How do you get up to speak in front of 150+ people and not appear nervous?

Question

I have to speak in my church for twenty minutes on a topic. I have the talk written but how do i keep my hands from shaking and my face from turning red? I have issues with public speaking please help.

Answer 1

Your audience is rooting for you, and really wants to hear what you have to say.

Just tell them in a conversational way, like you would tell a friend. Besides, if it's your church, you probably know most of them anyway.

Scan the audience back and forth slowly every so often so everyone feels "included" in your speech. Make eye contact with good friends for reassurance, but don't stare at any one person for too long.

Humor is your friend, as long as it flows naturally.

Answer 2

Practice, practice, practice.

When you know the material very very well, you will become comfortable speaking about the subject.

When you look into the audience, you should know that these are all of your friends, who are there to support you. Try to look at just one or two of your friends in the audience, and pretend that you are speaking to just that ONE.

Don't worry about the other stuff. Your face is naturally red. Your hands naturally shake a bit. But if you hold your hands firmly on the podium, nobody will notice the shaking.

Yes, I speak. I spoke to a crowd of about 150 about a week ago. It went easy. Yes, I was slightly nervous, and I did not know anyone in the audience. But being nervous is why you take the time to be more prepared.

I will again be speaking to a crowd of strangers on July 2nd in Boston. I believe that I will be facing a crowd of about 200. I'm not scared..... too much.

Here is another little story. I was speaking at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library in New York. I was fully prepared. I had my Power point presentation and I had handout. The presentation was planned for just 15 minutes. I worked it out, so I used the whole 15 minutes, so that I would not go overtime. I practiced and practiced with the slides. The day came, and the speaker before me was using the computer. My moment came, and he turned the computer OFF. So now, I had to go SOLO, without the slides. 10 seconds of panic, but then I proceeded just fine without the slides. Since I had hand-outs, I simply referred to what people had in their hands.

Good luck and keep practicing.

Answer 3

Unfortunately there's no way to really prevent this from happening. If you can stand behind a podium, and keep your hands on the top, that will prevent anyone from seeing your hands shaking. As far as your face getting red, if you feel it coming on take deep breaths, and have some water, that might help.

Although, people know that getting up there and talking in front of a lot of people is nerve wracking, so just go out, have fun and give it your best shot...worst case scenario, you laugh about it with your gal pals afterward.

Good luck!

Answer 4

From my experience, I usually turn a few shades of red, stutter, and my mouth becomes so dry that I feel like I can't talk. Take a deep breath, make sure you've got your speech w/ you and make marks on where you should stop, take another breath, and look up a bit. Most of the time, others around you don't even notice the things you think are totally apparent. Not that you ever become completely comfortable, but it gets better once you're a little into the speech.

Answer 5

I have issues too but I have found that the more you practice, the easier it is. I have to get up and give a speech every year for work and each year it is easier. I would try giving it in front of your family or a few friends so you can get use people listening to you. And then, when the real thing comes along just look at them when you are talking and forget about everyone else.
Good luck!!

Answer 6

Actually, it's perfectly normal to be nervous. It's what you do with that energy that's important. Use that adrenaline to make yourself into an exciting and dynamic speaker.

I just went to a big conference in Breckenridge, Colorado. The keynote speaker had a PHD from from Harvard and had tons of acting and public speaking experience. I briefly spoke to her before her speech. She told me how nervous she was. Her palms were sweating and she was fidgeting. But then, she told me how this always helped her to get keyed up. Her speech was fantastic from start to finish. Her energy was amazing.

Good luck with your speech.

You may also want to consider joining a group called toastmasters. It's a group of people that help each other with public speaking.

Answer 7

PREPARATION! The better you know the material, the easier it will be. You aren't required to make eye contact with anyone, but you sort of need to LOOK like you are. I have found looking at a point just over the audience helps. Literally practicing in front of a mirror is useful. It will show you what you look like to teh audience. Also, once you have done it a few times by yourself, it WILL be a bit easier. Good luck!

Answer 8

Practice and know your topic so well that you can spew it off by heart to give you the confidence to speak on it. Also try and slow yourself down a bit. Most people tend to speed up way to much and it shows they are nervous.

If you are fidgity then get behind a podium or something and put your hands on it and grip it. Don't wave them around or have papers in your hands to distract people.

Answer 9

Make eye contact
walk a little bit around while talking if possible
Practice the speech in front of anyone who will listen
Focus on something not related to your speech
(for example tell yourself what you will be doing after the speech is given)
Relax, and have fun, and remember everyone there will be on your side

Answer 10

You are worried about how others will percieve you. Don't be. Many cannot speak in front of others. Be confident about what you are speaking of. You were obviously chosen for a reason. So practice your speach that way you will be confident of what you are speaking of.