Public speaking - do you like it, do you dislike it, are you afraid of it ?

The first time i did speak in public it was dreadful, I stuttered and stammered - nightmare. When I was asked to do a talk on my complimentary therapies I was terrified and asked a friend who was a hypnotist to do it for me - he insisted I let him hypnotise me which I did. There I was at the venue. I stood up and someone spoke loud and clear, no stammering, no stuttering - It was me!! You couldn't stop me from talking after that!

The very first time I spoke in public to people who didn't know me was to give a Sunday evening sermon in the church of a very well known vicar, but at the time I wasn't aware of his fame or the fact that the church would be packed to the rafters and have CCTV (in the 70s). I was terrified from the moment I walked into the building and afterwards I had no memory of a thing I'd said.

Since then, in addition to teaching, I've given lots of talks, delivered training, been a keynote and guest speaker at some sizeable events, and been interviewed on the radio. The radio interviews were about my job and were stressful because I was answering questions that I hadn't seen in advance, but usually I've only been slightly nervous because I'm always extremely well prepared. Some of the talks I've given have been about very personal events - that's a bit scary, but so far always very well received.

Just thought I'd add that, yes, I do enjoy it (otherwise I wouldn't put myself through it, obviously.)
The last time I did any public speaking was just before lock down in March last year. I must admit, I have missed it.

I have been involved in drama activities since I was very young which definitely helped develop confidence. I did a secondment as a teacher which meant I had to speak to groups of varying sizes both locally and nationally. I found,to my surprise,I was really good at it which helped my confidence more. Definitely preparation was the key and not going on and on. I used humour if something went wrong. It was a skill I honestly didn't know I had until I did,if you see what I mean.

I went to a bog standard secondary mod school back in the 60s but we had the good fortune to have a head teacher who wanted his pupils to develop their public speaking skills.
We had a drama club, choir, operatic group and debating society.
All 5th and 6th formers were expected to do the daily bible reading in morning assembly and to be confident when welcoming any guests.

I would say I'm very shy and nervous but other people don't seem to see me that way. I've done a lot of public speaking and presentations during and after my working life. I'm always a bag of nerves beforehand and try to be well prepared. Apparently come across as very confident or so I've been told but it's all an act.

I enjoy it, but only when I’m well prepared. When put in the position of having to speak off the cuff at a moment’s notice, as happened more than once at work, it was a different matter. It annoyed me because I knew I could have done so much better.

I guess another thing that can work is to tell your audience if you are feeling nervous. Most of them would empathise and it gets them on your side. On the other hand, of course, you get a few that won’t!

I teach, so I pretty much have to be okay with it

Fun fact: in a lab setting, public speaking is the most stressful situation you are ethically permitted to place someone in for the purpose of scientific experiments.

I have had to do a lot of public speaking in various professional and private capacities over the years. If I have done the work beforehand, then I really enjoy the experience; if I haven't, then not so much. I have always cleaved to the following (military) "mantras" to ensure the best chance of everything going well:

1. PPPPPP: Proper Preparation Prevents P**s-Poor Performance. (Speaks for itself)
2. Stand Up, Speak Up, and Shut Up. This works on two levels. The literal one: ie don't slouch; make sure you can be heard; and stop when you get to the end of what you have to say. On a more subtle level, it reminds me to (stand up) convey the impression that I am master of my subject, and am confident in my ability; (speak up) speak slowly and clearly, with due emphasis, in language that is appropriate to the audience and occasion; and (shut up) quit while I'm ahead, and still have people's attention. Listeners will forgive poor speakers most things - apart from droning on....and on...interminably.

When I was younger I would do it without a care but now I will cry if I have to speak to an audience, I will however strike up a conversation with a stranger anytime, I regularly stop my bike and chat to our group of homeless guys on the seat at the end of the cycle track, I will pick out the craziest person on a train or bus to start a conversation with much to my families horror. I am an odd ball?

I do a lot of public speaking (pre Covid of course). I really enjoy it. Its all in the preparation for me. If I've got a good presentation prepared whether with slides/video or without I'm happy. I enjoy talking to people and also audience interaction. I've heard lots of interesting things from people in the audiences.
A funny aspect is that it doesn't seem to occur to people that I can see them right back. I see the furtive nose pickers, nodders, secret sweetie eaters etc. Once I had to really concentrate on not laughing out loud when I noticed a lady near the back had a telescope trained on me!
Whether it's a serious or lighter topic I find it's important to make 'em laugh. It relaxes the atmosphere and if people are laughing they're listening so you can introduce more serious, sometimes very serious, topics.

It doesn’t bother me at all provided I know my topic and believe in what I’m saying, I’ve done lots of it and I think that’s why it doesn’t bother me - you learn how to hold the audience when you’ve not done well the first few times because you don’t want to repeat the same elements that went wrong. My biggest issue has always been my hands, waving them about. I was shocked when I saw it on video the first time, and had to work really hard on controlling them.

Not working as one now, but have been a lecturer for the past 20 years. Sometimes I’m ok standing up in front of people and talking - sometimes I’m not. I’ve taught all ages from yr10 to post grad and I enjoy the lower levels now, but really did used to enjoy the post grad classes. So I do sometimes get asked to speak in front of a group and I do get very nervous but I’m usually ok. I work in education on a one to one basis now and being constantly told that we need to improve x, y and z has had a negative impact on my confidence.

When I was on various committees I had to do it, usually only to a few people at a time.
Each time my childhood stammer came back.

More than about 10 people in the room and I’m a total mess and can’t get a word out properly.

Public speaking confidence is an essential skill for almost anyone who wants to progress in their career.

It is not easy to acquire but if it doesn't come naturally an ambitious person must make an effort to learn it.

During the pandemic we have seen scientists, medics and local and national political leaders interviewed and questioned on tv so often that it is clear that we need experts who do not just know their stuff but can explain it clearly to the rest of us.

I'm stubborn I don't give in!

I learnt a lot about public speaking when I trained to be a WeightWatcher's 'lecturer' about 40 years ago. It was a first rate training and stood me in good stead when I managed to get elected to the Borough Council and had to chair meetings. But the first time I stood up and addressed a Party conference, I must admit that my heartbeat went into overdrive!

This terrified me I was physically sick and shook from head to toe.
I don't know how you coped with that Redhead. I think I would have given up.

I was shy as a kid but never liked reading out in class as I blushed. But as I grew up I became rather outspoken probably to hide my shyness.
I was always confident in my work and involved in trade unions very outspoken then. I decided as a divorcee to go to university to further my job opportunities. I was a mature student and had to do presentations. This terrified me I was physically sick and shook from head to toe.

I used to read in church. Not sure that counts. And gave talks to church groups. And spoke at my dear mothers funeral.
But I was once asked to give a talk to medical staff at a hospital, on the effects on the family of someone suffering a head injury . I was terrified and prepared it thoroughly. On the day I forgot my written presentation and had to quickly go over it in my head and jot down some notes to work from. Surprisingly all my nerves left me as soon as I started and I even managed to take questions.

I used to do it at work and got used to it, always well prepared. I remember going on a course where you had video taken as you spoke, it was quite embarrassing at the time, but I learnt from it. Now, I don’t know how I’d feel

We had to talk in a huge lecture theatre as students - as part of our teaching course.

Of course, I was nervous, but I had good advice. Pick one person, up at the back, and speak loudly and clearly to them. Forget everyone else.

It worked for me and I've never been worried about it since.

Unfortunately, one fellow student decided a few drinks would help settle his nerves. He appeared, rolling drunk and unable to make his speech!

Have done a fair bit of work related public speaking, have done readings at adult children’s weddings, their children’s christenings and the odd eulogy at friends funeral.
Once had to do a presentation to a group of Arab businessmen about wind energy when my boss was taken ill at the last minute. Fortunately he’d prepared a good PowerPoint presentation, it made me aware that questions afterwards had already been covered in the presentation so answers were easy. I’ve attended many talks since and this latter is a fact.
I joined a local am dram group and found that acting on stage is a completely different ball game, so nervous I forgot my lines, couldn’t ad-lib and stayed backstage ever after.

@ SuzannahM at your last sentence!

I used to have to do presentations to MoD and Navy types - I absolutely hated the last Friday of every month when it would be a massive review meeting. It was back in the day of acetate slides and overhead projectors.
One meeting I dropped my stack of acetates, went to pick them up and slipped on one, falling to my knees and making holes in the knees of my black tights. As I got up I banged my head on the side of the projector. Everybody was very kind and came to help but that only made it worse.
Every meeting after that I would look out in the audience and I could almost feel the anticipation, as if they were thinking "What's she going to do this month to entertain us?"