why i hate public speaking essay

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To Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking, Stop Thinking About Yourself

• Sarah Gershman

Tips for before and during your presentation.

Even the most confident speakers find ways to distance themselves from their audience. It’s how our brains are programmed, so how can we overcome it? Human generosity. The key to calming the amygdala and disarming our panic button is to turn the focus away from ourselves — away from whether we will mess up or whether the audience will like us — and toward helping the audience. Showing kindness and generosity to others has been shown to activate the vagus nerve, which has the power to calm the fight-or-flight response. When we are kind to others, we tend to feel calmer and less stressed. The same principle applies in speaking. When we approach speaking with a spirit of generosity, we counteract the sensation of being under attack and we feel less nervous.

Most of us — even those at the top — struggle with public-speaking anxiety. When I ask my clients what makes them nervous, invariably they respond with the same answers:

• Sarah Gershman is an executive speech coach and CEO of Green Room Speakers. She is a professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, where she teaches public speaking to leaders from around the globe.

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How I (Finally) Got Over My Fear of Public Speaking

I know the feeling all too well now. My chest tightens up with panic and my head starts to spin. I begin to focus on the thoughts racing through my head and forget what is supposed to be coming out of my mouth. Sometimes I even forget to breathe, causing my voice to crack.

That’s how bad my fear of public speaking used to be. Each time I would stand in front of an audience, the ball of tension would start to form deep in my chest, and I knew all was lost.

So, one day, I decided to do something about it .

Before I get into the details, I want to clarify that I’m not convinced it’s possible to ever completely get over a fear of public speaking. In fact, I think a little bit a nervous energy is healthy; it keeps you on your toes, and you can even channel it positively. As a friend of mine who is an amazing public speaker said to me, “If you don’t get nervous when speaking to an audience, it probably means you’re dead.”

I do, however, think it’s possible to learn to bring your fear down to a manageable level. Here’s how I did it, and how you can, too.

Do a Bit of Soul Searching

Sometimes, we get stuck on an idea we have of ourselves that is left over from when we were younger or less experienced, and this idea inhibits us from realizing how awesome we’ve become. In other words, when you start to tell yourself that you can’t do something, or that you are bad at X or Y (like public speaking), check whether you’re basing this on who you actually are now—or who you were five years ago.

Ramit Sethi , founder of I Will Teach You to Be Rich, talks a lot about how invisible scripts— deeply-held notions that affect the way we make decisions on a daily basis —shape our lives. Problem is, these scripts are often outdated and misguided.

One of the scripts that was running through my mind each time I got up to speak in front of an audience was that I didn’t know enough to be interesting. And, sure, that was probably true when I was 20—but now that I’ve worked in several countries, built a marketing department from the ground up, founded a successful community of professional women, and written for several publications? Not so much. I had a hugely outdated idea of myself in my head, and it was preventing me from moving forward .

So, consider whether you might be doing the same thing to yourself with public speaking (or anything else that scares you, for that matter).

Find a Safe Place to Practice

I had a hunch that the quickest way to get better at speaking in front of an audience was to practice, so I decided to sign up for Toastmasters . The great thing about Toastmasters is that it provides a safe space to practice your public speaking (everyone is there because they want to get better, too!), and you get constructive feedback on your presentations from people who have been studying with the program for a while. It’s as close as you’ll get to taking a class on public speaking without paying a lot of money.

Whether you choose Toastmasters, a public speaking meet-up , or a more formal public speaking course, finding a place where you can practice presenting in front of an audience without the pressure of a high-stakes spotlight is really the first big step to becoming more comfortable with public speaking.

Put Yourself Out There

While I was practicing public speaking on a weekly basis at Toastmasters meetings, I also started to take every speaking opportunity that came my way and prep for it rigorously, no matter how insignificant it might have seemed. For example, I volunteered to give the short welcome speech at a workshop my company offered, and when my company was contacted about speaking at a social media marketing seminar, I quickly suggested I give the talk. I prepped for this talk by presenting it to my team a few days before.

And you know what? The more I practiced, the more comfortable I became with speaking in front of an audience . The lesson here is: Even if you feel you’re not entirely ready, actively seek out speaking opportunities and take each one that comes your way, whether it’s simply presenting to a few colleagues or giving a talk to a room of 30 people.

Learn From the Experts

I also spent a lot of time watching experts talk about public speaking and body language. One of the best sources of inspiration I came across is a well-known talk by Olivia Fox Cabane , a leadership coach who specializes in teaching charisma.

The video is long, but worth every minute you spend watching it; not only does Cabane give excellent advice on how to be more charismatic, she also sets a great example for how to give a riveting speech. From the moment I hit play, I was glued to the screen.

Another video that had a big impact on me was Amy Cuddy ’s TED talk on how body language shapes who you are internally . In other words, your body language impacts your psychology, which in turn impacts your behavior, which in turn impacts final outcomes.

For example, explains Cuddy, if you sit or stand in a “low-power pose” for just two minutes, such as with your arms crossed in front of you, your stress levels will rise. Take on an expansive pose with your legs and arms outstretched (a “high-power pose”), and you will feel more confident, at ease, and in control. I decided to test this out before a talk I gave at a social media marketing seminar. About five minutes before the talk, I went into a bathroom stall and proceeded to strike a “high-power pose” for a couple of minutes. It worked: In fact, this was the very first talk I gave during which I felt calm and collected.

Fake it Until You Become It

Let’s say there are still a few holes in your knowledge or experience—then take Cuddy’s advice and fake it until you become it: Through subtle shifts in your body language, power posing, a few weekends spent studying up on a topic, pretending you’re someone else for a moment, or whatever else works for you, fake being an amazing public speaker until one day you are one.

The truth is, I still have a ways to go before I can consider myself a great public speaker. In fact, a few weeks ago, someone I used to date came to an event I was speaking at, making what was already a high-stakes situation (there was a panel of judges!) decidedly nerve-wracking. As I presented my project, that familiar ball of tension, which I thought I had nixed for good, rose up in my chest, and when I finished my talk I was convinced it had been the worst thing in the world.

But by finding a safe place to practice, taking cues from the experts, seeking out opportunities to get up in front of audiences, and re-thinking certain ideas I held true about who I am and what I’m good at, I’ve made a huge amount of progress in getting over what used to be a debilitating fear of public speaking.

Hey, even that terrifying speech that I thought I had bombed was good enough to win my team third place.

I call that progress.

Photo of microphone courtesy of Shutterstock .

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I hate public speaking. Is ‘imagine the audience naked’ really the best advice for overcoming nerves?

Get sweaty night terrors over the idea of public speaking? It’s better to prepare for a speech than simply visualise the audience in the nuddy.

Christian Jarrett

This advice has been around for years. The idea is that it will make your audience seem less threatening and so reduce your nerves. However, public speaking experts say it’s an unwise technique – after all, the key to being an effective presenter is to respect and engage your audience, not to see them as the enemy or to mock them (if you have a vivid imagination, the strategy could also be overly distracting!).

To calm your nerves, you’re better off using a technique known as ‘cognitive reappraisal’. Research at Harvard Business School has shown that speakers who deliberately reevaluate their nerves as excitement rather than anxiety (for example, by saying “I am excited” out loud) perform better than those who try to calm themselves down.

More generally, one of the best things you can do is to prepare thoroughly. Make sure your speech does not overrun, practise in front of friends and family, and visit the venue ahead of time if you can. Finally, create some ‘if-then’ plans to help you cope, such as “if I begin to feel overwhelmed, then I will take a deep breath and refocus”.

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PUBLIC SPEAKING COACH SCOTLAND

• Aug 28, 2023

Why Do People Hate Public Speaking? The Psychology Behind the Fear

Public speaking is right up there with death as one of the things we fear most. Surveys consistently show it towering above other phobias like spiders, heights, and even illness. When faced with addressing a crowd, our hearts race, palms sweat, voices quiver. Why does public speaking strike such primal terror in so many of us?

As it turns out, it pushes multiple psychological buttons that can make even the most extroverted person want to flee the podium. In this article, we’ll explore the key reasons speaking in public can be so scary and offer some compassionate perspectives to help overcome the fear.

When the Spotlight’s on You: How Public Speaking Triggers the Fight-or-Flight Response

Imagine you’re moments away from giving a speech in front of 100 peers who will be silently evaluating your every word and gesture. As you stare out into the sea of faces, your brain springs into action, flooding your body with adrenaline and cortisol. Your heart pounds, breath quickens, muscles tense up. Why? Because your brain has interpreted this public speaking scenario as a legitimate life-or-death situation.

Our brains are hardwired to react to any perceived social threat as though it were physical danger. Back in caveman days, being rejected from the tribe could literally be a death sentence. So when all eyes turn to us during a speech, our brains still respond as if facing attack by a wild animal or enemy clan. This activates the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight” reaction.

Of course, your colleagues aren’t actually going to stone you if you flub a few words. But to our primal brains, their silent scrutiny and potential judgment still registers as social rejection—so we either freeze up or desperately want to flee the uncomfortable situation. Our minds aren’t making a conscious choice to be scared - our brains’ survival wiring has kicked in whether we like it or not.

Feeling Exposed: How Public Speaking Magnifies Self-Consciousness

You know that dream where you’re in school or work...and suddenly realize you’re naked? Public speaking can drum up a similar sense of nightmare-ish vulnerability and exposure.

When we have to speak before an audience, it often magnifies our social insecurities and anxieties. Many people fear being negatively judged or evaluated. Having all eyes tracking our every move and gesture can make us feel self-conscious about our appearance and mannerisms. We worry about looking anxious, incompetent, foolish or unlikeable.

We also tend to assume audience members are far more critical than they really are. Psychological phenomena like the spotlight effect kick in, causing us to overestimate how much people notice our flaws. In reality, most listeners are busy thinking about their own concerns, not silently critiquing our hair or clothes. But it still feels like our defects are magnified under the glare of the crowd.

For some, past experiences of being shamed, ridiculed or criticized when speaking also contribute to this fear of exposure. Social anxiety disorder manifests in some as a specific phobia of public speaking situations where they might embarrass themselves. Their intense fear of judgement and humiliation keeps them avoiding stages at all costs.

Why They Have to Be “Public”: How Audiences Evoke Threats

So why is speaking publicly so much more intimidating than chatting with friends or family? Social psychology sheds some light here. Encountering an unknown audience can automatically put us on guard. Our tribal brains are wary of the potential dangers posed by outsiders.

We’re also programmed to fear rejection from our wider social circles. Back in ancestral times, lone humans had severely diminished chances of survival. Being ostracised from your community was essentially a death sentence. While we now know the room full of strangers can’t actually exile us, our primal brains still process stage fright as an instinctive threat response.

We also tend to assume the worst when facing crowds. Fear of negative evaluation plays a huge role in anxiety about public speaking. We imagine the audience contains harsh critics just waiting for us to make a mistake so they can laugh, heckle or reject us outright. We expect we’ll say something stupid that the crowd will scorn or hold against us forever.

In reality, most listeners are fairly compassionate. But when facing a sea of unknown faces, our brains revert to a fearful “threat detection” mode, where we fixate on any potential social dangers. This kicks our stress responses into high gear, making us desperate to avoid the imagined humiliations and punishments swirling through our minds.

An Introvert’s Nightmare: Why Public Speaking Drains Us

Let’s face it, speaking in front of crowds is an inherently extroverted activity. This helps explain why introverts tend to dislike and fear public speaking more. Spending large amounts of time alone to recharge is an introvert’s source of energy. Being in the spotlight and making small talk with strangers is our nightmare.

When forced into public speaking, introverts have to act out of character in a way that’s mentally exhausting. We’re pushed outside our comfort zones and have to summon reserves of social energy we don’t naturally possess. Many introverts report feeling completely “drained” after speaking publicly, even if the talk is successful. The sustained social interaction sucks every last drop of our limited social fuel.

Adding to the strain is the conflict between extroverted public speaking personas and our more inward private selves. The “performative” speaker mask introverts put on often feels inauthentic and unsustainable. We long to escape the crowds and external pressures to return to our true introspective nature. Public speaking forces us into behavioural contortions that just feel wrong on a fundamental level.

Why It Doesn’t Have to Be So Scary: Reframing Public Speaking Fears

Hopefully exploring the psychological underpinnings of stage fright brings some relief that it’s not “all in your head” and that almost everyone is battling primal instincts. When you remember the audience are just fellow humans with their own fears, you can start dismantling the imagined social threats underpinning the fear. With practice and preparation, our minds can start to see public speaking as challenging but also rewarding. The key is compassion - for both yourself and the audiences you face.

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Why Do So Many People Fear Public Speaking?

Is fear of public speaking a survival instinct.

Posted November 8, 2017

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For the most part, people hold a few strong opinions about the world and the way things should be. However, when it comes to being asked to speak up in a group, it seems that an innate fear of public speaking takes hold and people lose their voice or misplace their conviction.

While most of us want to be heard, we want to be heard from the corner of the room or from behind our computers—not generally from behind the mic at the podium.

Researchers have given this particular fear a fair amount of attention over the years and it appears that the fear might be one of those evolutionarily embedded fears that keeps us physically safe from harm. Back in the time when voicing a dissenting opinion might mean expulsion from the tribe or the group, it meant that individual survival was at stake. Beasts and brutes, animal or human, were potentially lethal enemies of the isolated individual.

Going along with the group might mean the difference between life and death.

In contemporary times, it would seem that the world would have become a kinder and gentler place. Many of us like to believe that we encourage alternative and diverse thought and that we embrace innovation as a path to progress. However, the fear of speaking up and putting yourself—and your thoughts—on display in front a larger group can instill the same paralyzing fear that might have been felt in prehistoric times. Apparently none of us want to be left behind or cast out for our beliefs.

The fear of public speaking has been compared to social anxiety , although they are not synonymous. True social anxiety is less prevalent than the fear of public speaking, which is present in as many as one in five people according to some statistics. The fear may be “normal,” but its accompanying symptoms may not feel normal and may actually reinforce the fear itself.

When we are anxious, our bodies typically go into fear mode: heart rates amp up, minds might race, and our brains might feel overloaded. Fear decreases our ability to articulate with eloquence or persuasion , or even basic coherence. We might literally “quake in our boots” which sends the signal to others that we are unsure of what we are doing up there in front of the group. If our thoughts are disjointed and our train of thought derails, it’s likely that the members of our audience are among the casualties. We are drawn to people who are self-confident and sure of themselves while we are much less engaged by those who seem to be noncommittal or unsure. If you’re feeling a lot of anxiety about speaking to a group – and your biggest fear is being rejected or discounted, your fear-related behaviors will increase the likelihood that these things will actually occur.

So, is there a secret to getting over this fear?

There are a lot of suggestions for getting over this particular fear and it’s not surprising given how many people experience it. One recent research study (Jackson, Compton, Thornton, & Dimmock, 2017) provided evidence that something called inoculation training might be effective. This is akin to “ relapse prevention” in addiction recovery models. The trick is to “inoculate” yourself against a “worst case scenario” happening by being prepared to cope with or combat the event. In the study, they included a list of specific fears that accompany public speaking anxiety and provided facts and data that contradicted the fears or showed evidence that the fear was out of proportion to the situation.

Once you’ve imagined the worst case scenario, walked yourself mentally through your “best possible response,” or gathered information that negates or minimizes the possible fallout if the “worst case scenario” comes true, it appears that the actual effect of the fear is minimized considerably.

If you find yourself getting a bit jittery when asked to speak before a group, remind yourself that banishment from your tribe is unlikely to result from even a poorly delivered speech. Remember that most of us are more worried about ourselves to waste energy worrying that much about another. And if you’re worried that your nerves will trip you up, remind yourself that a little bit of anxiety is actually a healthy thing, use that extra adrenaline to pump yourself up, not beat yourself down.

Judging from what's shown on television these days that passes for "reality" or "news," the fear of speaking up in a group should have lost its power over us by now!

Jackson, B., Compton, J., Thornton, A. L., & Dimmock, J. A. (2017). Re-thinking anxiety: Using inoculation messages to reduce and reinterpret public speaking fears. PLoS ONE12(1): e0169972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169972

Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D. , is a licensed counselor and professor at Northern Illinois University.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Communication Skills — Overcoming Public Speaking Weakness

Overcoming Public Speaking Weakness

• Categories: Communication Skills Speak

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Words: 774 |

Published: Sep 16, 2023

Words: 774 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

1. **fear and anxiety**, 2. **lack of confidence**, 3. **poor organization and structure**, 4. **limited vocal variety**, 5. **inadequate audience engagement**, 6. **overcoming stage fright**, 7. **lack of rehearsal**.

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Glossophobia or the Fear of Public Speaking

When a very common anxiety reaches the level of a phobia

ColorBlind Image / The Image Bank / Getty Images

Glossophobia and Social Phobia

Complications, treatment options.

Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is quite common. In fact, some experts estimate that as much as 77% of the population has some level of anxiety regarding public speaking . For many of us, it can be very uncomfortable to speak in public and be the center of attention and even if we do it, it's often not without some trepidation and fear.

If your fear is significant enough to cause problems in work, school, or in social settings, then it is possible that you suffer from a full-blown phobia. Because of how often the skill of public speaking is required in our daily life, this phobia can be very debilitating. Even ordering a coffee can feel like an impossibility. It can take a lot of practice and experience to overcome, but many people are able to manage and control the fear.

You may never be comfortable enough to speak on camera, but it is more than possible for you to at least become comfortable in social and professional situations where you may be required to speak.

Glossophobia is a subset of social phobia , the fear of social situations. Most people with glossophobia do not exhibit symptoms of other types of social phobia, such as fear of meeting new people or fear of performing tasks in front of others. In fact, many people with glossophobia are able to dance or sing on stage, provided they do not have to talk. Nonetheless, stage fright is a relatively common experience in those with glossophobia.

Glossophobia can even occur in front of just a few people. In a child, it may present as the child desperately hoping they won't get called on in class to answer a question. It may cause you to avoid situations where you may become the focus of attention. This can have a dramatic effect on your life.

Physical symptoms of glossophobia may include:

• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Muscle tension
• Need to urinate

In order to clinically diagnosed with an actual phobia, a psychiatrist or other mental health professional would have to assess whether or not your symptoms match the criteria laid out in the DSM: For example:

• The fear is excessive and unreasonable
• The fear reaction is immediate, and out of proportion to the danger
• You go out of your way to avoid the situation, or endure it with extreme distress
• The phobia is life-limiting, lasts at least six months, and is not caused by another disorder

The vast majority of careers involve some level of public speaking, from participating in meetings to giving presentations to clients. If your phobia is severe, you may find yourself unable to perform these necessary tasks. This can lead to consequences up to and including losing your job.

People who have social phobias also have a higher than normal risk of developing conditions such as depression or other anxiety disorders. This is likely due to the feelings of isolation that can develop over time and the compounding stress that facing such anxiety on a regular basis can cause.

Glossophobia can be successfully treated in a variety of ways. One of the most common is cognitive-behavioral therapy  (CBT). You will learn to replace your messages of fear with more positive self-talk. You will also learn relaxation techniques and what to do when you experience a panic attack . You will gradually confront your fear in a safe and controlled environment, which is a major component of exposure therapy.

Medications may also be prescribed to help you get control of your fear. Medication is generally used in conjunction with therapy rather than on its own.

Once you have successfully worked through the worst of your fear, you might want to consider joining a speaking group such as Toastmasters. These groups can help you polish your public speaking skills through repetition and constructive criticism from fellow members. Building confidence in your ability to speak in public can further reduce your anxiety. Finding a supportive group of like-minded people can go a long way to making you feel more comfortable speaking in public.

While many people have some degree of fear of public speaking, glossophobia can be life-limiting. The success rate for treatment is extremely high. The first step is to find a therapist that you trust who can help you work through the fear.

Heeren A, Ceschi G, Valentiner DP, Dethier V, Philippot P. Assessing public speaking fear with the short form of the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker scale: confirmatory factor analyses among a French-speaking community sample. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat . 2013;9:609-18. doi:10.2147%2FNDT.S43097

Rowland DL, Van lankveld JJDM. Anxiety and Performance in Sex, Sport, and Stage: Identifying Common Ground . Front Psychol . 2019;10:1615. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2019.01615

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed) . Washington DC: Author; 2013.​​

By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics.

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Fear of public speaking: how can i overcome it, how can i overcome my fear of public speaking.

Fear of public speaking is a common form of anxiety. It can range from slight nervousness to paralyzing fear and panic. Many people with this fear avoid public speaking situations altogether, or they suffer through them with shaking hands and a quavering voice. But with preparation and persistence, you can overcome your fear.

These steps may help:

• Know your topic. The better you understand what you're talking about — and the more you care about the topic — the less likely you'll make a mistake or get off track. And if you do get lost, you'll be able to recover quickly. Take some time to consider what questions the audience may ask and have your responses ready.
• Get organized. Ahead of time, carefully plan out the information you want to present, including any props, audio or visual aids. The more organized you are, the less nervous you'll be. Use an outline on a small card to stay on track. If possible, visit the place where you'll be speaking and review available equipment before your presentation.
• Practice, and then practice some more. Practice your complete presentation several times. Do it for some people you're comfortable with and ask for feedback. It may also be helpful to practice with a few people with whom you're less familiar. Consider making a video of your presentation so you can watch it and see opportunities for improvement.
• Challenge specific worries. When you're afraid of something, you may overestimate the likelihood of bad things happening. List your specific worries. Then directly challenge them by identifying probable and alternative outcomes and any objective evidence that supports each worry or the likelihood that your feared outcomes will happen.
• Visualize your success. Imagine that your presentation will go well. Positive thoughts can help decrease some of your negativity about your social performance and relieve some anxiety.
• Do some deep breathing. This can be very calming. Take two or more deep, slow breaths before you get up to the podium and during your speech.
• Focus on your material, not on your audience. People mainly pay attention to new information — not how it's presented. They may not notice your nervousness. If audience members do notice that you're nervous, they may root for you and want your presentation to be a success.
• Don't fear a moment of silence. If you lose track of what you're saying or start to feel nervous and your mind goes blank, it may seem like you've been silent for an eternity. In reality, it's probably only a few seconds. Even if it's longer, it's likely your audience won't mind a pause to consider what you've been saying. Just take a few slow, deep breaths.
• Recognize your success. After your speech or presentation, give yourself a pat on the back. It may not have been perfect, but chances are you're far more critical of yourself than your audience is. See if any of your specific worries actually occurred. Everyone makes mistakes. Look at any mistakes you made as an opportunity to improve your skills.
• Get support. Join a group that offers support for people who have difficulty with public speaking. One effective resource is Toastmasters, a nonprofit organization with local chapters that focuses on training people in speaking and leadership skills.

If you can't overcome your fear with practice alone, consider seeking professional help. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a skills-based approach that can be a successful treatment for reducing fear of public speaking.

As another option, your doctor may prescribe a calming medication that you take before public speaking. If your doctor prescribes a medication, try it before your speaking engagement to see how it affects you.

Nervousness or anxiety in certain situations is normal, and public speaking is no exception. Known as performance anxiety, other examples include stage fright, test anxiety and writer's block. But people with severe performance anxiety that includes significant anxiety in other social situations may have social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia). Social anxiety disorder may require cognitive behavioral therapy, medications or a combination of the two.

Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P.

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• Social anxiety disorder (social phobia). In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association, 2013. http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• 90 tips from Toastmasters. Toastmasters International. https://www.toastmasters.org/About/90th-Anniversary/90-Tips. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• Stein MB, et al. Approach to treating social anxiety disorder in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• How to keep fear of public speaking at bay. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/tips-sidebar.aspx. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• Jackson B, et al. Re-thinking anxiety: Using inoculation messages to reduce and reinterpret public speaking fears. PLOS One. 2017;12:e0169972.
• Sawchuk CN (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 24, 2017.

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Teens Are Protesting In-Class Presentations

Some students say having to speak in front of the class is an unreasonable burden for those with anxiety and are demanding alternative options.

For many middle - and high-school students, giving an in-class presentation was a rite of passage. Teachers would call up students, one by one, to present their work in front of the class and, though it was often nerve-racking, many people claim it helped turn them into more confident public speakers.

“Coming from somebody with severe anxiety, having somebody force me to do a public presentation was the best idea to happen in my life,” one woman recently tweeted . According to a recent survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, oral communication is one of the most sought-after skills in the workplace, with over 90 percent of hiring managers saying it’s important. Some educators also credit in-class presentations with building essential leadership skills and increasing students’ confidence and understanding of material .

But in the past few years, students have started calling out in-class presentations as discriminatory to those with anxiety, demanding that teachers offer alternative options. This week, a tweet posted by a 15-year-old high-school student declaring “Stop forcing students to present in front of the class and give them a choice not to” garnered more than 130,000 retweets and nearly half a million likes. A similar sentiment tweeted in January also racked up thousands of likes and retweets. And teachers are listening.

|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣| stop forcing students to present in front of the class and give them a choice not to |＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿| \ (•◡•) / \ / --- | | — leen (@softedhearts) September 8, 2018

Teachers, please stop forcing students to present in front of the class & raise their hand in exchange for a good grade. Anxiety is real. — amberlicious. 💧 (@DAMNBlEBERS) January 30, 2017

Students who support abolishing in-class presentations argue that forcing students with anxiety to present in front of their peers is not only unfair because they are bound to underperform and receive a lower grade, but it can also cause long-term stress and harm.

“Nobody should be forced to do something that makes them uncomfortable,” says Ula, a 14-year-old in eighth grade, who, like all students quoted, asked to be referred to only by her first name. “Even though speaking in front of class is supposed to build your confidence and it’s part of your schoolwork, I think if a student is really unsettled and anxious because of it you should probably make it something less stressful. School isn’t something a student should fear.”

“It feels like presentations are often more graded on delivery when some people can’t help not being able to deliver it well, even if the content is the best presentation ever,” says Bennett, a 15-year-old in Massachusetts who strongly agrees with the idea that teachers should offer alternative options for students. “Teachers grade on public speaking which people who have anxiety can’t be great at.”

“I get that teachers are trying to get students out of their comfort zone, but it’s not good for teachers to force them to do that,” says Henry, a 15-year-old also in Massachusetts.

To the thousands of teens who support the effort to do away with in-class presentations (at least enough to like a tweet about it), anxiety is no small issue. Students said they understood why older people might tell them to “suck it up,” but that doing so was unproductive. Some responses to the most recent viral tweet, though, noted that giving a presentation in spite of anxiety might reduce a student’s fear of public speaking.

Just so you know, “Exposure therapy” is commonly used amongst psychologist as a behavior therapy to help treat anxiety disorder. So your point about “ it can’t be cured facing your fears.” Is just false. — Mightykeef (@MightyKeef) September 10, 2018

Being a high schooler in 2018 is more stressful than ever. Academic demands on students are high, kids participate in more extracurricular activities than in the past, and they are saddled with extra hours of homework .

“Kids doing sports don’t get home till 7:00 p.m. I get home at 5:30 p.m. tonight but it’s going to get worse,”  Bennett says. “Kids ... can’t be holed up in their room every night till 1:00 a.m. finishing homework on their third Red Bull.” These stressors and more have led to an unprecedented level of anxiety in their generation. Anxiety is increasing at a faster rate than depression as the leading mental-health issue affecting teenagers, a recent study in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics found. Throwing things like in-class presentations on top of other stressors kids are dealing with, teens say, can be unbearable.

“Teachers think it’s just a fear,” says Jess, a 16-year-old in New Jersey. “We’ll skip school. I’ve skipped school a lot of times if I had to present. Even if a teacher lets me present alone in front of them I still wouldn’t because that’s how nerve-racking it is,” she said.

These students want more options. They say that every student has unique strengths and abilities and that they should be allowed to present their work in ways that speak to those strengths. This might mean presenting alone in front of the teacher, or choosing between several alternatives like producing a piece of art or an essay for private judgment instead of presenting their work orally.

“The resounding theory that education is holding on to right now is the idea of multiple intelligences,” says Travis Grandt, a high-school history teacher in Colorado who says he tries to accommodate students with special needs, including anxiety. “There [are] a lot of ways for kids to present information. It doesn’t have to be through a formal presentation.”

Joe Giordano, a high-school teacher in Baltimore, says that he’s also sympathetic to the movement away from mandatory in-class presentations. As an art teacher, he hosts “crit” sessions where students’ work is critiqued. He always gives the teenagers a choice as to whether or not they want to speak about their own work.

“It kind of irks me when I see a lot of other teachers say, ‘But we have to get them up there.’ These kids are living under more stressful situations than I did as a student. Their anxiety runs pretty high,” he said. “I know we should put them in uncomfortable situations, but if they suffer from anxiety they’re already in an uncomfortable situation. As a teacher I try to show compassion. It’s not about being a drill instructor.”

Kathleen Carver, a high-school history teacher in Texas, says teaching has changed since the days when she grew up. “I think in this day and age there [are] different pressures. We expect different things from our students,” she said. “We’re in a day and age where we have to acknowledge our students’ feelings. I have to listen to them and hear their feedback and respond to that. That’s how I can be a more effective teacher. If I ignored their feelings I don’t think they would like me or my class or walk away learning things.”

Those campaigning against in-class presentations said that it was important to distinguish between students with actual diagnosable anxiety disorders and those who might just want to get out of the assignment. Addie, a 16-year-old in New York, said that schools like hers already make accommodations for students with certain learning issues to get extra time on tests. She thinks similar processes could be put in place for students with public-speaking anxiety. “I think it’s important these accommodations are accessible, but that they’re also given to those who are need it instead of those who just say they don’t want to present,” she said. “There’s a big difference between nervousness and anxiety.”

Students who have been successful in the campaign to end in-class presentations credit social media. Unlike previous generations, high schoolers today are able to have a direct impact on their educational system by having their voices heard en masse online. Teenagers, most of whom are extremely adept at social media, say that platforms like Twitter and Instagram have allowed them to meet more kids at other schools and see how other school districts run things. They can then wage campaigns for changes at their own school, sometimes partnering with teens in other districts to make their voice louder.

Henry said that he’s seen the effects of these types of campaigns firsthand. This year his district shifted the school start time an hour and fifteen minutes later, something he and his fellow students campaigned for aggressively on social media, which he believes played a role in the decision. High-school students across the country have also waged social-media campaigns against discriminatory dress codes, excessive homework, and, most notably, to advocate for gun-control policies on campus. “Teens view social media as a platform to make changes,” Carver says.

Part of why students feel social media is such a powerful mechanism for changing education is because so many teachers are on these platforms. Nicholas Ferroni, a high-school teacher in New Jersey, said that “a lot of teachers use social media as a great way to learn methodologies.”

“Instead of trying to go to a school-board meeting with a bunch of adults in suits—that’s how it was—you can just talk to everyone directly,” said Addie. “We don’t have to do all that stuff formally. We can go online and say what we want to say and people have to listen to us.” “I think social media is a great way to reach educators,” said Bennett.

But when it comes to abolishing in-class presentations, not everyone is convinced.

“We need to stop preaching to get rid of public speaking and we need to start preaching for better mental health support and more accessibility alternatives for students who are unable to complete presentations/classwork/etc due to health reasons,” one man tweeted .

Some educators agree. “My thoughts are that we are in the business of preparing students for college, career, and civic life. Public speaking is a piece of that preparation,” says Ryan Jones, a high-school history teacher in Connecticut. “Now, some kids (many) are deathly afraid to do it, but pushing outside of comfort zones is also a big part of what we do.”

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Public Speaking for Introverts: The Why, What & Who (An A-Z Guide)

Hrideep barot.

• Body Language & Delivery , Public Speaking , Speech Writing

With about 30-50% of the world’s population being introverted, this is a problem I come across often when I speak to aspiring speakers. And I can genuinely empathize with them since I too consider myself as mostly introverted.

I say ‘mostly’ because according to Carl Jung who popularized the terms ‘extrovert’ & ‘introvert’ said that there is no such thing as a pure introvert or a pure extrovert. Being so would be lunacy.

As a born introvert, I’ve always felt some level of under-confidence in social settings. However, it is only now after years of slowly discovering myself have I come to the realization that the thing that I thought made me less confident was my biggest strength of all.

And that’s what I want to talk about here. The power of introverts in the context of public speaking.

Why Introverts Hate Public Speaking?

They just like being by themselves.

Many times I have been called a “snob” to not mingle with the groups when I preferred to just sit in my room and play video games, read a book or just be by myself.

The people on the other side thought that I was being “ anti-social ” or even “rude” when I preferred to be alone instead of in the presence of others.

I wish I could go back to those times and just tell all those well-intentioned people that it’s not that I am intending to be rude and it’s not that I have something against those people.

I just…like being by myself sometimes…

And that’s the thing about us introverts. It’s not that we hate public speaking because of some external factor. It’s just that we prefer not being around so many people.

We don’t see much value in it. Which brings me to my next point…

Introverts don’t see the need for credit

While public speaking does not stand for credit, taking on the spotlight can sometimes make it seem that way. And introverts really don’t see the need for credit . To them…

The work matters more than the acclamation

Which is why there seems to be no external desire for credit or for gaining the spotlight. It’s easier for an introvert to just put their head down and work , work and work some more.

It’s why you see some of those people in your office, perhaps, who seem to work all the time with great results but might not be really well-known outside of their team or department.

Truly (but wrongly) believe that they don’t have much value to share

As an introvert, I would believe that when I am in the spotlight, someone better should be here instead of me. People don’t really want to listen to my ideas, I thought.

But it was only over time I realized that the line of introversion had been blurred so much over the years that it had turned into something worse – under confidence .

And that’s not what introversion is about.

We fear taking up too much of someone’s time.

Introverts also prefer having the weight of the conversation on someone else. To know that the conversational burden is on us can get hard sometimes.

Tips For Introverts to Be More Comfortable With the Stage

I read this great article on Medium which spoke about the risk of extroversion – which is, being proven wrong . But what we get for that risk is a form of expression and validation. We improve when we are extroverted and when we put ourselves out there.

Hence, extroversion is needed for the expansion of ourselves – and extroversion, in this case, does not mean “talking” .

It means doing what you need to do despite the risk of others proving you wrong or downing your logic and ideas.

Here are some ways you, as an introvert, can work towards that expansion and become better at public speaking:

Being an introvert doesn’t mean we just accept we will not be good at speaking. As you’ll see later in this write-up, introverts have certain qualities which makes them really powerful speakers and leaders.

Whether we are naturally good at speaking or not, we must respect our audience’s time by preparing our speech so that we may deliver a speech of the highest value to them.

Regardless of your ability to speak publicly, practice is something that is in your hands entirely . So take full advantage of that.

Susan Cane (Author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking ) stated that she spent a whole year practicing public speaking at whatever opportunity she would get – which is why her TED talk is one of the most widely viewed and influential one of them all.

Put in the time and, regardless of your natural ability to speak, you will do a fine job.

Related article: Surprisingly Simple But Effective Processes to Practicing for a Speech

Do mirrors help when practicing public speaking?

Many people debate on this topic and I’ve heard countless people state that mirrors do not help when it comes to practicing public speaking.

I’m of a different opinion. I believe mirrors do help when you practice.

Here’s the thing, as an introverted human, looking at myself did not come easy to me. Forget maintaining eye contact with others, I couldn’t even maintain eye contact with myself !

This trickles down to having just a general sense of lower confidence which I mistook for introverted-ness. And I believe a lot of people tend to make that confusion.

So, when you start off by practicing in front of a mirror, watching yourself in a demeanor which isn’t natural to you – speaking out loud, more than normal hand gestures, eye contact with yourself – all can be hard to do in the beginning.

But as I did start practicing in front of a mirror, I was forced to look at myself in that way. And the more I did that, the more comfortable I got with looking at myself!

It might sound weird, I know. But it did help me…and (if you’re anything like me) I think it will help you too.

Related article: The Secret to Practicing Public Speaking in Your Everyday Life | An Unconventional Guide

So start off with practicing in front of a mirror. But eventually, move on to other forms of practice as well such as…

Video recording yourself

As an introvert, there’s a good chance that you have not spoken much publicly. Hence, you are probably unaware of your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to the stage.

A powerful way to know what you’re doing right or wrong would be to video record yourself.

When you are practicing your speech, put up your phone’s camera and practice your speech to it. Then, watch the video with the sole purpose to observe how your body is moving, how your voice is sounding, is your content flowing, are you being too stiff, etc. etc.

It’s a small, easy trick that helps immensely !

Related article: The Incredible Impact of Video Recording Yourself While Practicing a Speech

Know your audience

A speech is as powerful as its audience perceives it to be. You can craft and deliver an amazing speech on financial investment when one receives their first salary, but if your audience consists of senior citizens, the same speech falls flat.

An extreme example, I know. But you would be surprised by how many people are apathetic to who their audience is .

Take the time out to research a little beforehand as to who your audience is and craft your speech accordingly .

Related article: The Importance of Knowing Your Audience When Delivering a Speech

Reach early so you can walk around on the stage

I used to do this a lot.

Reaching the venue early and walking around on the stage in front of an empty auditorium is a surreal feeling. It helps me get a feel of the stage .

I also get an idea of how much I can move around, how big or small the stage is, etc.

It’s also just a much calmer feeling to reach a little early to the venue instead of reaching in a hurried manner and frantically running on to the stage to speak!

Toastmasters

Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization that provides people a DYI platform to learn public speaking.

One of the great things about Toastmasters , especially for introverts, is that it allows you to take on smaller roles (such as Timer or Grammarian ).

Instead of directly jumping into your first speech, you can start off with taking up such roles which are smaller and easier to begin with to get a feel of the stage.

This really helped me as I was terrified of going directly on stage to deliver a speech. The smaller roles put the spotlight on me only for a short amount of time .

With time, I got used to the stage and could finally deliver my first full speech.

Related article: Should I Join Toastmasters to Learn Public Speaking? (The Pros & the Cons)

Virtual learning

Sometimes, having real people look at you speak can in itself be overwhelming. Start off with a simulated reality instead!

There are companies that allow you to practice skills like public speaking in an empty room by simulating an audience for you to practice on.

This will allow you to speak in front of an audience without really having an audience in front of you.

Stepping out of your comfort zone in small ways that don’t necessarily relate to public speaking

For us introverts, public speaking is something that is WAY out of our comfort zone. If we are finding it very difficult, we can start off with doing things outside of public speaking that slowly starts putting us outside of our comfort zone.

I’ve written about this in length here ( The Secret to Practicing Public Speaking in Your Everyday Life | An Unconventional Guide ) where you can see how you can do small things that may seem a little strange at first as they don’t have a direct relation to public speaking but that help you be a little more confident.

Finding & accepting your style

This is the most important point.

The reason Susan Cain’s TED talk is so popular is not only because her content is so powerful but the authenticity with which she delivered her talk is incredibly moving.

She didn’t try to be flamboyant or like any other traditional speaker.

She’s an introvert. She has accepted it. Heck, she owns it ! And you know what that does? It makes others accept you as you are as well.

So when you go up on stage to speak, don’t try and be someone who you’re not. As an introvert, you might be soft-spoken, you might not be very out there with your body language, but that’s okay!

The point of communicating effectively is to find your style of speaking.

The more you speak publicly, the sooner you will find your style.

Why Introverts Make Great Speakers and Leaders

Being an introvert can prove to be a great asset to you as a speaker (as it did to me). Here’s why:

Introverts take out time to prepare

The first time I gave a speech, I naturally assumed that I’m just not a good public speaker because of my introverted personality.

So I practiced. I practiced and practiced and practiced some more. And the speech turned out to be quite nice.

With us introverts, since we assume public speaking is an extrovert’s game, we tend to put our hearts into preparation because we feel we’re just not naturally good at it.

While the assumption is not necessarily correct, the fact that introverts put in more time into rehearsal is what makes their speech better , their delivery more engaging and their message more impactful .

Focus on the audience

Since introverts don’t feel the need to get on a stage to teach anything, when such opportunities do arise, we tend to shift our attention to the audience.

We want to make sure that we are adding maximum value to the people we are speaking to and to do that, we need to understand them well.

Knowing your audience is one of the most important aspects of delivering a high impact speech and introverts tend to check this box quite naturally.

It also has a lot to do with…

In an interview with Business Insider , World Champion Speaker, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi spoke about introverts.

“When you look at introverts, they tend to be a bit more empathetic. When you look at extroverts, they tend to project. But some extroverts project too much, and they block out the audience. It becomes all about them. Introverts are able to structure content in a way that draws energy off the audience.”

And that’s the thing about introverts – they have a natural tendency to be more empathetic. Their speech is crafted keeping their audience in mind first.

Vulnerable to the audience

This happens when you don’t try and be extroverted. The advantage of being an introverted speaker is that you feel vulnerable and can very honestly show your vulnerability to the audience.

They will much rather appreciate that as opposed to an introverted speaker trying to be over-the-top flamboyant.

Famous Speakers Who Started Off As Introverts

If you don’t believe me when I say introverts can be great speakers and leaders, take a look at these legends who are introverts:

Warren Buffet

The owner of Berkshire Hathaway , the billionaire investor, The Oracle of Omaha was TERRIFIED of the stage.

This is a pretty well-known fact and Buffet is quite open about it. This is mainly because he wants people to realize that you can truly increase your value by 50% if you learn the skill of public speaking.

Communications is everything and Buffett realized that.

Early on, he enrolled for a Dale Carnegie course to learn public speaking but dropped out in his first attempt. Eventually, he completed the course.

It served him so well that despite his impressive academic achievements, the Dale Carnegie certificate is the only academic diploma on his office wall.

Jordan Belfort (The Wolf of Wall Street), a master of communication, said that if Buffett did not know how to communicate, he would be the richest investor in the world who no one would have heard about.

But by adding the layer of communication skills, Buffett is a world-famous investor which automatically increases his value by…you guessed it – 50%.  

What we can learn from Buffett as an introvert : Take out time and money to invest in yourself by enrolling in public speaking courses or trainings. It’s the best money you spend and the ROI is AMAZING!

Winston Churchill

“A good speech should be like a women’s skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.”

I absolutely love this quote by Churchill. But, of course, he did not start out this way.

At the age of 29, Churchill stood up to give a speech in the House of Commons as a newly elected representative and froze for three whole minutes!

It’s easy to think of Churchill as a naturally gifted speaker. But if you go looking, you’ll find that he was just as introverted and terrified of the stage as the next person.

But after years of immense practice, he was eventually regarded as one of the greatest orators the world had ever seen.

What we can learn from Churchill as an introvert : Practice. It’s the only thing in your full control.

The man who is considered the Father of the Nation by Indians wrote in his autobiography:

“This shyness I retained throughout my stay in England. Even when I paid a social call the presence of half a dozen or more people would strike me dumb.”

But by having a mission larger than himself ahead of him, he began practicing and perfecting the art of speaking.

His introversion also made him more empathetic. And that’s a big reason for his speeches being so impactful. By listening to and understanding what the country needed, he could foresee the bigger picture and not be too considered with his own fear of public speaking. 

By the end of it, Gandhi began gaining pleasure from speaking on stage, a feat he once ran away from.

What we can learn from Gandhi as an introvert : Have a larger mission in mind as to why you want to become an impactful speaker. Maybe you want to be a more influential leader, maybe you want to communicate your ideas more effectively; having a larger vision in mind will dimish your fear of public speaking.

Barack Obama

One of the greatest speakers of our time, Obama has been known to have a lot of qualities that tilt him towards an introvert.

As President of a superpower, it’s hard for this introvert to be away from the spotlight. Knowing that about himself, Obama was known to eat dinner with his family and spend the rest of the hours until midnight working by himself.

That’s when he was the most productive.

Tilting towards introversion, he still expanded himself to some of the greatest speeches of the 21st century because he knew he needed the skill of oration to lead people.

What we can learn from Obama as an introvert : No matter how busy you are, always take out time for yourself. That’s when you are the most creative. That’s when you thrive.

With a memoir titled ‘ Quiet Strength ’, Rosa Parks is an ideal example of how one can communicate with impact without being loud.

Parks, in fact, didn’t even say anything when she started one of the most important revolutions of history by not giving up her seat to a white passenger.

Cain’s book ‘ Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking ’ states:

“ When she died in 2005 at the age of 92, the flood of obituaries recalled her as soft-spoken, sweet, and small in stature. They said she was ‘timid and shy’ but had ‘the courage of a lion.’”

Just goes to show how introversion can help you be not just a great communicator but a revolutionary leader as well.

What we can learn from Rosa Parks as an introvert : You don’t be loud or extroverted to have a true impact. Your mission and willingness to act is enough.

What to do When You’re Forced to Speak In Public When You Don’t Want to?

As an introvert, you might come across some times when you just don’t want to speak to crowds. Whatever the reason may be, you want your space.

And I get it! It’s tiring and emotionally draining to express a personality that isn’t yours!

You might be asked to give a toast or a celebratory speech or called in front of your classroom to speak on a particular topic.

These are moments that are tough to plan for and can spring up at any moment.

What do you do in situations like these?

I dread the same thing! So I started preparing.

I slowly started to build up the skills that are needed in public speaking. I joined Toastmasters , enrolled for online courses, took small stage opportunities such as college presentations a little more seriously.

It took time, but eventually, I can now speak in front of a crowd with a certain level of confidence and don’t dread unexpected public speaking situations.

That’s for the long term.

In case you’re in such a situation right now, the best thing to do is just keep it short and safe .

By that I mean, don’t try to keep it clever or add a lot of humour in there. Stick to the message at hand. Simplicity is the key. As long as you say something (even if it is obvious), the audience will accept it and move on.

Worst case, you bomb and the speech goes badly.

If there is one thing you can take away from this LONG post is that it’s okay to bomb as a speaker …but don’t say no to an opportunity to speak.

A bad speech experience will only make you a little more experienced on stage and you can come back as a slightly stronger speaker.

So try and prepare from now itself for the long run by starting to learn public speaking. It’s one of the best decisions you’ll make! And if you’re in a tough situation right now, as our good friends at Nike say, just do it !

Don’t say no to the opportunity.

Why You Should Learn Public Speaking Even if You’re an Introvert?

Lastly, don’t let the fact that you’re an introvert stop you from learning public speaking. While society has hailed extroverts as the gods of communication, if you truly go looking, you’ll find that revolutions have also been sparked by the quiet ones, ones who appear to be in their own world.

The idea is to make introversion your friend . The more you practice public speaking and take up speaking opportunites, the more you will realize how what you believed was holding you back is actually your strongest asset.

It helps you be vulnerable , it helps you be more thorough , it helps you be more impactful .

And finally, as Susan Cain says, I wish you…the courage to speak softly!

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

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Public Speaking is a Stupid Fear

I have never understood how or why this is such a prevalent fear. It’s literally just talking. You know talking? That thing you do every single day? The key difference is that (most of the time), somebody addressing a crowd has already prepared their words. All you have to do is read clearly and occasionally look up. That’s it. If you’ve even been part of a crowd before you will know that everyone wants the speaker to do well. A lot of times people aren’t even paying attention (even better!). So tell me— What The Hell Are They Afraid Of? Being trampled by a mob because you said “Umm” too many times? Accidentally vomiting, sh*tting, & crying simultaneously? If that’s something that happens to you regularly then by all means ignore me.

Dont even get me started on those who feel like presentations/ public speaking “should be optional” in school because the wittle introverted kids get anxious :(. Get over yourself. I’m introverted — it’s really not hard. Everyone has to do crap in school they hate. By the time you reach adulthood, by all means pick a remote/cubicle job that involves minimal group interaction.

Edit: I majored in Psychology with a focus on Abnormal Psychology so, Yes I understand phobias are often irrational and yes I have an understanding of Anxiety.

Phobias can be un-learnt through gradual, repetitive exposure. People should do that because it’s really dumb to be afraid of talking.

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