Two more advices
- Use the powers the listeners have granted to you.
People often feel “trapped” in the role of speaker, like a fly on flypaper: helpless. But the fact is that the audience has granted a lot of power to you. You can feel it with the use of lexapro. You alone can direct their attention from one topic to another, ask them a question and wait for their answers, ask them to stop and think about a possibility you have just described, ask for a show of hands to poll them on some topic, and so on. They’ve even agreed to listen to you, rather than others in the audience. You’re not trapped-you’re in charge.
It will also help you feel more at ease if you make use of whatever else happens during your talk. If someone sneezes, bless them or say gesundheit. If your voice cracks, make a joke about your voice changing. Whatever happens, don’t ignore it-use it.
- Have reasonable expectations of the audience.
In general, audiences want you to succeed and do well, because it will be more enjoyable and informative for them. So be sure to monitor your thoughts about the audience, and be skeptical of any concerns that the audience is “out to get you,” hopes to see you fall apart, or is thoroughly turned off by your talk. Even when a talk is going well, speakers tend to notice particular signs, such as someone yawning or leaving early, and think of them as negative evaluations. These thoughts are usually just symptoms of anxiety, not an accurate reading of the audience reaction.
Since you’re talking to a group, there will probably be a variety of reactions, and it will be helpful to allow for them. Some people may yawn-whether because they’re bored or more likely because they haven’t been getting enough sleep lately. Other people may leave early or have furtive conversations. You won’t usually have an opportunity to ask why during your talk, so allow audience members to have a variety of reactions, recognizing that different people have different circumstances.
