Are you afraid of public speaking?

[seemunkee]

I'm listening to my wife practice the presentation she has to give in the AM, for the third time. She HATES public speaking and is a nervous wreck. She's smart and knows her stuff but is very reserved around strangers

[HEyHEY]

1. nope. I insist upon it wherever I go.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Not at all. I love speaking in public.

Don't know why. I just am that way.

[flvegan]

3. Yes, I am. However, as luck would have it, I'm really good at it.

I've spoken in front of my employer with 150 folks listening, and I've spoken in front of a couple thousand folks. Always scared leading up...nervous, but then at the moment of truth, it's like a "zone" thing.

[seemunkee]

8. I'm the same way

Being a self-centered ham can be an asset in the right situation.

[youthere]

4. not at all...

when I'm not speaking in private, I'm usually speaking in public.

[DarkTirade]

5. I'm not really a people person.

I'm okay with witty banter amongst a group, but if you put me in front of a group I find it rather difficult to speak.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. I get a little nervous but I don't hate it, no. Gave a speech just tonight, in fact.

[LeftyMom]

7. No. I used to do it competitively.

I'll go speak in front a lot of people on a topic I know almost nothing about with only a few minutes to prepare, and I won't break a sweat.

[seemunkee]

10. How do you speak competitively?

Debate team?

[LeftyMom]

11. Debate, but also competitive speaking events in the same league.

There were a lot of different specializations: some prepared, some impromptu, some humorous, some dramatic, some informative, etc. Oh, and one which mimicked parliamentary debate, which was a favorite of mine- I went to the national competition in that one my junior year.

[Critters2]

9. No. I do it professionally. I love it, find it energizing.

But I know it's terrifying to a lot of people.

[grannylib]

12. Nope, I kinda thrive on it. I am in professional training and development

so I guess that's good!
Hope all goes well for her...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. My dear seemunkee...

I'm getting used to it, since I'm going to a poetry open mic every Tuesday...

And there I recite MY poetry...

It's grand having people applaud, and having them tell you later how much they like your stuff...

I am no longer afraid!

[ThomCat]

14. I've rarely ever had a problem speaking in public.

I've been nervous a couple of times, but never anything more serious than that.

[JanMichael]

15. Not at all.

But that's only because I grew to understand how little I cared about other people's opinion about me.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

16. Very.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

17. 25 years ago, yes. Nowadays -- piece of cake. -nt

[CatholicEdHead]

18. Yes and No

I am in Toastmasters International so it is helping alot.

[momophile]

23. I've often thought about joining them

does it really help that much?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

31. Toastmasters is a great

place to overcome far of speaking (if you have it) in public. In a well run club, it's a win-win situations. You are always encouraged, given positive, useful feedback and NEVER criticized. I recommend it if you want to get your feet wet with speaking in public. :)

[elleng]

19. Yes., don't like public speaking at all. Best if spontaneous.

Was the last course I took in college; required, so I had no choice: "We are the Pepsi Generation."

Later (much) went to law school, and early in my first year after being admitted to practice, I volunteered to represent a convicted narcotics dealer in his appeal, in federal court, Chicago.

Long story short, I didn't die; I survived oral argument in the case, had the biggest zit EVER on my cheek, court thanked me, decided if I could do that I could do anything!

Lost the case, but survived!!! (Won a more important one, without oral argument; Florida capital case. Worth all the aggravation of law school.)

[NMDemDist2]

20. nope

I'm a big ham and love being the center of attention

:hide:

[Generic Brad]

21. Only when the public speakers chase me

I'm not as fast as I once was.

[momophile]

22. yes, and it will likely cause me to never advance very far professionally

I'm scared to death of it. I dropped classes based on presentations. I've not applied for jobs because of it. It's debilitating.

I've gotten better, though, and in some settings I do better. The more casual the setting the better. I don't know that I could ever present at a conference or give good testimony.

[UrbScotty]

24. It depends on how well I've prepared (nt)

[laylah]

25. No, not afraid...

terrified! :scared: I can talk FOREVER until I have to.

[annonymous]

26. Yes, this is my greatest phobia.

It was a requirement in college and I barely passed it because I hated it so much.

[Orsino]

27. A little, I reckon.

I got over most of it during a few years of theater, and a few more of teaching.

[BarenakedLady]

28. Yes!

I have social phobia. Public Speaking is a nightmare to me. Even just thinking about it hypothetically makes my heart race.

:(

[Shine]

29. Nope. When I was a kid, I used to be very shy, but I guess I outgrew it.

:D

I've heard that fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of death....which means that if you had to give a eulogy, you'd rather be the person INside the coffin! Weird, don't know if it's true, or not, but it is amusing to consider. LOL!


:hi: I hope your wife has a successful speaking experience.

[seemunkee]

30. Update

Her presentation went well and the questions showed an interest in the program she was presenting.

[last_texas_dem]

32. Yes

I'm really shy anyway, and public speaking definitely brings it out. Oddly, though, speaking in front of a very large audience where I'm sort of separated from them (on a stage or the like) really doesn't bug me that much- as opposed to a classroom or a small group setting. I think it has to do with being able to feel the eyes on you, feel yourself being "judged"...

[Withywindle]

33. Not at all.

I'm such a stage ho. I love it.

(When I was a kid I won lots of prizes for my presentations and recitations--in Latin as well as English. I did performance poetry in bars for years too.)

[Greyskye]

34. I used to be, until I was in a band

You can't be the lead singer for long if you can't speak in public. :rofl:

[applegrove]

35. I'm terrible at it. Unless I can read something..I'm not very good.

[Bake]

36. Not at all.

But I'm a lawyer, so if I were skeered of it, I'd be in trouble.

Bake