The 1st point to remember in public speaking is to radiate confidence, poise and success while speaking. This takes practice and rarely, if ever, comes naturally. Poise on a public platform requires an understanding of skills and tactics. Let’s start by looking at it from the audience’s perspective. What do we, as audience members, feel when a speaker we don’t know is introduced? Worry, hope, anticipation?
As listeners, we want the speaker to be good. Have you ever sat in a lecture or presentation and the speaker wasn’t good? Maybe they were nervous, unsure of their material, hesitant or downright scared. How did that make you feel?
As an audience, we want our speakers to be comfortable, confident and in command of their topic. Why? Because it allows us to relax and truly take in their presentation. A bad speaker raises our anxiety levels. We become uncomfortable and distracted by their unease and it prohibits us from entering in to the available knowledge they're offering. We walk away less informed, frustrated and tired.
As a speaker, we need to realize the audience really wants us to do well—selfishly wants us to do well! As speakers, we need to see our audience as followers or learners, not evaluators or superiors. We were asked to speak for a reason; probably because of our leadership ability or acumen, but at the very least our knowledge on the subject.
No one in the audience is there hoping you'll be bad or boring. Remember that people in the audience really want you to succeed. If you cover your topic well while speaking with genuine confidence and authority, you’ll put your listeners at ease and allow them to take away the main points of your presentation.
