Mattson on Communication: Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

Mattson on Communication: Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking: Over the past several years, my feelings on this topic have evolved.   I spent over 23 years of my adult life being terrified of Public Sp...

Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

Over the past several years, my feelings on this topic have evolved.  I spent over 23 years of my adult life being terrified of Public Speaking such that it put my career into a deep freeze.  I overwhelmed myself with the fear of looking incompetent, being laughed at, and looking pathetic.  I would almost pass out at the thought of standing in front of a group even though I seemed to excel in one-on-one communication.

After years of study, practice, and a determined mindset to “harness” this fear, I succeeded in harnessing the fear even to the point of writing a book on the findings of my research and teaching others to improve their public speaking skills.

I gave a presentation yesterday at a service club on Public Speaking for Introverts, and had some interesting questions come up.  One of them was, "How did you overcome your fear, specifically?" I actually did go to a public speaking consultant, and they helped me by observing my speeches, then working with me to not only organize my speech therefore improving my message, but to also give me the practice of presenting to a room; even though they were the only one in it at the time!  The effect was to gradually give me the confidence to realize that I had the ability to do it.  I could get in front of a group and, with an organized speech, and lots of practice, my message would be focused and interesting.  It had such a positive effect on my professional life, that I too provide public speaking consulting as part of my business.  It's a wonderful feeling to see someone with my same initial fear become a successful and confident speaker. 

My feelings now (knowledgeable of The Francis Effect) are that most of my fear was based on an overwhelming amount of self-consciousness and selfishness.  I was so self-absorbed, my own feelings of fear were more important than any useful information I could share with others, thus stopping me before I got started.  The price was many years of lower pay, less help to others, and wasted time of friends enduring my private proclamations that I knew better than the brave people in front of the group.

If you can get the mindset that your message is more important than how you look, then, the fear will not debilitate you as it gives way to courage resulting in valuable information you will share with others.

Focus on your message and the audience, not yourself.

Mattson on Communication: Perception

Mattson on Communication: Perception: Perception Defined – How we view the world This definition begs many questions. What does it mean, “How we view the world?”   Doesn’...

Perception

Perception

Defined – How we view the world

This definition begs many questions. What does it mean, “How we view the world?”
 

Doesn’t everybody view the world the same? 

The truth is the truth, right?
 

Is there only one reality or many realities?
 

Don’t we see what’s real?

How is our view of the world different than the real world, or is it?

Imagine you live in an apartment building – make it a 10 story apartment building, and there are windows all around the building on every floor. You’re looking out at the world from your window. 

Will your view of the world be the same as someone looking out from a different window? Will it be the same if someone came over and looked out of your window?

What differences do you expect between looking out your window and someone else looking out a different window?

We can conclude we all view the world differently and have different realities.

Can you think of an instance where you viewed an event and later learned the reality turned out to be something else?

"For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible."
–Stuart Chase

Mattson on Communication: Public Speaking Training Improves Effectiveness in...

Mattson on Communication: Public Speaking Training Improves Effectiveness in...: Public speaking training is about more than just public speaking.   We are convinced the principles that guide effective speeches and ...

Public Speaking Training Improves Effectiveness in All Communication Events

Public speaking training is about more than just public speaking.  We are convinced the principles that guide effective speeches and presentations are just as effective in all other communication situations.

Communication can be challenging in these fast paced times involving high technology and our face to face dealings with a wide diversity of people.  More specifically, communication mediated with smart phones, voice messages, text messages, and video conferences all provide advantages, yet lose the richness that can only be achieved in face to face communication.  One problem is we reduce our face to face practice by relying on high technology; therefore, we become less effective and often find ourselves with heightened anxiety.

Have you ever experienced anxiety in the following situations:  You are a project manager and need to ask your superiors for more resources i.e. money, supplies, equipment, time, man hours etc?  You are in line for a promotion but must get through an internal panel interview?  You have gone a long time without a raise and you deserve one but are afraid to ask?  Your ideas are good, but you are reluctant to bring them up at a meeting, then someone says your idea and gets the credit?  You can clearly see a solution to a problem, but the boss intimidates you and you are afraid to point it out, then someone else points out the same solution and they again receive the credit?  You have been working on a solution to a work problem and getting it OK’d rides on your skills to competently present it a decision maker?  You are having a conflict or major problem with a co-worker, but don’t know how to approach the boss about it?

Executive managers:  Are these doubts going through your managers minds?  These are communication problems that can cost your organization, division, department, or team money and time; however, all these challenges can be solved.  The principles that can solve these problems are the same principles that drive highly effective speeches.

We teach these principles.  In any communication event, an audience analysis must be completed whether it is one-on-one or one to many.  Several questions must be answered because selection of the right communication principles is situational and relational.  You must have a purpose, and you must have one main idea.  That’s not enough; the main idea must be communicated and supported with evidence.  These are all public speaking principles which must be applied in the right way, at the right time, for the right person(s) or situation.

We can teach these principles in a customized way.  We are asked by some people the following:  Why shouldn’t we just send our people to a Dale Carnegie Course or Toastmasters?  Our answer is we believe these two organizations are excellent choices; however, both demand an extended commitment to time, or money, or both.  We can laser in on the challenges and by customizing, we can be more effective with you or your people in 1-5 hours (depending on situation, needs, and size of group), not weeks or months.

Imagine more effective communication.  Things will get done right the first time.  There is an old saying, “Why is it that you never have time to do things right, but you always have time to do things over?”  With good communication principles, things can get done right the first time.

Many major projects have gone over costs because of communication errors.  Poor skills in giving instructions, listening (not listening or hearing issues), using metaphors not understood by all peoples, not identifying a purpose, poor question asking abilities, not understanding the audience—person(s) you are addressing, paraphrasing abilities, etc. 

 

All these things greatly affect the bottom line.  The State of Washington is about to lose $10 million (the 520 floating bridge pontoons), the Space Shuttle exploded after take off, a KLH passenger jet was shot down, and countless other major disasters happened mainly due to poor communication.

Public Speaking is the most studied discipline in the history of mankind.  One reason is because mastering its principles will make your everyday communication more effective resulting in higher income, getting jobs done, making jobs secure, and making organizations more profitable.

I urge you to call us for a public speaking assessment, because if you do, you will improve your workplace satisfaction, solve problems faster, make more money, and improve your relationships.

Mattson on Communication: Presenting the Presenter

Mattson on Communication: Presenting the Presenter: The Speech of Introduction is very important.  It sets the tone for the speaker and helps the speaker with getting the attention of the...