Many of us will be familiar with the benefits of public speaking and presenting in terms of credibility, exposure and expert status.
There are a great many people who simply cannot bring themselves to get up and do it.
Many cite a fear or phobia of public speaking itself and leave it at that.
I want to dig a little bit deeper into this phenomenon and briefly analyse some potential root causes of the fear involved.
Having worked with many people who have a strong fear of public speaking, it is clear to me that there are many different fears that are grouped under the catch-all title.
Some people are afraid of looking foolish or being laughed at.
This is often as a result of a childhood experience when a peer group or teacher made them self-conscious through inappropriate criticism.
Some people are afraid of making mistakes.
They often do not worry about making mistakes in other areas of their lives but, when in front of an audience situation, the possibility of making any mistakes at all becomes debilitating.
Some people are afraid that others will find them boring or that they have nothing important to say.
This again is amplified by the possibility of a larger audience than they are used to.
Appearing grossly nervous and afraid in front of others is another fear associated with speaking in public even though the person may not exhibit this problem in other areas of their lives.
The last one I will mention is the fear that the audience is going to be hostile towards them for some reason or the audience will be "out to get them.
" The issues mentioned, and there are many more I'm sure, when coupled with the thought of facing an audience, often represent the sum of all fears for people and this is why the fear of public speaking is so prevalent.
It will be different for each unique individual but just as real to each.
Public speaking is a learnable skill and, as with most learnable skills, there are many ways to move forward.
Don't let fear hold you back.
If some or all of these issues are affecting you then there are many great books on the subject of public speaking that may help you.
You could get a speaking coach or attend training courses.
I would also highly recommend joining your local Toastmaster International club as this represents an excellent way to start off, build confidence and improve your skills.
If you are thinking about speaking up then I wish you well on your journey.