The cause of fear and how to combat it?

The cause of such fear is easily explained. It stems from a series of experiences that have undermined his self-confidence. The first of these unfortunate events may have occurred when the individual was only one or two years old. Often there’s some small thing the parents do, or fail to do, which creates insecurity. Next, an older brother or sister shows superiority in front of others. This makes him feel inadequate. A cutting remark from a teacher shakes him up a little more. Confusion regarding sex makes him even less sure of himself. A bad complexion, hand-me-down clothes, a skeleton in the family closet-many things destroy confidence. Thus, stage fright is very deep rooted.

The speaker can’t relive his life. Even if he could, he’d have many of the same shattering experiences. Several things can be done, however, to reduce his fear at the speakers’ stand.

Ways to Combat Fear

1. Request him to make the talk. Don’t direct him to do so. When he tackles it voluntarily, he puts more “heart” into it. His confidence is greater. You’re no longer the only one who believes he’s capable. He also thinks he can do it. A San Diego bank cashier said, “The first time I was selected to speak at a meeting, I was told I had to speak. Having been drafted regardless of how I felt about it, I was terrified! A fellow should be asked to speak. He’ll feel better about it.”

2.* Ask him well in advance. This gives him time to get used to the idea. It also enables him to research his subject, to organize his material, and to practice delivery. These things make for self-confidence and self-assurance. “Before making my first speech, I had six weeks’ notice. This helped, because I not only had time to get used to the idea, but I had time to get help from several friends.” These words come from a farm implement dealer who is
now an accomplished speaker.

3.* Recommend appropriate visuals and other aids. If the speaker is a salesman, he’s busy keeping “the body in front of the prospect.” He has little time for planning ways of spicing his speech. Suggest visual and other aids. Help him integrate some good props. Then watch his confidence grow. A magazine crew manager said, “I always feel better if I have one or two good things to show during my talk. I know the audience will at least like that part of my talk.”

4.* Show confidence in his material. Having received an outline of his talk, acknowledge it with enthusiasm. Assure him he will cover the points of greatest need and interest. Tell him his talk will be quite favorably received. “After the boss said he liked my material, I figured everyone would,” confessed a dealer of automobile parts. “This made me much more willing to take the stand at our last sales meeting.”

5.* Offer to get his notes typed. Typewritten words can be read more easily. Use large type. If jumbo type is not available, the typist can put everything in “caps.” Triple space for still easier reading. “Nothing is worse than notes that are difficult to read. Notes written in pencil are usually quite difficult to read under the light on the speakers’ stand. Use typewritten notes.” These are the words of an experienced lecturer. Do not hyphenate a word, completing it on the next line. This makes the use of notes more obvious. The same can be said of a sentence that starts at the bottom of one page and ends at the top of the next.

6.* Urge him to practice. The better he knows his material, the more confidence he will have in his ability to deliver it. If he’s only gone over it a couple of times, he should be afraid. At least five practice efforts are recommended. They’ll work like magic in reducing fear. “Maybe I’m an old maid,” vowed a corporation president in Idaho. “But I keep practicing until I can’t miss. I believe it’s worth the effort or I wouldn’t do it.”

7. Eliminate his stumbling blocks. A speaker often stumbles at the same place each time. This is because certain words and phrases are difficult for him to pronounce. Help your speaker reword trouble spots. Then he’ll have material he can master, giving him greater confidence. Unless this is done, he will stumble again at the same place when “the chips are down.” And nothing upsets a speaker more than a mistake that is obvious to both him and his audience. He loses omposure, and having become rattled, he may very well stumble again. Then he’s in trouble! For instance, if he has difficulty saying, “four or five frequencies,” have him change it to, “at least four frequencies.”

8.* Call for a dress rehearsal. Ask the speaker to “dry run” all costuming, props, and other aids. Many little things can go wrong. Each visual or prop is a potential trouble maker. By working out details of their use, the speaker gains confidence. “Our sales manager insists on a dress rehearsal,” said a Washington, D.C. salesman. “At first it seemed silly, but it has helped all of us who have participated in the meetings. The rehearsals reduce fear.”

9.* Check the need for “refinders.” Occasionally the speaker will leave his notes for a few minutes. He may walk to the chalk board, or step aside for a demonstration. Any such break in the routine throws him off pace. When he returns to the lectern, he finds it difficult to resume the use of notes and takes several seconds to find the proper place. This delay is embarrassing and causes him to lose poise. To avoid this, advise him to use “re-finders.” This is, have him mark his notes so he can readily find his place again. A star in the margin of his notes will do the job. Then he won’t lose time and confidence after each departure.

10.* Have him get the feel of the rostrum. Anyone not familiar with the speakers’ stand should visit it before the meeting. He can determine how to handle his notes, can see if they’ll stay in place. He gets an idea of how the room looks from the platform. He can visualize the audience. Then, when he jumps up to make his talk, he’s acquainted with the surroundings and much more sure of himself. As a consequence, he will have less fear. “This has done more to help me than anything else,” a Wichita man declared. “I realize now I had been afraid of the speakers’ stand. I didn’t
want to visit the stand . . . not even before the meeting. But now I have no fear at all.”

11.* Don’t remind him that big shots will be there. The speaker may have complexes regarding certain “big-wigs.” In short, he’s afraid of the “brass.” It probably dates back to a “chewing” that he’s not forgotten, but why remind him of it? Silence can be golden. A public speaking teacher said, “A few people like to show off before the boss. But most speakers are apprehensive if the boss is present. Even I feel less sure of myself if the president of the college is in the audience when I’m making a speech. So don’t play up the presence of company officials. It makes your speaker less sure of himself.”

12.* Give a pep-talk prior to the meeting. Rendezvous with all speakers shortly before kick-off time, to answer any last minute questions. Inspire them by telling briefly of over-all plans. Let them know there’ll be a sequence of subject matter. Tell them a variety of events will be staged. Assure them there’s no duplication of
material. Then close on an encouraging note. “Let’s top all previous meetings. We can do it-let’s go get ‘em!” “I’m no Knute Rockne,” said a Monroe, North Carolina sales leader. “But my pep talks inspire confidence, if nothing else. Give ‘em a try. You’ll be glad you did.”

13.* Make him take a few deep breaths. Deep breathing relaxes the respiration system and reduces tension in the right places. While a “pro” is being introduced, watch him closely. You’ll see him breathe deeply three or four times before taking the stand. This reduces symptoms of fear, which, in turn, reduces fear itself. A speaker from Kansas City does push-ups before taking the stand! “They relax me,” he said. “I get behind a screen and do a few push-ups. As someone once quipped, ‘Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it!’”

14.* Let him do a solo. He can’t feel comfortable when you seat people behind him. It’s bad enough to seat people on either side. A St. Paul merchant said, “When people are sitting behind me, I become conscious of them. I try to look at them from time to time. When I do, I lose contact with the rest of the audience. It’s no good!” If at all possible, put the total audience in one place. Any speaker will be less apprehensive. He’ll be more capable, too.

15.* Bring him on with a bang/ See that he’s introduced in an enthusiastic way. Let everyone know he’s a great guy. Explain why he’s qualified to handle the subject. This gives him that last-second certainty. Also, the emcee should wait for him to reach the stand. A handshake and verbal pat on the back are encouraging. “I’ll never forget the moment I got up to speak,” reported the owner of a greeting card company. “The emcee gave me that last moment boost that I needed. He acted as if the sales meeting would finally be a success now that I was about to speak. It helped!”

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