Getting up and talking in front of a LARGE crowd

[Lynn CC]

The thought just scares me to death. I haven't gotten up for an oral report since college 18 years ago. I didn't like it then and I'm not looking forward to it at the end of this month either.

The difference now is I have a lot more experience in what I'm going to say. I'm all prepared, and I'm not going to think about it until the time comes, the power of positive thinking or lack of thinking....works for me.

Do you all feel more confident in what you have to say as you age?

 

[WDWHound]

If you had told me in high school that I would do the amount of public speaking I do now, I would have laughed at you. Back then I did a lot of theater, mostly musicals, but I would have never beleived I could be a public speaker. Now (20 years later), I do a lot of public speaking for large groups as part of my job and I am also a certifed lay speaker in the Methodist Church (which basically means I give sermons from time to time, something I never thought I would be doing!).

I think you are right that your comfort level increases as your level of expertise and and confidence in your abilities increase. Once you have given a successful presentation, the next one definitely becomes easier. Learning how to prepare helps a lot as well. Even so, I still get butterflys just before speaking (especially when I am speaking in a church service). I think this is a good thing, it shows that you are taking the task seriously.

 

[olena]

Experience in the subject matter more than age, I think. As I became a better singer, performing got easier. It got to the point where there was no difference between an audience of 10 or 1000.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Might I suggest Dale Carnegie's book on Effective Speaking (can't remember the exact title right now, but if you just look up Dale Carnegie you'll find it). I'd recommend a full blown Carnegie course (they are excellent for working on public speaking, stress levels and all sorts of stuff), but since you have a short time frame, the book might help!