyway one thing i remember them saying is that if you get nervous or forget what you want to say, just pause and think - dont say ummm or ahh - just pause, it will either look like your pausing for effect or gathering your thoughts, but it looks much better then stumbling or stuttering and gives u a chance to calm down. also - when i get up there, i try to remember, that as pessimistic as it sounds - generally, no one cares what your talking about. even if it is for work or whatever, everyone is just listening for the bare minimum of what they need to hear. its much easier to get up there and speak when you know that no one else thinks what your saying is a big deal.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

I don't mind it at all. And I'm a quiet guy usually. I did a Toastmasters course a few years ago. It's an awesome experience. I suggest that anyone who wants to gain confidence to join a club. The best tip they gave me was if you're feeling nervous focus on one person in the audience and imagine you're talking only to them.
 
I do it for a living in my role - it's never been hard work for me, but connecting to the audience, engaging their attention for a whole day is the challenge.

Experience will only get you better, and it's a skill you must have if you want to get to the top of the pile.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom