HOW TO OVERCOME GLOSSOPHOBIA

Naturally people feel some degree of nervousness or fear when they give a speech, presentation or perform on stage, which is called glossophobia. They try to cope with the situation even though they are not comfortable with it. However, people who suffer from glossophobia may intentionally avoid situations of speaking in public.

The term glossophobia is derived from the Greek word glōssa, means tongue and Phobos means fear. Most of us have undergone some fear to speak in public at some point of time in our lives.

This speaking anxiety may not be restricted to speaking in public, it makes people to struggle to speak even in smaller groups. They can't communicate verbally in order to express their ideas and thoughts. As a result, they lose their academic, social or career opportunities.

Tips to overcome glossophobia:

Here are some useful tips and ways which can reduce your fear:

1. Have sufficient content - You will be confident when you are knowledgeable i.e. when you have sound knowledge about the topic. Focus on the introduction, because this is when you are likely to be most nervous.

2. Have a script – Prepare a well drafted script with an introduction, expansion and conclusion, before the event.

3. Practice often and aloud – Practice many times till you get command over the topic, which further reduces your fear.

4. Record your presentation - Videotape your presentation for necessary modifications.

5. Habituate yourself with the room – Reach your destination early and stand on the stage if possible, visualise the audience and your position. Check the functioning of all equipment, such as a laptop or projector.

6. Use virtual reality – Practice beforehand at the actual venue to overcome your anxiety.

7. Know your audience - Know the age group, knowledge levels and communication levels of the audience so that you can meet their expectations.

8. Anticipate possible audience questions and prepare- Empathize with the audience and come up with a list of possible questions they might ask you, then prepare answers and even additional presentation slides to answer them.

9. Don't memorize your speech – Instead of memorizing the topic, get acquainted with it, analyse and summarise it; so that you can't forget it in the middle.

10. Speak slowly - People tend to talk more quickly when they are nervous; so be cautious and conscious to speak slowly. You will be less likely to stumble over your words if you speak with a slow pace.

11. Keep a glass of water next to you – Feeling a dry mouth while giving a public speech is natural. To overcome this, take sips of water frequently.

What to do afterwards:

It's good to retrospect on your speech afterwards. Dale Carnegie once said about public speaking, "There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practised, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave."

For that speech you wish you gave, you should spend some time to think about your performance on various aspects. Be truthful with yourself on three points – your strengths, weaknesses and improvements.

Get constructive feedback from trustworthy audience about your performance on these parameters and introspect for betterment.

Better still, record all your speeches and review them individually. It can be painful and you will probably get embarrassed while watching yourself on video or listening back to an audio recording. But this process is certainly necessary for you to become an effective speaker by overcoming fear of speaking.

The power of practice:

The more you practice, the more relaxed you'll be in front of people. It is helpful to take training or workshop on public speaking, in order to become a confident speaker.

Many famous people have suffered from glossophobia, including actors, politicians and even presidents. Some notable examples are Renée Zellweger, Nicole Kidman, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Sigmund Freud and Thomas Jefferson. At some point, they all mention actually going out of their way to avoid speaking in public. But, with regular practice they stood out among their peers.