OVERCOMING FEAR OF SPEAKING

Stage fright is an awful experience. It's gut-wrenching, nauseating and knee-quivering and most people fear it more than a trip to the dentist.

I spend quite a lot of my time helping people overcome this fear. I also teach and train corporate employees how to vastly improve their communication skills, and sharpen up their presentations. Have you ever sat through a powerpoint presentation while someone drones on and on but after the 237th slide absolutely COVERED with inexplicable data dumps, you finally give up and just turn off. Death by Powerpoint is a real problem and I can help you with that.

I began my speaking career in College where I competed in speech competitions and won a few of them. However, I was unable to get over the freaking about speaking syndrome. Every time I got up, my diaphragm locked up and I couldn't breath properly and ran out of air mid-sentence. My knees shook so much that they sounded like castanets to my ears though I doubt anyone else could tell unless they could see my trouser pants were waving rapidly at knee level.

That all began to change when I joined Toastmasters International in March 2005. Now, nearly six years later I have been on the national executive as an Area Governor with oversight for six toastmasters clubs, spoken to many outside groups, run speechcraft courses for corporates and in the community, entered competitions and won, and on the 4th of January I received Toastmasters highest award - The Distinguished Toastmaster's Award or DTM for short.. (some say that DTM means "Don't Time Me" as many DTM's tend to go overtime on a regular basis and if last night's club meeting was anything to go by, I guess I've proved that - wow.. waaaay over time).

Now, do I still get nervous before getting up to speak.... yeah, sure I do... if I didn't I would know it was time to stop speaking. Now however, I control the nerves... and while the butterflies still flutter inside my stomach.. they now fly in formation.

If you are someone who would rather have a tooth pulled than to get up in front of a group of people and express yourself, then I strongly recommend you go to the Toastmasters website (World HeadQuarters) or in New Zealand and look for the club finder. Find a club near you that is on the right day and time for you and take yourself off to view them. Go as a visitor ... if it isn't to your taste (each club has a different club culture) then try another one. You will get to learn speaking, putting together a speech, learning about gestures and how to breathe and so much more, in comfortable surroundings and a warm, friendly and supportive environment.

If you live in Christchurch check out Civic - a late afternoon club designed for people to drop in on their way home from work in the CBD.

It might be a bit too late for a New Year's resolution but still - you know what the ubiquitous 'they' say - if you want to change some things in your life... then you have to change some things in your life.. or in other words... to continue doing the same things and expect a different result... that is the definition of insanity.

Drop me a line and let me know how you go.
cheers
Nyree

Public Speaking Tips: What Have I Been Doing

I have been particularly busy this year with my public speaking. My last engagement was for the Tecorians (a public speaking organisation) where I delivered a presentation and demonstration on Humorous Speaking. I have also been developing public speaking courses, helping other people develop there skills. And I have been competing in impromptu speech competitions.

Time has rather slipped away. However, I thought that I might put together a presentation for you to watch in my next post. Perhaps I will touch on how to be a humorous speaker.

cheers

Nyree

SUMMER IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Hi

While most of the world has been dealing with floods, freezing conditions, tornadoes and other natural events, I have been down in New Zealand and enjoyed a wonderful summer in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The weather has been warm, the people amazingly friendly and I have had a number of speaking engagements as well.

If you get the chance to visit this wonderful green country, come in their Spring to their Autumn (October - March). New Zealanders don't use the term 'Fall' to describe autumn. The picture to the left, shows Christchurch taken from Sumner Beach and shows the Southern Alps in the background. New Zealand was founded by English settlers and Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand, is known as the most English city outside of England. It has to be seen to be believed.

Its coming into Fall now down here and time for me to bring my holiday/working time to a close. Keep an eye on this blog because soon I will be posting regularly again with hints, tips and products to enhance YOUR speaking abilities.

Keep well

Nyree

Public Speaking Tips - Some Great Resources

During the years it's taken me to reach my current stage of progress in public speaking, I've referred and used a number of resources. There are some really good resources out there and some others that are a total waste of time.

Everyone has his or her own style and some styles of speaking appeals to certain people and others don't. I hope you are enjoying and using the public speaking tips I've used in here and if you have found them useful, please allow me to recommend some tools to help you further.

Paul Evans is a speaker with a great reputation. He is paid quite a lot for making a speech. Imagine being 'paid' to speak! It's the greatest feeling in the world.

Another program I can recommend is this one.

How to Conquer Public Speaking Fears!

Be sure to check out some of the other resources I've used in my previous blogs and drop me a line if you want some one on one help. Zig Ziglar is a bit of a hero of mine. He has been a professional speaker for a lot of years and he has helped so many others. He has learned a great secret and it is:

You can get whatever you want out of life by helping enough other people get what they want. - Zig Ziglar

Be free

Nyree

Public Speaking Tips - What Next?

There is only so much preparation that you can do before you speak and only so many public speaking tips you can read. Of course you must go through all the preparation, the research, the audience analytics, topic search and subject research but then comes a time when you just have to DO IT!

Yes, that's right. Now comes the time you have to stand up in front of an audience and actually 'say' something. The rehearsals are all over and tonight (or today) is the day of your debut. I just know that you are going to do well.

Begin small. Take on the challenge of speaking for just 5 minutes. When you are comfortable, then speak for 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes and 1 hour.

Haven't you done well!! Congratulations. The moment you stood up, took a deep breath, made eye-contact with some of your audience, opened your mouth and gave the opening for your speech, you became a winner.

Who said you wouldn't feel nervous? Sure wasn't me because I still feel nervous. I've just learned how to get my butterflies to fly in formation. I've learned to breathe from my diaphragm and to breath deeply and relax all my muscles and take control of the platform, but I still feel nervous.

Nerves give you an edge. They give you sparkle. Nerves and confidence do go hand in hand. Whoever said they didn't or couldn't didn't know a thing about it. Bravery isn't about not being scared. Bravery is being scared and STILL doing what needs to be done.

Well done everyone of you who stood up and spoke. I'd love to hear from you about your experiences. Drop me a comment and let me know that my posts on public speaking tips have helped.

Nyree

Secrets of Successful Speakers: How You Can Motivate, Captivate, and Persuade