Hopefully, we can achieve more in this course than just tell you that there is no need to be nervous. We are nervous and that’s that so what is left for us to do is to make the best of it. And sometimes being nervous can look very similar to being really passionate about the topic. Showing that you are passionate about the subject is one of the best way that you can connect with your audience and, thus, to get their attention and, possibly, even their support. So do not try to hide your passion. Be honest about why it is important to you. The audience will respond positively to your enthusiasm.
Another pretty easy way to connect with your audience and thus to get their attention is to bring in a little interaction. Many presentations are just too one-sided. It does not have to be like this, though. Do not be afraid to insert small moments of interactions, even if the context, sometimes very formal, might make you feel that you should not. Ask what people think during the speech. Do a quick poll by having the quickly raise their hands at a simple question. Tell them that you see some people nodding, or reacting to your words in some way (acknowledge that). It makes you seem more relatable so the audience will feel closer to you.
Speeches are quite different from just sitting down and speaking with a friend over a cup of coffee. When we chat with people like this, casually, informally, there are a lot of non-verbal clues, or feedback, that we get from them, which give us information about how they are reacting to what we tell them. We see nods, eye blinks, smiles, frowns, head shakes, we hear ahams, or no’s. When we deliver a public speech, there is a lot less of that. So the truth is we do not really feel how the audience feels when we are speaking before it. Because of our human nature, when this happens, we tend to feel and believe that the audience is actually unsympathetic. In the absence of non-verbal cues and feedback, we are inclined to believe that the people in the audience does not like us or does not react positively to our speech. However, we should be aware that, most of the times, this is simply not true. Most audience is actually sympathetic to us. Even at a subconscious level, people in the audience may feel respect for the fact that you are putting yourself out there during the speech.
Even if this is a trickier mindset change that you should try to go through, it is, however, quite true. When you feel nervous, we many times think that we have to present ourselves well, that we have to perform honorably, that, basically, we have to come out well, and this is what makes us be nervous. We are nervous when we have to perform because we feel the pressure for our performance to be good. So, when you feel that, try to tell yourself that it is not about you. The main goal of your public speech is not for you to be a good performer. But rather it is about your audience. You are not a performer, instead, you are there to serve the interests of your audience, so try to focus on serving them as well as you can, rather than yourself. In other words, you do not matter that much, it is your audience that matters more. So no need to feel nervous, right?
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex (LGBTQI) Youth and Student Organisation
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