[解析]
Steps to Overcome That Fear
A great fear that many people have is speaking before a group of audience. The primary reason is that they are afraid of looking foolish in front of other people. The way to overcome this fear is through preparation, a safety net, and a positive attitude towards the audience.
There are several steps of tricks to use to overcome the fear of making a mistake or looking foolish when you speak to a group: be well-prepared before speaking to a group; practice your speech; have a backup, in case you forget what you want to say; reduce the fear of your audience; relax yourself just before you speak. In the following material, I will explain each of those points.
One of the best ways to make sure you don't make foolish mistakes is to be well prepared before you speak to a group. You should know what you are going to talk about, who you will speak to, and under what conditions you will speak.
A professional in any field does not leave anything to chance before a big game, important performance, or critical presentation to corporate executives. Strategies are laid out, all material is ready, contingency plans are made, and every detail is taken care of.
When you are well prepared, chances of failure or goof-ups are greatly reduced. You feel more relaxed and sure of yourself, because you have all the bases covered.
You need to know exactly what you are going to talk about.
This doesn't mean to memorize exactly what you plan to say . Rather, it is to have a good outline of facts and information that you can talk about,
It is good to be aware of what type of audience you will be speaking before.
This will give you an idea of the subject matter and tone of your speech . If you are speaking before some important people or at an important event, the fact may increase your anxiety. But it is good to know up front, so that you can properly prepare for the occasion.
It is good to check over the conditions under which you will speak. If you can, go up to the lectern to check things over and get a feel for things. If you will use a microphone, check it out.
In some situations, a person may simply make a presentation in a meeting room at work. Even then, it is a good idea to check out the room beforehand and try to visualize how you will be doing things.
Note that going through this process will actually relax you and give you more confidence when it is your turn to speak.
You should practice your speech many times before you give it. Even if you know your material very well, practice is extremely important.
The more you give a talk, the more automatic it becomes , the more meat it can have, and the more confidence you have in your abilities to give the speech.
Ways to practice alone are to first simply say the speech out loud.
This is good to get the material more ingrained in your memory. Then say the speech, looking into a mirror.
This is good to do, because you must concentrate more . You also get an idea of how you look when speaking. Finally, if you must refer to notes, it allows you to practice eye contact with the audience.
An interesting trick is to say your speech while standing in the corner. The sound reflects back to you, and you can get a good idea of how you sound when you speak.
Another way to practice is using a tape recorder.
This forces you to avoid pausing to try to remember things. It also allows you to play the speech back to study how you sound, your phrasing, and the content of the material.
Practice before friends. This is a very important way to practice, because it is getting closer to the "real world" of speaking to a group. Even an audience of one person is good for this type of practice.
It is worthwhile to bring along a "security blanket" or "safety net" in case something goes wrong in your presentation. The main thing to worry about is forgetting what you were going to say next. This can happen even if you've done extensive practicing of the speech.
It is good to have your speech outlined on a few sheets of paper or in 3×5 cards.
You can then refer to them in case you have a mental lapse. Referring to your notes is certainly acceptable to an audience, as long as you are not reading a speech word-for-word from a script.
One thing that having a safety net provides is that it reduces your anxiety about forgetting what you were going to say or having your mind go blank. You may never even use the cards, but the fact that you have them—just in case—can greatly reduce the butterflies.
The more important the audience or the occasion, the greater your fear can be. You don't want to look like a fool in front of the bosses at work, your peers, or even your friends and relatives.
One method to overcome this fear is to visualize the people as not all that important . An old trick is to imagine that the audience is naked. Or perhaps imagine them all in clown outfits. A ridiculous image will make them seem not all that important.
When you are introduced to speak, take three breaths to settle you down before you get out of the chair. Then when you go up to the lectern, thank the person who introduced you and then count to 10 before you start speaking.
This will allow the audience to get settled and ready to hear you. It also is a way that you are showing that you are now in control.
It is not easy to do, because you have to look at the audience and panic may settle in. But if you have made all the preparations, you can be sure of yourself and deserve to be in control of the situation It is a good feeling.
The way to overcome the fear of speaking to a group is to make sure you are well prepared, have some backup material ready in case you forget your lines, visualize your audience as not so important, and practice as much as you can before you speak.
原文提到:“A professional in any field does not leave anything to chance before a big game, important performance,or critical presentation to corporate executives”,可知专业人士在应对重要场合前会做足准备,绝不留有任何漏洞。由not leave anything to chance可知空格中应填chance。