1. Overcome the Fear of Speaking to Groups Author: Ron Kurtus Presented by Nishit Patel 03/01/2011

2. Most people are afraid of speaking to a group because they think they will look foolish or stupid in front of many important people. They feel like their poor public speaking skills will lower their values that the others have for them. Right before they start speaking, their heart rate starts increasing and their legs or even the entire body starts to shake. The author describes five steps to overcome this fear of public speaking: 1. Be well-prepared before speaking to a group 2. Practice your speech 3. Have a backup, in case you forget what you want to say 4. Reduce the fear of your audience 5. Relax yourself just before you speak

3. Be Well Prepared Know exactly what you’re going to talk about and what type of audience you will be speaking before. In what conditions are you going to be presenting? Being well prepared brings confidence in the presenter.

4. Practice Practice several times before you give the speech. Use a mirror – gives you an idea of how you look while presenting. Stand in a corner – the sound reflects back to you and you can get an idea of how you sound. Speak before a friendly audience – not the same as speaking in front of the actual audience but it can improve your skills significantly.

5. Have a Backup Referring to your outlined speech is acceptable to an audience, so have a few note cards that you can refer to, in case you forget anything. You may not even use these cards, but knowing the fact that you have a backup will reduce the anxiety and bring confidence in you.

6. Reduce fear of the audience One important thing to realize is that the audience want to hear from you and want you to do good. Think of the audience as friendly people rather than important people. This positive image should put you in a good frame of mind and build confidence.

7. Relax Before Speaking Take three deep breaths to relax yourself before going up on the stage. When you get on the stage, count to 10 before you start speaking. This will allow the audience to settle and be ready to hear from you. It is also a way to show that you are now in control.

8. Summary In conclusion, the best way to overcome the fear of speaking to a group is to make sure you are well prepared, have practiced as much as possible, have an outline of the speech in case you forget your lines, visualize the audience as not so important, and relax before going on the stage.

9. Any questions?? Citation Kurtus, Ron. “Overcome the Fear of Speaking to Groups” 22 Dec. 2001. Public Speaking. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.