For people who get lost in the moments when it is necessary to speak in front of a meeting of the people, every appearance on the stage can be torture. When preparing for your next public appearance - reading a report, presenting at work, etc. - it is worth taking on board a few tips that will help you make your speech successful.
Preliminary preparation for public speaking usually includes composing a speech or learning the required text, familiarization with the requirements, as well as the place where you will have to go on stage. An important point is the moral - psychological - preparation for public speaking. This is especially important for those people who feel insecure behind the podium, are afraid of the stage, or for those who have very little experience of performing in front of people.
There are a number of things to consider when going on stage. Bringing them to life will help make the performance bright and memorable. In addition, some techniques can instill more confidence and help to cope with anxiety.
How to perform in front of an audience: 10 simple tips
- Having risen on the stage or having taken the right place in front of the team, do not rush to immediately rush into the pool with your head. Give yourself some time to look around, catch your breath. Take a short pause, which will be able to whet additional interest and attract the attention of the public to you. However, remember that the pause should be natural, without the feeling of panic emanating from you.
- Take a look around the hall or room in which you are now going to perform. Take a quick look at the audience. Try to single out a few people for yourself, mentally telling them your speech. This will help you to collect a little internally. Try to keep your gaze from focusing on one point for a long time, but at the same time not running randomly throughout the space. For some people, to fully concentrate, you need to look not at the faces of the listeners, but slightly over their heads. From the audience, such a gaze will be perceived as concentrated and not absent. This will allow you not to be distracted by any movements in the audience, by the possible light from the screens of smartphones, and so on.
- If the opportunity permits, do not freeze on the stage at one point and in one static position. Let yourself move. In the first minutes, movements and actions can be nervous, but gradually it will pass. However, try not to flicker, not rush around the space, showing your excitement.
- Watch your gestures and facial expressions. Without such accompaniment, your speech may not be fully understood and heard by the public.
- If you want your public performance to go well, do not forget to rehearse your actions, movements, facial expressions in front of the mirror at home. Watch the intonation of the voice, how many parasitic words appear in speech, and so on.
- Once on stage, never choose closed poses. Do not stand with your arms crossed on your chest or behind your back. Do not cross your legs - this position is also extremely unstable, which in moments of excitement can be fraught with unforeseen consequences. Try not to lower your head low, not actively look at the floor or mumble under your breath. Straighten your back, straighten your shoulders, slightly lift your chin and smile at the audience. This will not only be able to win over the audience to you, but will also add inner moral strength, confidence in actions and subsequent performance.
- Never forget who you are speaking to. The fact is that different cultures have their own characteristics. So, for example, when speaking in front of the Chinese, you should not look them in the eye. For people of eastern nationalities, a glance thrown from the height of the rostrum can be perceived as a kind of challenge and aggression.
- Try to be closer to the audience during your public speaking. Lean slightly towards the audience, hold the audience's attention, but behave relaxed and natural. If questions arise in the hall, try to answer them, do not remain silent.
- Watch videos of other people performing on stage the day before you speak to the audience. In this case, you can choose any videos. Observe how the person behaves in front of the audience, take notes of any actions or words.
- If something suddenly went wrong - there was some kind of hitch, you forgot the text, the microphone broke, and so on - try not to panic. First convince yourself that any circumstance is possible, but do not screw yourself up before going on stage. Try to treat any surprises philosophically and with humor. Never forget: while you are in front of the audience, only you control the situation, set the right atmosphere and tone. If your reaction to something sudden is negative, this attitude will be transmitted to the audience.
