Words Bridge

At the begining of the public speaking training we carried out on July 16, 2024, with participants at the Orator's Odyssey public speaking online tournament, our single-item survey revealed that 65.22% of them rated their public speaking confidence below 5 (on 10).

This is the same story for most, especially if public speaking is not something they practice often.

However, the good news is that there are numerous opportunities to build your public skills. You could do so by joining a debate club in your school, participating in tournaments like the ongoing one being organised by Cameroon Debate Society and other institutions in your community.

Another way is to follow this page Words Bridge for frequent tips on public speaking. 😌

However, the best way, of course, is to DO IT.
Public speaking is not a course you read and write exams for to earn a grade. It's something you practice and get better at with time.

You could equally practice it through little ways like raising your hand to answer questions in class, agreeing to take up that presentation at work, or walk up to someone you admire to have a conversation with them (Yeah, that's not public, but that helps in building your confidence). 😉

While still remains a huge challenge for many people, there are tips to get around it. One of those is to consider yourself as a messenger.

Taking the focus away from yourself and what people might think of your appearance and mistakes, and instead focusing on the relevance of the message you're about to deliver, is a great way to push away stage fright.

When you're in front of a mic, you aren't just yourself. You are your message, and your message is powerful and valuable. Remind yourself that your audience is there because they truly want to hear the message you have to deliver.

Concentrate on delivering your message, and you'll find it easier to manage stage fright.



Photo credit: Kim Louise Wilhelmine