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Today over at DLOG, I put together a bunch of helpful public speaking tips. Knowing this is an extremely common fear, I thought I'd see how you all deal with it. Who here enjoys public speaking? Who is terrified of it?

Myself, I love talking, and having a bunch of people listening only makes it better. That, and I gave up my fear of making an ass of myself years ago (which I'm sure you've all figured out by my behavior around these parts).

Love it. LOVE it. If I could make my living speaking in public I would, whether this is as a motivational speaker or stand-up comedian or even a talk show host. I'd be all over it.

I like doing it for a few minutes, but then I get sick of the sound of my voice. The only way I'll keep going is if I'm really into what I'm talking about, such as when I'm DMing a D&D campaign. Not exactly public speaking, but I DO present my ideas and stories to a group of 5-7 people at the front of a classroom for 3-4 hours.

Same as Dave. I love public speaking.

No problem with it. Love it. any class I had for it throughout highschool and college I would ace. One of the reasons I originally went to radio communications was because I love speaking.

I love public speaking The thing I found that I found I always have to do to feel most comfortable is to make sure I know whatever I'm speaking about in-and-out, especially for things like class research and projects. It just makes talking about it much easier, and makes me feel a lot more comfortable not having to worry about the possibility of having to bullshit any of it.

I used to like it. I really enjoyed giving presentations and doing training sessions.

I have always had a bit of a shake, and it's gotten worse lately. It gets even worse when I am even the slightest bit nervous. Now when I get up in front of a group I can tell that my head starts to shake a bit. That just sets off a chain reaction and I get even more nervous and self-conscious about it. So it's not quite so enjoyable any more.

I had the same problem with shaking hands. It turned out the issue was trying to stand still. I've learned to talk a lot more with my hands, and since then it hasn't been a problem.

Fun Size said:

I had the same problem with shaking hands. It turned out the issue was trying to stand still. I've learned to talk a lot more with my hands, and since then it hasn't been a problem.

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Hmmm... I'll have to try this next time. I've also had a problem with shaky hands.

For me it's an all the time deal. I can't pick up a full glass of water without spilling it all over the place.

Used to love it in theatre. Grew up. Sat behind a desk for too long and started hating it. New job, required me to do presentations in front of VPs and Boards of Directors, started getting better at it. Now don't mind it.

Discovered I'd rather be standing up giving a presentation than sitting down doing it.

I like standing up and speaking, though ironically I'm a pretty bad conversationalist.

I don't like it. Not afraid of it, I just would rather not bother unless I had to. I prefer conversation over monologues.

bhamv3 said:

I like standing up and speaking, though ironically I'm a pretty bad conversationalist.

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I was about to say, that I am better in front of a crowd talking to dozens of people than talking one on one.

I don't mind it. I do it when i have too and that's it.

But i make sure i am prepared: ie learn/review my subject.

I hate making a fool of myself

For people my age or over, I have a tough time. With my kids, I can't shut up!!!

It makes duty so much more enjoyable when I can chat with some of my kids about their level 50 paladin while scanning the playground than to just stand there and do nothing.

Terrified. I can handle one-on-one or small groups. Any more than a handful of people makes me want to hide under the podium.

It gives me an erection.

I used to hate it, still do to some degree. I think it's more because I like having a conversation than a one way speech, but at some point I got over the most of my fears and can do it.

Also I find my degree of fear directly correlates with my level of knowledge on the subject.

Who's erection does it give you?

Also, I used to be terrified of it. But now I do it every day, so it's no big deal. Though, I still get a little shaky when I go in front of people I view as knowing more about my material than I do.

I don't like it at all. But I'm forced to at college so I learn to deal with it

I love public speaking. My second job is all public speaking and it's great. Of course, it helps to get over that natural fear of it when you were captain of the debate team all 4 years in high school and HAD to get over it.

I never liked it, I dislike speaking at all, even among friends.

No problem public speaking in most cases. I wouldn't say I love it but I don't fear or hate it either. I am a bit nervous at the possibility of presenting in front of experienced colleagues in my field, though but not for the public part or the speaking part but the critical analysis of my ideas part...

I have to do it. I'm not bad at it, but I don't enjoy it.

I like it, and I'm very good at it.

I dislike it quite a bit. When I am prepared and know the material thoroughly I do okay. I speak way, way too fast.

I get quite nervous the night before, and feel a bit ill all the way up to the talk. Once I start, I go into some sort of trance, and the audience kind of slips away. People could start flipping me the bird and I wouldn't even notice. When I finished, it's a blur.

I'm fine in front of a class or lab meetings, but giving talks (especially scientific ones), I get a bit antsy.

I like it when it's a larger group, especially if I don't know anybody.

Smaller groups always freak me out.

I don't have to do it very often so that may color my opinion.

HowDroll said:

It gives me an erection.

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:bush:

I don't mind public speaking. I'm quite good at it but I don't go out of my way to find opportunity to do it. I'll handle it when I need to.

::thinks on it a bit::

No sir, don't like it!

Depends on the size of the group. 3 or 4 people I'm fine with, but more and I start to break down HARD.

I hate public speaking. I can do it if I have to, but I do not enjoy it at all.

How convenient *wiggles fingers*. Our first Toastmaster group is set up for next week...

When I was eight years old, I starred in our school play "Really Rosie." During my big opening solo, I fell right down three stairs leading up to the stage. The collective gasp of an auditorium full of parents and friends forever rings in my head. I got back up and kept singing.

Never had a fear of public speaking. After that incident, the fear of embarrassing myself in front of a big crowd of people seemed silly since I'd already done about the best job possible.

One of my proudest moments in High School was a project on warfare in literature. We had to do a paper and a display for it, and I got everything finished. Then, the teacher asked me if I was ready to present to the class.

I hadn't realized that we were supposed to present, and she said it was okay, I could do it the next day if I preferred. I told her I'd rather get it done with. No preparation, or notes to look off of, I gave what ended up being a ten minute presentation plus questions. Not a huge thing, but it was a pretty big deal at the time. And the weirdest part was: I loved it. (It was weird because that's just not who I thought I was in high school. I was fairly charismatic one-on-one, but my self-preservation philosophy was to fly under the radar when in crowds)

I like public speaking as long as I know my topic. I do need to prepare a little bit, but if all else fails, I can usually do decent off the cuff.

ZenMonkey said:

When I was eight years old, I starred in our school play "Really Rosie." During my big opening solo, I fell right down three stairs leading up to the stage. The collective gasp of an auditorium full of parents and friends forever rings in my head. I got back up and kept singing.

Never had a fear of public speaking. After that incident, the fear of embarrassing myself in front of a big crowd of people seemed silly since I'd already done about the best job possible.

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Wow, that is very similar to the story Drew Barrymore told Monday night on The Tonight Show.

Wait a second...

Krisken said:

Wow, that is very similar to the story Drew Barrymore told Monday night on The Tonight Show.

Wait a second...

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Really? I promise I'm not ripping her off. I can get my mom to verify if necessary. She probably has other "hilarious" stories about when I was a kid actor at a children's theatre at the age of 5. Luckily all the humiliation served me well as a sign language interpreter, especially for theatrical-type events.

ZenMonkey;266118][quote=Krisken said:

Wow, that is very similar to the story Drew Barrymore told Monday night on The Tonight Show.

Wait a second...

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Really? I promise I'm not ripping her off. I can get my mom to verify if necessary. She probably has other "hilarious" stories about when I was a kid actor at a children's theatre at the age of 5. Luckily all the humiliation served me well as a sign language interpreter, especially for theatrical-type events.[/QUOTE]
Actually, I was making a joke that you were Drew, putting a twist on the story.

I should have been more clear with my joking.

I dread speaking at all >.<

Krisken said:

I should have been more clear with my joking.

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The hammer is my penis.

Not a big fan, but I'm better now than I used to be. After a semester or two of college and having to present (and sit through) occasional presentations, I realized that the person speaking is the only one who cares and will remember the experience the next day. After that it got a lot easier.

I should start a course. Public Speaking via Apathy.

ZenMonkey said:

When I was eight years old, I starred in our school play \"Really Rosie.\" During my big opening solo, I fell right down three stairs leading up to the stage. The collective gasp of an auditorium full of parents and friends forever rings in my head. I got back up and kept singing.

Never had a fear of public speaking. After that incident, the fear of embarrassing myself in front of a big crowd of people seemed silly since I'd already done about the best job possible.

Click to expand...

Mine was a near miss, but having lived through it, I realized that nothing could measure up to the humiliation that it would have been, and have been essentially fearless ever since.

It terrifies me, but I do it anyway, because for the most part, whether it's classrooms, presentations, public service, training, or whatever, you're going to have to do it, and do it well, to succeed.

Speaking of speaking...

I just got out of a presentation about an hour ago, and I DOMINATED. They learned their United States regions so hard.

I hate public speaking.

If Public came up to me and started to speak, I would pretend I have a friend on the other side of the club and totally walk away.

It's weird, in a small-ish group of people I don't know, I'm usually very quiet. At a dinner party or something, where it's not a group I know well, I probably just sit and listen as long as the conversation isn't directed my way.

On the other hand, I love public speaking. If I'm supposed to be the one that people are paying attention to, then I have absolutely no problem speaking, or leading for that matter.

I never had a problem with public speaking, as long as I'm talking about something I know. If I had to memorize a speech for a class project that was a problem, until I eventually learned how to memorize things better; but I'm still much better at having a few talking points and ad-libbing from there.

Several of my recent jobs have required me to take on the role of a trainer, in front of a class of incoming employees and I love doing that.

Dislike it.

Acting in public? Sure.

Making myself an ass while acting in public? No prob.

Streaking while acting in public? As long as I get to keep my hat on.

But ask me to speak non-stop about something for 15 minutes... God, I hate that.

Not bad, but it was never bigger than an english class.

I both love and loathe it. And this goes for pretty much all social interaction.

If I'm switched on, I love it. And I'm good at it. I'm charming, I'm funny, I'm in the spotlight and people are fucking awed.

If I'm not, I feel very minimalistic, and don't really want to go through the effort of being as charming and funny as people know me to be. It's probably why I'm mostly a lurker on these boards.

Mostly.

I don't like speaking.

I would imagine everyonme with no clothes on, then take off my own. that's right, who wants some?