Lesson Objectives:

• Define the term stage fright and state its causes.
• Explain how to control stage fright to help you become an effective speaker.
• Understand the importance of humor and body movements in gaining confidence for speaking.
• Understand the importance of speech critiques in becoming a more confident speaker.

"The human brain is a wonderful thing.  It starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public."  This quote from well-known entertainer George Jessel illustrates what is probably the most common problem faced by those who give public speeches-the problem of stage fright.

Until now you have been learning about the participating in the "calmer" forms of speaking.  As you begin your study of public speaking you probably feel less calm about standing alone in front of the class than you did about doing an interview or taking part in a small group meeting.

Stage fright is a significant problem for most beginning speakers an obstacle that can make the difference between success or failure in accomplishing your speech purpose. 

Understanding Stage Fright

Most People Experience Stage Fright

You are not the only one in your class who gets sweaty palms and a queasy stomach at the very thought of giving a speech.  You are part of a large majority.  Usually about 80% - 90% of the members in your class would report some form of nervousness about giving a public speech.

Stage fright is not just for public speakers, but can also occur in actors, tennis and baseball players, concert pianists, and circus clowns.  Basically, most people who have to give some form of a public performance of any kind experience uneasy feelings.

Why Stage Fright Occurs

Why do you feel nervous when it's time to speak?  Stage fright affects most people in physical ways such as sweaty palms, queasy stomach, dry mouth, excessive perspiration, increased heart rate,  and shortness of breath.  When you are preparing to give a public speech, a strong psychological tension can build up within you.  This tension comes from two confliction realizations:

1) I desperately want to perform well and make a good impression

2) I may not be very successful.

Your realization that all eyes will be focused on you and that you will be the center of attention intensifies the desire for success and the fear of failure and embarrassment.

Controlled Stage Fright Is Helpful

You can make good use of tension when you are preparing to deliver a speech.  Such internal tension causes your muscles to tighten, your heart and breathing rates to increase, and more adrenaline and oxygen to pump throughout your body.  The result is that your brain and body muscles become "supercharged".  Your body is preparing to meet a special situation.

Good public speakers can take this result of stage fright and make it work for them by learning how to control it and channel it properly.  The simple realization that stage fright is natural before a speech---and actually an aid to sharper thinking---can itself be a means of controlling it.  Controlled stage fright can then aid you in becoming a successful speaker.

Uncontrolled Stage Fright Can Be Harmful

Inexperienced speakers, unused to feeling the symptoms of stage fright, often think that their dry throat or sweaty palms spell certain doom for their speech.  If these feelings intensify and turn to more worry, then worse symptoms will develop.  The result is runaway stage fright.  Its effects are quite different from controlled stage fright and may ruin a well-prepared speech.

Runaway stage fright takes one of two forms.

• The first form is born of lack of confidence and usually strikes before the speech begins.  This happens when the speaker is well prepared for the speech, however, the symptoms of stage fright makes the speaker and the speech snowball.
• The second form arises from poor preparation combined with overconfidence and ordinarily does not occur until the after the speech has begun.  Inadequate preparation usually is detected once the speaker has reached the body of the speech.  Usually, forgetfulness occurs while the person is speaking, and all of a sudden sudden stage fright will trigger.

Controlling Your Nervousness

Prepare Thoroughly:  One effective method for controlling stage fright is to prepare thoroughly for each public speech.  In order to prepare to the following:

• Study your topic
• Analyze the needs of your audience
• Research and outline the ideas of your speech.
• Rehearse your presentation sufficiently.

Relax Before You Speak:  Below lists some techniques to relax before you speak.

• Force yourself to yawn widely several times to fill your lungs with air each time by breathing deeply.
• Let your head hang down as far as possible on your chest for several moments, then slowly rotate it in a full circle allowing your eyelids to droop lazily.  Let your mouth and lower jaw hang open loosely.  Repeat this several times slowly.
• Sit in a slumped position in a chair as if you were a rag doll.  Allow your arms to dangle beside the chair and your head to slump on your chest and your mouth to hang open.

Realize Audiences Tend to Be Sympathetic:  Audiences are usually sympathetic to the problem of state fright.  Usually audiences will react in a friendly and encouraging fashion if they see the speaker getting nervous when speaking.

Develop the Right Attitude:  If you look upon stage fright as something positive, you are less likely to experience the kind of runaway stage fright that befalls speakers who see it as as a totally negative experience.  Controlled stage fright can aid you in becoming a successful speaker.

Concentrate On Your Topic:  Many beginning speakers lack confidence because they are thinking too much about themselves.  "Will I do as well as the last speaker when my turn comes?" is a usual question that many ask.  Instead, develop a positive attitude and say to yourself "I really have a topic that I want to share with these listeners  I want to make certain they are informed (persuaded and entertained), and I will do everything in my power to assure that they are."

Concentrate on Your Audience:  While you are actually delivering your speech, search the faces of your audience to make certain they are following your ideas to see whether the listeners agree with your ideas.  If you perceive boredom growing among your listeners, change tactics and attempt to regain their attention and interest.

Inject a Little Humor:  Humor as long been a means of reducing tension between speaker and audience.  Getting a laugh from the audience builds confidence rapidly; a speaker is assured that there is little to fear from the listeners.  Once your speech has begun, injecting a bit of humor, particularly near the beginning, relaxes you more effectively than anything else.  If you use humor use the following rules:

• Prepare humor beforehand, making certain that it will be understood and appreciated by this particular audience.
• Use humor mainly during the speech introduction, sprinkling less amounts throughout the remainder of the speech.
• Do not overuse humor.
• Avoid offensive jokes.

Move About, Use Gestures, and Make Eye Contact:  Moving while delivering a speech can help reduce nervous tension as well as the other symptoms of stage fright.  Any movements you make should be suited to the speech and the audience.  Your movements should not distract the listeners from the message.  For example, grabbing the sides of a lectern so tightly that a speaker's knuckles turn white would be a distraction.  Good movements help to communicate your message nonverbally. 

Total Body Movement:  Except for very formal occasions, a speaker should occasionally change positions on the platform.  Moving the entire body is called platform movement.  Such movement looks best when it is made on a diagonal and not forward and backward or side to side.  Total body movement is especially appropriate when a speaker is making a major transition in thought patterns, or when it is desirable to get to one part of the audience where attention seems to be flagging.

Gestures:  As a public speaker, you should use some gestures during a point in your speech.  Gestures during a live performance should not look practiced.  Gestures include hand and arm movements.  Gestures also include head and face movements where you move your head frequently to look from one part of the audience to another.

Eye Contact:  Remember that your eyes may be your most effective means of body-motion communication.  Eye contact is desirable because of the feeling it gives each audience member that you are speaking to him or her directly.

Handle Specific Symptoms of Nervousness:  Doing the following can help you better prepare to be a great public speaker:

• Speak As Often As You Can:  This helps to build up confidence.  Join a club or organization on your campus that will allow you to speak.
• Use Speech Critiques To Your Advantage:  Speech critiques may seem awkward, however it is recommended.  Speech critiques, when done well, are one of the best ways of teaching you to become a confident and effective public speaker.  You get to learn from your mistakes in giving speeches just as you did when you first took swimming lessons or were on your first softball team.

How To Be A Good Speech Critic

• Begin with the positive points about the speech.  Next, follow with the more negative points.
• Be specific, especially with the positive comments.  Make sure you elaborate.
• Criticize the speech, not the speaker.  Make sure you are specific with your criticisms.
• State your reactions as your opinion.  Avoid being dogmatic.
• Focus on improvement and suggest how the speaker might improve a specific part of his or her performance the next time.
• Don't debate your critique with the speaker.  You are not a speech expert!!!
• Keep your critique brief.  State your points then move on.
• Show empathy for the speaker and let the speaker know you understand how he or she felt during the speech.