Help with overcoming fear of public speaking

darabbit

Hi,

Can anyone recommend anyone in Galway that can help me to overcome my fear of public speaking/presentations. I cripple at the thought of doing any presentation at work an I feel that it is preventing me from moving up the ladder at work.

Thanks.

wandatowell

http://galway.toastmastersclubs.org/


My uncle was a Garda and a lot of his time he was in court and had to give evidence in front of a large public gallery.
For years he was terrified by it, so he decided to join his local Toastmaster's club, a couple of months later he was being ask by other Gardai
how was he so confident while in court.


From what he told me there is zero pressure at the club as everybody there started off on the same foot at different times and are very supportive. People at the meetings are mature and will only be delighted to help you out.

biko

A friend went to an assertiveness course in GMIT? and thought it helped well with many things, incl public speaking.

darabbit

Thanks Wandatowell and biko. I did think about toastmasters but from what I have heard there are a lot of super confident speakers that usually get up to present. This would only make me more nervous than I already am!

I think I will look into the course in GMIT.

snubbleste

Toastmasters cannot criticise you even if you project vomit during a speech.

Ludikrus

There's a night course in GMIT:
http://www.gmit.ie/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning-programmes/business/public-speaking.html

Mrs OBumble

I tend to think that Toastmasters are better because they have a staged process that spreads out over a while (months/years), whereas a course crams everything into a few weeks.

Also, because it's a club not a course, you make better longer-term relationships with the people there, which makes them intrinsically more supportive. With a course, everyone's there to learn from the one tutor. With a club, there are a range of people to learn from, so there's less risk of getting someone who you just don't like.

inisboffin

Some drama groups or courses may help with the nerves too. There's a fair few regular and one offs that you always see notices for, and it's a good social scene too.

happyoutscan

Don't know of anyone personally but if you are giving a work presentation would/could you have access to the exact room/hall/lecture room that you will be doing the presentation? If so, it might be good for you to use it when empty - perhaps during lunch hour - and to give your presentation to an empty room. Do this over a couple days and you'll find that you'll familiarize yourself with the acoustics of the room (ie how loud/quiet you are) and also you can pick out a few point spots to look at as your giving your presentation, which may be easier to focus on instead of looking directly at the audience. This will give the audience a feeling that you're including them and will make you look confident. Maybe ask one of your close colleagues or a friend to come with you for them to sit and give you some feedback regarding your volume, stance etc. This will also help your confidence.

I did this with a couple of my friends in NUIG a few years back who were terrified at public speaking but they found this made it so much easier.

Best of luck.

darabbit

I have been doing a bit of research and I came accross hypnosis to overcome my fear. Has anyone tried this> it is 150 euro a session so I would like to know if it worth the money. I would be will ing to pay if it was guaranteed to work.

biko

Hypnosis is never guaranteed to work. A certain percentage of the population is not susceptible to hypnosis.
So try someone who either has a money back guarantee or give it a go anyway.

I would go with a psychological approach but that's for another discussion.
Toastmasters or assertiveness course would be best for you I think. Each will give you confidence and tips/tricks on how to address crowds.

trigger26

I work as a hypnotist and would still suggest Toastmasters to someone rather than a hypnosis session. I think the best way to move past this fear is to get up there and present, Toastmasters is great for supporting you and allowing you to go at your own pace, I don't know why there is so much resistance to this approach.

I've worked through this approach myself, although shaking and nervous at the start of my icebreaker in Toastmasters, I actually enjoy getting up there now:)

TheSegal

I'd go with the Galway Toastmasters OP. You'll not only overcome your fear of public speaking but you may also discover what parts of speaking in public that you excel at, such as maybe throwing in an improvised joke or two based on the current situation. Hypnosis may make you feel comfortable but it's no substitute for real practice

Squeeonline

The Literary and Debating Society hold public speaking workshops once a week during college term. http://www.literaryanddebating.com/event-calendar/

It's a very friendly atmosphere, non students are welcome. The format is usually a short talk by a member of the committee about how to structure arguments, rhetoric etc followed by an opportunity to test what you've just learned.

It's a smaller crowd than usually present at the main debates on Thursday, but you can speak then too.

pudgeydev

I'm a member of Toastmasters Galway, it's definitely worth coming along to.
The thing that a toastmasters has that courses or hypnosis doesn't is practice practice practice. You really can't beat practicing in front of a crowd who are all in the same boat as yourself and hoping you do well. If you don't do a good speech at work, or at a family occasion that's one thing, but at toastmasters you can mess up loads and it doesn't matter a fig.

It's in no way full of people who are very confident speakers.

There's one on Wednesday at 8:30 in the Menlo, guests can come along and you won't be asked to speak. This Wednesday there's one Icebreaker (someone's first ever speech at a toastmasters) so it's worth going for the look.

wet-paint

Michel Durham at Durham Voice Studio on Abbeygate St does stuff with this, confidence building, breath control, and a lot more stuff that I've no idea about. She's very good, and a lot cheaper than a hundred and fifty bucks.

nuac

1. Toastmasters or similar is a very good idea, and a good way of building up skills and confidence.

2, If you are in UCG/NUIG or GMIT there are probably a variety of societies/discussion groups/debating societies. Most of these would be quieter than the main debating societies, and a good place to start,

3, Joining a drama group is also a good way to gain confidence.

4, Glad to see the Lit and Deb in UCG/NUIG is still going strong. It was a bear pit in the fifties, but great experience once you found your feet. Before I got to UCG I thought that the debating society would deal with all the great issues of the day. In fact the first motion on the first night I was there was protesting about the increase of coffee in the coffee shop from 3d to 4d. There was also some unrest about the pint out town going to two shillings. No in-campus bars then

5, In those days few secondary schools had debating societies. Improved since.

6 Junior Chamber also used to run debating competitiions

7, Avoid writing out or learning off your speech. At most just some keywords on a card. Hold the humour until you have some experience. You need timing to get a joke across.

8 Heckling is an artform in some debating societies. Important not to let the heckler put you off your stride, e.g.

Can always just say "I willl deal with that later"

If the heckler shouts "Bullsh--t" or similar say "If that is your special topic, you can talk about it later"

Enjoy

Music4life

What helped me was using my phone to record myself speaking out loud! People usually freak out because there not used to hearing there own voice out loud.
Prepare a speech and try this.If you really want to step up your game I hear toastmasters is great.

Happy Monday

pudgeydev wrote: »

I'm a member of Toastmasters Galway, it's definitely worth coming along to.
The thing that a toastmasters has that courses or hypnosis doesn't is practice practice practice. You really can't beat practicing in front of a crowd who are all in the same boat as yourself and hoping you do well. If you don't do a good speech at work, or at a family occasion that's one thing, but at toastmasters you can mess up loads and it doesn't matter a fig.

It's in no way full of people who are very confident speakers.

There's one on Wednesday at 8:30 in the Menlo, guests can come along and you won't be asked to speak. This Wednesday there's one Icebreaker (someone's first ever speech at a toastmasters) so it's worth going for the look.

Are with still with Toastmasters?

I believe that if I could manage speeches here - 3 to 5 over a couple of months - this would improve my confidence in job interviews no end.

Please advise.

nuac

Toastmasters seem to have a good system.

In my time in college the Lit and Deb was a bear pit, but some other societies had debates which were quieter.

Junior Chamber used to have debating nights, but they do not seem to be around now

tmh106

Another recommendation for Toastmasters. I haven't been to them myself, but my sister-in-law has and she found them really great. There will be people there who are either in the same position as you or have been, so I think it will be a good environment for you.

For work presentations, apart from having the confidence to stand up and present, you also really need to know and understand the material you are presenting. You may be the best presenter in the world, but if you are not familiar/knowledgeable about what you are presenting the presentation will probably not go well. Conversely, if you are familiar/know well the material you are presenting I find that makes you feel much more confident about doing the presentation.

Good luck.

bikermartin

Definitely agree with this. Knowing the material well and being able to answer any questions brings confidence.