What makes me apprehensive about public speaking? Everything about it. I'm a private person and I hate being in the spot light. I am the furthest thing from being a narcissist. So, that's one thing. Another is the fear of not sounding articulate. I sometimes doubt myself when it comes to speaking on intellectual issues when I'm around people a lot smarter than I am. I guess I always assume everyone else around me is smarter and that they're are thinking my presentation is wrong or inaccurate. Sounds like a real confidence porblem doesn't it? Even though it sounds like it, I don't suffer from a lack of self esteem. It's just a lack of confidence.
After reading some of the information in the book, one of my many issues might just be with poor planning. You see, when I get up in front of people to speak, it's usually a last minute "can you do this now" sort of thing. Then, when I get up in front of people, I speak in an unorganized manner on something I wasn't prepared to do. Add that to me now having a negative attitude beacuse someone else's bad planning has now fallen on me to take care of it for them. One example recently was, "Hey, can you guys go to a high school and speak at a job's fair right now? The other person said they were not prepared and that you would do a better job anyway". 30 minutes later, I'm on stage ata big high school auditorium with a microphone in my hand. That was not a good morning. high School kids are a tough crowd.
I say "uh" a lot too and when I catch myself doing that, internally I start to fell like I'm blowing it. That only leads to me getting distracted and off point because I start to think about how I must be messing up .
So hopefully, at the end of this class, these issues can be resolved. In the meantime, be patient with me. I'll try not to bore you.
FD
