Public speaking, such as giving a presentation or hosting a seminar, is a necessary part of many careers. Yet it is also one of the most common sources of phobias, and there is even a word for it: glossophobia. Even for people without a full-blown phobia, public speaking can be a daunting prospect.
To some extent, this is a natural reaction: humans have evolved to fear a situation when all eyes are turned to them, because to our distant ancestors, this was a dangerous moment where they might be eyed up for lunch by a predator. The ‘fight or flight’ instinct kicks in, leading to a racing heartbeat, shallow breathing, and a weak and wavering voice.
Obviously, this state is not conducive to being a good communicator. Your fear and discomfort will limit your ability to speak naturally and clearly, and the audience will be distracted by your unease and find it difficult to engage.
One of the best ways to improve your public speaking skills is through exposure therapy, by arming yourself with coping skills and putting yourself in the situation until you become more comfortable with it. Here’s how our acting classes in Liverpool are an ideal training ground for public speaking.
Improving your voice control
Acting classes will teach you how to project and modulate your voice properly, so that you can make yourself clearly heard by the whole room without sounding strained. You will learn how to use your breath and warm up your voice, and enunciate clearly so that your audience will relax and enjoy listening to you speak. This in turn will help you grow in confidence.
Managing performance anxiety
Stage fright is a common occurrence in the world of acting, and you’ll be introduced to techniques for managing it that are transferable to public speaking situations. You’ll also develop greater emotional resilience and be able to adapt to unexpected situations and little mistakes without becoming flustered and losing your flow.
Crafting storytelling skills
Even the driest subject matter can become more engaging if you are able to build a narrative and inject emotion into your words. Obviously, you will need to use these skills in a way that is appropriate to the nature of the speech, but showing no emotion at all can make you sound robotic and it will be difficult to retain the attention of the audience for long.
Using body language
When you learn how to act, you will learn how to use your body language and positioning to enhance your words and build stage presence. These skills will help you be a more confident and dynamic public speaker and help you to connect more naturally with your audience.
Memorisation skills
Acting requires you to learn lines by heart or respond discreetly to cues, and you can use these skills to deliver your speech without obviously relying on your notes. This will help you to become a more fluent and polished public speaker.
