The ABC’s of Public Speaking

The audience is clapping. As you climb the stairs, you place your leg, firmly, slowly, one step at a time, because you feel at any moment, you would slip and fall. Somehow, you miraculously make it through the steps and now you are walking across, to the center of the stage, where you are to deliver your speech.

They are seated now, the audience, waiting quietly for you to begin, but you, your mind; its hyperactive and racing, the thumping in your chest is so loud you know the person at the far end exit could hear you.

You stop at the center of the stage, but your legs don’t, they tremble, making you press the balls of your feet hard against the elevated stage. They stop to quake for a bit, as if hearing your plight as you force them into a tense stationary strain.

But, the beads of sweat on your temple have collected now, and begin to dribble down your face in pools. You dab at them furiously, the audience’s gaze riveted on you. Best not to keep them waiting now.

You try to speak, but you can’t seem to remember your rehearsed speech; it’s all blank. As you try frantically to recollect, your legs notice the pickle you are in, they break free of the strain you imposed, and begin to shake ever so fiercely, like the wings of a buzzing bee.

The audience now is part frowning, part sympathetic. You try to blurt out something, anything, but it comes out in short, incoherent quaking bursts. Your heart is palpitating, your legs trembling, your voice breaking.

You rattle off what little your foggy, empty brain could muster and dash off the stage amidst sneers and boos from the audience, swearing never to broach the topic of public speaking or touch a microphone on a stage with a ten-foot pole, ever.

Does this sound like you? Have you ever had such horrific and humiliating experience? Standing, frozen, like a deer in headlights, in front of an audience? Well, I have and I can tell you, it was sickening, to say the least.

However, since then, my speaking game has improved tremendously, and I have gone on to speak before thousands .

This article, is the first in a series that is bent, on not only helping you dispel stage fright, but in showing you the intricate skills of preparing a killer presentation, holding your audience’s attention and have them glued to their seats until the end of your presentation.

So, relax, as I take you on a journey of Public speaking Mastery.

Your public speaking coach Omoyele Damilola

To be continued...