Tuesday, June 30, 2009

conquering fear of public speaking: take a cure from a ham

Here's the reason "hams" don't typically suffer from fear of public speaking. We've always had an audience orientation - or more accurately - audience stalker-like obsession.

We're not afraid to get up in front of an audience because we're madly in love with the audience, any audience, and we're desperate for them to love us back. It's really that simple. We can't waste time or energy being nervous wrecks; that's our audience out there; we've gotta get on out there, start loving them and squeezin' the love out of them back. That's what energizes us, that's what we live and breathe for.


We're sort of nervous and fearful that maybe they won't like us, which would be a fate worse than death. Seriously.

So to avoid this too-horrible-to-even-think-about eventuality we;


1.) Gear anything we're doing in front of our beloved audience for their maximum satisfaction

2.) Practice like crazy, and

3.) Closely monitor them as we're giving our presentations to gauge their reaction and adjust accordingly.

It's a win-win. To paraphrase Roxy Hart in Chicago we're lovin' the audience and they're lovin' us for lovin' them and we're lovin them for lovin' us lovin' them.

Think about your affection for your audience the next time you plan and deliver your presentation. Just try lovin' them enough to think about what they want to hear, practice like crazy, and watch them like a hawk as you present and adjust accordingly. i guarantee you'll be lovin' it and you'll be heard,