When you are public speaking, are you relaxed or nervous?

During my working years, I had to do a lot of public speaking. Most of the time, I was relaxed. Once in a while, I would get nervous. I don't know why that would happen but something must have triggered my nervousness. I think the most difficult speaking probably was to large audiences of several hundred people. Small groups seem to easier.

What are your experiences while you are speaking publicly?

I've had many experiences. Speaking before small groups, medium-sized groups, and large groups. The one and only time I was nervous was when I had to speak before several hundred people. I was introducing a book I wrote. I didn't like my presentation. I had an idea to fix it. It was much better, and I stopped being nervous. It went well. I was asked for my autograph.



How do you prepare to speak? For big, formal presentations, I make notes. I've also made slides, which move me along. For short or informal presentations, I think about what I'm gonna say, and then I say it. I recently spoke at a press conference for public hospitals in NYC. I was told I'd have about a minute. I just thought about what I could say in that time. Then I said it. Made people laugh.

Do you speak from notes or read from written text? From notes or spontaneously. Never ever from written text. Ever!

How do you overcome "stage fright?" Never had stage fright.

How do you relate to your audience? I look at them. Try to make eye contact. I speak publicly pretty much the way I talk privately, except I don't use dirty words in public.

How do you prepare to answer questions? I don't prepare. I just answer them.
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During my working years, I had to do a lot of public speaking.
Most of the time, I was relaxed. Once in a while, I would get nervous.

I don't know why that would happen but something must have triggered my nervousness.
I think the most difficult speaking probably was to large audiences
of several hundred people.

Small groups seem to easier.

What are your experiences while you are speaking publicly?

How do you prepare to speak?

Do you speak from notes or read from written text?

How do you overcome "stage fright?"

How do you relate to your audience?

How do you prepare to answer questions?

BBB

What are your experiences while you are speaking publicly?
I love public speaking. It's almost always a good experience for me.

How do you prepare to speak?
I try to think of what I'll say -- it depends on the context.
When I used to teach, I had extensive written notes.
When I've toasted my mother at a large family gathering
for her birthday, I've winged it.[Shoud that be: "I wung it" ?]

Do you speak from notes or read from written text?
Rarely either, unless it's something with details that I have to know really, really well. Then, just notes.

How do you overcome "stage fright?"
I don't get it. I do get excited at the beginning -- first few words or sentences are often rushed, then I settle into the flow.

How do you relate to your audience?
Humor, almost always.

How do you prepare to answer questions?
I try to allow for what people would normally ask. When I taught paralegals, I knew the material so I'd anticipate questions about anything I couldn't cover in the lecture. When I taught Excel classes, I'd also wait for something I couldn't cover in the main time allotment. If I didn't know the answer, I'd say I'd research it, then I'd get back to people in email or when we'd next meet.

How do you overcome "stage fright?"

"It's funny to me that the number one fear most adults name is the fear of public speaking, and yet no one here at A2K seems to even know the meaning of the 'f' word. Well, I unfortunately am an exception to the stalwart orators here. I've gotten stage fright, and flop sweats, and borderline panic on occasion, and my years of experience haven't served to completely eliminate those occasions. I have learned some things that help me cope and at least appear calm, but the biggest thing is to have mastery of the material."

What methods did you use to overcome your stage fright?

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