Expert: Ralph Salier - 10/12/2005

Question
Hello, I am preparing to provide a class on "overcoming your fear of public speaking."  Is there anything that points to this fear actually stemming from our earliest fears?  Where does this often unwarranted strong feeling come from?  Any ideas?
Thanks,
Becky

Answer
Becky,

Even the most accomplished public speakers often have "butterflies" before they go on stage.  There are many reasons for this "angst" but for the most part it is the fear of self embarrasment.  It is very hard to stand before large group of people, your peers or otherwise, and speak.

This is across cultures.  As for the fear coming from our childhood, in some cases this is probably the case.  I for one never like to read outloud in front of the class because of both a speach impediment and LD.  Reading aloud was always a source of embarrasment for me.

Today, having years of practice before a classroom filled with students and giving lectures and other forms of public speaking, I just remember that every one is wearing "pink polk -a - dotted" underware.  I try to relax myself and then I try to do the same for the crowd with a joke or intentional slip.  That gets them laughing and breakes the tension.  

I have several friends who act and two of them barf before going on stage, their butterflies are so bad.  They overcome this "angst" by getting into character early and enter the stage already in character, ignore the audiance and simply interact with their fellow actors on stage.

Hope this helps