Improving Public Speaking??

[Kung Fu Steve]

So it's almost been a full week... how was your first toastmasters?

 

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[LeftBench]

So it's almost been a full week... how was your first toastmasters?

I found one near my house that meets every other Tuesday at 7pm with their next meeting being this Tuesday the 25th. The shitty part is I work my slow lane job every other Tuesday rotating from 7am-7pm and 7pm-7am. So I am looking now to find a new club since I'll be working every time they have a meeting. I'm definitely going to check out a Toastmasters meeting though, and soon.

 

[LeftBench]

I found one that better fits my schedule, although its much further. Not the end of the world. http://opendoor.toastmastersclubs.org/

 

[Christian949]

I have an issue with public speaking also. I tend to get worried about my accent and people not understanding me in college classes(though none of my friends risk me if I say something). I really don't know why...

 

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[Longinus]

I have an issue with public speaking also. I tend to get worried about my accent and people not understanding me in college classes(though none of my friends risk me if I say something). I really don't know why...

Yeah, Arnold Schwarzenegger was also worried about his accent. That didn't keep him from making blockbuster movies. Same with Stallone. Or Van Damme. People also laughed with my accent when I was a kid because my parents came from another region. So what, it makes you unique.

Face it, 99.9% of the world population tend to get worried about their accent, looks, posture, ... That's why speaking in front of an audience is the biggest fear of people. Yes, they're actually more afraid of speaking for an audience than for death, nuclear threats, IS, diseases or asking on this forum if their idea is fastlane. Can you imagine?

Just be bold and get in front of that audience. You're probably making it up and if not, it's no reason to stay silent. People don't care about your accent, they care about your message.

 

[Anthony Mathapo]

I think the most effective public speaking tool is a mind shift.

A shift from "Me" focus to Nobody gives a crap about me.

They only care about how I look, how I dress, how I communicate, what I can add to them. They don't give a crap about me.

I don't know how you can adopt this mindset - but it's been insanely useful for me.

Do you care if I'm nervous, shy, or whatever the heck as you're reading these words on this forum? Only if it's effecting how well you understand what I'm saying. Lol It's not about you, it's about them. Forget about yourself and you'll have nothing to worry about

best post i have heard all week. THE TRUTH DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN THAT!!!

 

[sija1]

Hey all,

I'm interested in getting better at speaking in public. I tend to get shy/embarrassed and care too much what people think. I was wondering what tools or resources I should look into to improve in this area?

Practice is the king. I remember when I moved to Quebec and started learning french. It took me a lot of time to start speaking to people I don't know. Then one day I just said screw it and started participating in different activities which involved speaking to a group of 10, 50 even 100 people. Made an a$$ of myself couple of times in the process, but now speaking to an audience is one of the things I love the most.

That being said, Google some practical tips and use every opportunity to talk to a group of people. Start with smaller ones, like 10-15. About Toastmasters - never joined but just did a research after reading the posts here and will definitively be doing that too.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

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[DrunkFish]

Something I usually keep in mind is that the most listened to people are the ones who are the most bold. Like MLK or Steve Jobs. Start with the why, stand for something.

If either of these guys cared for what people thought, they definitely wouldn't have turned out to be who they were. A lot of people hate both of them but a lot of people strongly support them as well.

 

[healthstatus]

Toastmasters is good, I would also say to check into a Dale Carnegie course on speaking as they address large groups, small groups and mingling.