Microphones

Microphones motivate some and intimidate others.  Fear of public speaking ranks high on any compiled list of top fears. Many, however, are energized by the chance to address an audience of any size. I had the "opportunity" recently to reign in many of my colleagues who loved the chance to address our officer group, and wanted more time than allocated to share their views. 

What's the best way to overcome fear, and as with my colleagues, make the microphone your friend? Just do it.  Start with a small, known group, presenting subject matter that you know well.  If you've ever given a report in a staff meeting or taught a Sunday school class, you actually have public speaking experience.  These experiences aren't intimidating because the settings, audience members and material are familiar. 

As the settings and audiences grow, one thing doesn't change - you are still the subject matter expert. If you aren't familiar with the venue, visiting prior to your speaking engagement will help develop comfort with this element.  If you ask, the meeting host will often be willing to share a list of registered guests.  Knowing that you have friends in the audience, or discovering that everyone attending is an unmet friend, can help you develop your eye contact strategy. 

Once you've addressed the audience, subject and setting - prepare your remarks.  Paring content can be one of the most important exercises.  You don't want to tell them everything you know - you want to share significant, interesting aspects of your subject, with keen attention to the time allocated.  You can be a prince or princess for finishing a couple of minutes early, and quickly become a toad if you overstay your time.

Finally, determine what you'll wear.  Think of this as a sales call.  You want to be appropriately attired for the audience you are addressing.