Glossophobes
❌ No, glossophobes are not a translucent grasshopper breed.
✅ Yes, glossophobes are those that have an extreme fear of public speaking.
► If you identify as a glossophobe, you are not alone! According to The Economist article, The Secrets of Public Speaking, “This staple office activity causes very many people to feel deeply anxious.” Thank you to Dr. E. Michael Reisman for sending me this insightful article with homespun advice and actor’s tips for glossophobes.
Homespun advice
🙄 Just be yourself. This ignores the fact that the Real You would rather be dead vs giving a speech.
🤯 Picture your audience is in their underwear. Don’t do this! Although this questionable concept became popular in a well-known book 30 years ago, it does not work!
🙃 Speak on topics you understand. This makes sense “except getting ahead in many jobs requires the opposite.”
Actors’ advice
🎭 #1 Understand that presenting is a “deeply physical activity.”
- Don’t stand with your legs locked. A slight bend in the knees creates greater stability.
- Open your jaw more widely than you might ordinarily do when pronouncing vowel sounds.
- Do warm-up exercises for your face. Think Edvard Munch’s The Scream! Move your face around and make it look like a prune.
🎭 #2 Slow down the pace of your delivery.
- Allow for pauses.
- Avoid “ums” and “ughs” by trying this (kind of whacky) exercise: As you talk, do a technique called “finger-walking”. Michael Chad Hoeppner, an actor turned coach suggests you use your index and middle fingers to “walk” across the table and only take a “step” when you know what the next word is going to be. I just tried it and it works! It forces you to take time choosing your words and the verbal clutter disappears.
🎭 #3 Don’t focus on yourself. “Turn selfie-view off”!
- You spend way too much time being self-analytical. “Do I look ok?” “Did that sound weird?” “Is my neck blotchy?”
- Put your energy on your audience rather than you.
- Concentrate on what you want your audience to feel, think or do as a result of your presentation.
Bottom line
To all glossophobes➜ Take the advice from a profession that really knows how to pretend and perform: acting.
Dog Photo Credit: Robin Sachs Photography
The Scream, Anxious Guy Photo Credit: 123rf.com
Never understood the concept of thinking of the audience in its underwear. You can only think of one thing at a time. If you’re thinking of how the audience looks undressed, then you’re not thinking about your speech. Derailment ahead!
Hi Joel! Yes, you are correct. It’s the dumbest advice regarding imaging your audience without their clothes on! I cannot fathom how that book and concept became so widely known. Perhaps because it’s racy. Whatever. Keep your mind on your presentation and how your audience can use your info. Derailment avoided!