Why is it that some speakers hold your attention with no effort at all while others made you work to stay awake? Some make you feel like the most important person in the audience, while others look like they wish they were anyplace else but here.     

     Unfortunately, many people feel that speaking in public is like walking barefoot on hot coals. You can actually see their discomfort. They can't stand still. They're constantly shifting their balance from one foot to the other, like marching in place.

     For others, standing in front of an audience is like facing a firing squad. They plant themselves on a spot and freeze, afraid to move an inch or they might get shot. Or they hide behind the lectern or podium, afraid to come out from behind its protective shield to get closer to their listeners.

     Then there are those who seem perfectly comfortable, but they can't figure out where to put their hands. They lean on the podium, fiddle with their glasses, juggle their slide pointer, run their hands through their hair, hitch up their slacks, scratch an itch, cough, blink, and display other mannerisms which only distract you from hearing what they're saying. 

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     When you have to give a speech, do you ever worry about anything like this? 

"If I make a mistake, the audience will think I'm stupid."

"I have an accent. They won't listen to me or understand what I'm saying."

"They'll see how nervous I am and think I'm incompetent."

"English is not my first language. If I say things wrong, they'll laugh at me."

"I just know the audience is going to judge me and decide I'm no good."

        If you've ever thought any of this, be comforted. You're not alone. Fear of what the audience is thinking is one of the most common reasons that folks refuse to get up to speak in front of a group. And it's a shame, because 9 times out of 10, the audience is thinking none of those things.

        Why did they come to hear you speak in the first place?  Doesn't matter whether they're required to come, i.e. to a company meeting, or they chose to come because you're speaking on a topic they're interested in, or they're there for some other reason. The truth is they came because you have something to say that they want to hear.

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