Give a speech

P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
Hey everyone, right now I got a little (BIG) problem, in 3 weeks I need to give a speech and I can't skip it.

So, I will be in the front of 40 or 50 people, they are sitting looking at me while I speak.

From that 40 or 50 people I only know 10 or 15 of them, the rest are all strange and... thats the big problem... I badly talk comfortably with "friends" and now I need to "talk confortably" in the front of strange? This is a realy challenge to me.

This speech is very important and wouldn't be good if I start talking like "so....my...project....is......about......cookies...."(you get the point right?)

What should I do to be confortable on the speech? I'm open to do anything that anyone suggests.



PS: Sorry for my bad english ::(:
 
LazyHermitCrab

LazyHermitCrab

Well-known member
I think you should practice many times before the speech. Maybe put a lucky rock in your pocket or whatever you think is lucky on you during the speech for comfort?
 
NathanielWingatePeaslee

NathanielWingatePeaslee

Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!
Staff member
P_Floyd said:
Hey everyone, right now I got a little (BIG) problem, in 3 weeks I need to give a speech and I can't skip it.

So, I will be in the front of 40 or 50 people, they are sitting looking at me while I speak.

From that 40 or 50 people I only know 10 or 15 of them, the rest are all strange and... thats the big problem... I badly talk comfortably with "friends" and now I need to "talk confortably" in the front of strange? This is a realy challenge to me.

This speech is very important and wouldn't be good if I start talking like "so....my...project....is......about......cookies...."(you get the point right?)

What should I do to be confortable on the speech? I'm open to do anything that anyone suggests.



PS: Sorry for my bad english ::(:
Click to expand...

Are you allowed to read it, or read notes? How long is it? Will there be questions to answer after?

The key to doing well and to feeling as well as possible while giving it is to be extremely well prepared. Rehearse it with a friend if possible. Or in front of the mirror--anything. I used to make the mistake of putting off presentations until almost the night before because the whole idea of doing it at all freaked me out (avoid avoid run away!). I eventually learned better.
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
NathanielWingatePeaslee said:
Are you allowed to read it, or read notes? How long is it? Will there be questions to answer after?
Click to expand...

It's me and a powerpoint with graphs and stuff. Yes I can read some texts from the powerpoint. It will be between 5-45 minutes, it depends of the project. Yep there will be some questions after, that will be a problem too. ::(:

I know what is my project about and I know what to say about it. But because of my nervousness about the what the "crowd" is thinking about me and my project I will forget everything ::(:
 
NathanielWingatePeaslee

NathanielWingatePeaslee

Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!
Staff member
P_Floyd said:
It's me and a powerpoint with graphs and stuff. Yes I can read some texts from the powerpoint. It will be between 5-45 minutes, it depends of the project. Yep there will be some questions after, that will be a problem too. ::(:

I know what is my project about and I know what to say about it. But because of my nervousness about the what the "crowd" is thinking about me and my project I will forget everything ::(:
Click to expand...
Questions mean you have to be extra thorough in the research--implications, how it affects/is affected by other things instead of just knowing the thing itself, etc.

The best thing to do besides keeping a few note cards with the key points handy is to memorize this stuff to the point where thinking about it is completely unnecessary, until it's more of a reflex action.
 
hoddesdon

hoddesdon

Well-known member
P_Floyd said:
But because of my nervousness about the what the "crowd" is thinking about me and my project I will forget everything ::(:
Click to expand...

That's the heart of the problem isn't it? Don't scan the audience looking for someone who is bored, hostile etc. They have come because you have information to give them, so you do not have to justify your existence. If you inadvertently leave something out they have no way of knowing. It is your show.
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
Today I had the "training speech" in front of 6 people... I forgotten everything about my work, I was like "what should i say :confused:"

Friday is the "official" speech and I'm not ready ::(:

What should I do now :(
 
Toomuchfear

Toomuchfear

Well-known member
Hello there I hear you're a little worried about your speech?

I did a public speaking course so I know all about this!

My best advice is this. Preparation. Practice until you've got everything memorised or learnt enough to talk without millions of notes. Practie in front of friends

Avoid reading from a word to word script. Write down a list of topics or keywords, and you can fill in the details with your memory which will enable you to speak naturally to the audience.
The more eye-contact you give, the more comfortable you will feel, look at every person if you can. If they look bored, doesn't matter, you're not a public speaking master...yet. If you make a mistake...pick yourself up and keep going with the speech

And most importantly- Smile. This will draw people into what you have to say

You can do it. If I can, so can you :) Good Luck
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
I badly can look to the audience and eye-contact is something weird for me :/

Tomorrow I got another "training" speech, if it goes wrong tomorrow I give up, no speech on friday for me.
 
Toomuchfear

Toomuchfear

Well-known member
Hmm, what about eye contact with the people you know, are they any particular reassuring faces you can look at? I would suggest practising eye contact with a friend, taking small steps like this is the key way of treating SA. You will have to put yourself a little bit out of your comfort zone and build up from there.

The biggest mistake in life is giving up. Whats the worse that can happen if it goes wrong?
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
It's tomorrow, and I'm very very very nervous.

My biggest fear is looking to the audiance, so what I'm think doing is not using glasses (i cant recognize anyone without glasses), hope this trick work.



TheAristocrat did you use notes in the speech?

PS:Very grateful to everyone who helped me ;)
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
Well I will use notes in the speech, need to use big letters on it for read without glasses lol.

I hope the speech training today goes well.

Thx one more time ;)
 
kihira

kihira

1
For me (I teach), the trick is to not care (too much) if I stuff up - which I do regularly. I have some terribly tongue tied moments, but I just make a bit of a joke about it and move on.
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
Good news :D :D:D:

I found today, there will not 40 or 50 people, because they can't go, there will be almost 20, it's ok, because I know almost all of them.

Finally something good happens :D
 
popolala

popolala

1
erm, pretend that they are all ghost..
and to be comfortable, prepare..and practice..

when you are looking, look at the tip of their hair, or the back wall.. or their forehead.
 
P_Floyd

P_Floyd

Well-known member
and... IT'S DONE :D

It was great, I was very very nervous, but I did it right

I didn't use my notes, and I used my glasses ::p:

The jury (is this correct?) asked how many coffees i had before the speech, cause I was nervous and I couldn't be quiet.

Anyway it's finally over :D

And I just wanna say, thank you all ;)
 
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