Public Speaking

[d3r14k]

So I had a pretty crap experience with this today. I work in a medium sized facility with around 200 people and had to run a presentation on a pretty bland topic three different times throughout the day over two different shifts. I feel like I nailed the first two presentations, but the third near the end of the day didn't go well at all. To keep this brief, I basically have to test people on their knowledge of a certain subject for compliance, then locked up for some fucking reason and was unable to explain said knowledge when prompted to do so.

Pretty embarrassing. This happened to be the session that both of my bosses decided to attend, so idiot points were doubled in my favor.

I don't stutter, I talk clearly (at least I think so), and generally try to crack a few jokes to ease myself and the audience up a little bit.

I'm actually genuinely curious how the inhabitants of this forum are at public speaking and if anyone has any tricks to help them. Generally I don't have a problem with it, but will decline if it's optional. This time sadly, it was not.

[Cecily]

I find peppering every few words with expletives has soothing effect on the audience and makes you seem more trustworthy.

[ScaringChildren]

I find peppering every few words with expletives has soothing effect on the audience and makes you seem more trustworthy.

This is why Trump won

[Cecily]

Believe me.

So I need a communication class to get into my nursing program. I had to choose from public speaking, small group communication, or conflict mediation. Guess which one I took?

[maskedmelon]

i have trouble remaining inside myself while being with others i don't know. passing a thought from my mind to my mouth in those situations is liek tossing a bucket of water against a wall of pumice. basically, my brain fails to serialize the objects that comprise my thoughts in those situations.

more simply put: i suck, a lot.

[ScaringChildren]

more simply put: i suck, a lot.

https://i.imgur.com/kCZsJ.gif

[Cecily]

It just happens. Maybe you could bring talking points with you on a sheet of paper.

[loramin]

Honestly it sounds to me like you just need more practice at public speaking. Obviously more preparation might have helped too, but it sounds like you knew your shit for the first two times, and just had an embarrassing brain fart on the last one.

There's no real way to avoid "brain farts" when presenting except to present so much that they either don't happen, or that you learn to recover from them when they do.

[maskedmelon]

lotta good posts here except loramin who didn't share anything about his public speaking ability or advice for others butt still managed to write the longest response.

[d3r14k]

I find peppering every few words with expletives has soothing effect on the audience and makes you seem more trustworthy.

Somehow I think this would have made it worse.

Honestly it sounds to me like you just need more practice at public speaking. Obviously more preparation might have helped too, but it sounds like you knew your shit for the first two times, and just had an embarrassing brain fart on the last one.

There's no real way to avoid "brain farts" when presenting except to present so much that they either don't happen, or that you learn to recover from them when they do.

Like I said, I'm usually fine at it, but tripping over something you're expected to test someone else on is not ideal.

Practice is definitely better. The frequency that I have to do this is pretty low.

[Schaduwridder]

Xanax if mild beta blockers if severe

90% of our population would have an issue with public speaking to that many people, perfectly normal

[maskedmelon]

honestly Deriak, I would consider the possibility of mental fatigue. Might try 20mins of meditation between sessisions and/or invest some sugar/caffein after about 4hr or so if brain farts are the issue. Eating too much can dull your mind / attention too, so if your third session was after lunch, maybe next time have a light lunch like some fruits and then have your normal lunch after the last presentation.

[Mead]

I’m horrible at it because of nerves, not lack of knowledge, but I take some low dose Inderal and I’m like Ari Fleischer up there. You’re welcome.

[Evia]

Oh man I'm sorry OP! I can relate to that unsettling experience! It sounds rough! Especially with your bosses present. On a somewhat related note, I used to really enjoy being a lead vocalist for post-hardcore/metal bands,and id suffer from extreme anxiety leading up to every performance. It honestly got to the point where the benefit and thrill of playing music was outweighed by the intensity of the anxiety that i just stopped all together.

It was something I battled with for years and I tried numerous things to try and make it a comfortable experience but to no avail. One thing that did help a little bit was right before I would go on stage id lock myself in a room completely alone and I would close my eyes and try to steady my breathing as i visualized in my head how I wanted the performance to go. It sounds kind of cheesy but it did bring a sense of calming focus and determination.

[Cecily]

Might have been test anxiety set off by the presence of your bosses. Wish I knew how to fix test anxiety. My friend isn’t doing so hot in class atm.

[Jimjam]

Avoid eating mom's spaghetti prior to performance.

[Mead]

I never figured out how to get over the anxiety I enjoy when I present something very technical to people I perceive are smarter than me. A pretty good performer though when it comes to dummy stuff. The key is looking down your nose at everybody

Have you ever taken a proper IQ test?

[Sonderbeast]

Jibbacalawiggafallasigganalawallamalasniggimagafal acalawagabungadude

[Patriam1066]

lotta good posts here except loramin who didn't share anything about his public speaking ability or advice for others butt still managed to write the longest response.

Dunk of the week

As for the topic at hand, I’m good at public speaking and always have been, but I’ve always been somewhat arrogant and the type of person who doesn’t a fuck. I would say use note cards if you’re bad...

Maybe you just got tired? If you ran through it twice with 200ish people and froze the last time, maybe fatigue plus nerves from you boss being there? This isn’t the best advice I guess, but a shot or two of whiskey beforehand can help as well. That’s how dad did it

[Cecily]

Between the alcohol and a few f-bombs to break the ice, you totally got this. Now get out of the men’s room, get out there, and finish your speech. These people have been waiting 12 hours and frankly at this point it’s getting ridiculous.

[shuklak]

The secret is to picture yourself naked.

[Asteria]

The secret is to picture yourself naked.

[ScaringChildren]

Jibbacalawiggafallasigganalawallamalasniggimagafal acalawagabungadude

https://i.imgur.com/RzUmvxZh.jpg

[Jlpstrtkng]

Honestly we’re all human even the people you’re adressing. No one expects you to be perfect so if you have a brain fart up there maybe crack a joke about it or let them know. It eases up the anxiety you’re probably feeling, and gives you a quick break from the presentation to gather your thoughts while still engaging the audience. I wouldn’t stress too hard about it. Sometimes you can come off too wound tight if you’re worried that others won’t think you’re perfect and we can sense that. Realistically you’re more relatable when you do have things like brain farts you can use that as a way to relate to the people you’re talking to. You said you aced the presentation twice before that so you know the material and you know what you’re talking about. Be confident in yourself and don’t sweat the small stuff.

[bigjeff100]

lotta good posts here except loramin who didn't share anything about his public speaking ability or advice for others butt still managed to write the longest response.

Awww he provided some good moral support! Basically a "That sucks, shit happens, get back up on that horse and keep riding!". I can respect that response :)

[Tupakk]

Only 200? I do that in my sleep lol.

dont over think it and just do it, Shila Style!!

[d3r14k]

Good support and advice here. Thanks, mates. I've got another one of these in November, so we'll see how that goes.

Prefer to not go the chemical dependency route, though. I do some dabbling on my own time but I am absolute shit at hiding whenever I'm on something. Drooling during presentations might be frowned upon.

[loramin]

lotta good posts here except loramin who didn't share anything about his public speaking ability or advice for others butt still managed to write the longest response.

"Longest post = three sentences". I know brevity isn't always my strong suit, but really you're complaining about three sentences Melon?

Look, the guy had a brain fart, plain and simple. You have brain farts during presentations for two reasons: you don't know the material, or you don't have enough experience with public speaking (or option #3: the fat kid in the front row was making weird faces the whole time, but presumably the OP would have mentioned that).

Source: I'm no professional public speaker or anything, but I've given talks to industry trade groups, taught classes, and even won a debate tournament back in high school.

OP said he knew the material well, so all that leaves is needing more experience with presenting. I had no great wisdom about the art of public speaking to offer beyond that because there's no magic shortcut to avoid brain farts.

Still, I am glad to see that the old, cryptic Melon back, at least in some of your other recent posts.

[Cecily]

Isn’t cryptic just bad writing?

[misterbonkers]

Isn’t cryptic just bad writing?

does an astronaut rock to fakie on a moon's crater or does he switch revert?

also loramin, buddy. stop taking the bait

[bigjeff100]

does an astronaut rock to fakie on a moon's crater or does he switch revert?

also loramin, buddy. stop taking the bait

Neither.. He/She would backside disaster that crater lip.

[Lune]

The only conditions in which I can successfully publicly speak (ie present so well I get positive feedback for it):

1. I've had a lot of time to prepare a hilarious presentation

2. I know my shit about the topic really really well

3. Benzodiazepines

I imagine this is true for most introcucks

Find your muse