Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?
It’s been a long time since I’ve “performed” on stage. In fact I’d probably have to go back to elementary school vocal music concerts for that one.
As a teacher, I feel like I am more or less publicly speaking all the time. It’s just an inherent part of the job. In fact, early on, when I was still student teaching, I remember that anxiety of getting up in front of a classroom of students to speak. Knowing that they’re all looking at you to some kind of authority, not in the classroom, but on what you’re teaching as well as a little bit daunting at first.
I had a public speaking course in college. And that course, my professor explained how people conduct surveys every few years about what their worst fear is. The majority of people will say that public speaking is the greatest fear. In fact, most people fear public speaking more than they fear death itself. I guess the rationale behind that is “at least if I’m dead, I don’t have to speak in public anymore”.
From the time little, and I’ve been told that I was a good public speaker. As a kid, you just assume that’s your mom or your dad trying to say something positive to you. But as time went on I would notice in classes or in groups, I would be the person who was chosen to be the “speaker”. The one thing people had always told me that was that “when you talk to a room full of people, I don’t hear your voice. I don’t hear your voice quiver. I can’t tell that you’re nervous.” I guess that’s a compliment.
There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars.
Mark Twain
Today, I think it’s something that I have simply embraced. Even now, at staff meetings or a district wide professional development days, I see myself volunteering to be the speaker in those small group activities. At the risk of tooting my own horn, I end up being the person who will raise my hand and ask the question that everybody else is murmuring about.
People need leaders. And no, I’m not saying I am leadership material. Rather, we need someone in a group to be that first person to step forward; someone who is willing to address the proverbial elephant in the room; someone who was willing to volunteer to take on the difficult or dangerous task at hand. If that’s my contribution, if that’s my way of inspiring others. I’ll take it.
When it comes to any kind of public performance, NO ONE knows how nervous you actually are when you’re up on stage. In fact, this article suggest that audiences only pick up on 20% of our nerves. Our fear of how the audience will respond to us is usually far worse than any response we actually elicit from the crowd.
Even now, I find that the more nervous i am before speaking publicly, the more prepared I am. I get nervous because I care, and I prepare because I want to do well. The times that i get too confident, too cocky the times that I screw up and don’t prepare. It’s an odd paradox, but it is true.
Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech? What are your feelings about public speaking?
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The article “The person who steps forward” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob
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