For my report on public speaking, I spoke to Kristen Bailey, Daniel Johnson, and Ashley Shaw.
Kristen Bailey:
Q: What do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly?
A: The fear of getting up in front of my class and choking on my words.
Q: What tips or advice would you have for someone who is trying to become a better public speaker?
A: Practice practice practice. The more time you put into it, the better it will be and the better you will feel.
Daniel Johnson:
Q: What do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly?
A: Getting over the initial fear. I was really scared as a grad student, but I always feel better after the first two minutes being up there.
Q: What tips or advice would you have for someone who is trying to become a better public speaker?
A: Practice. You’ll get more comfortable and less scared each time, but that won’t stop our heart from pounding fast every time from being anxious
Ashley Shaw:
Q: What do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly?
A: The hardest part for me is getting used to the idea of never knowing if someone in the room knows your material better than you. Like the idea of being humbled at a conference or even in the classroom.
Q: What tips or advice would you have for someone who is trying to become a better public speaker?
A: Take every opportunity you can to public speak because it can take a really long time to get used to it. Also slow down. It’s very common when you’re new to public speaking to be anxious and talk really fast. There was also a Ted Talk by Amy Cudi about power poses and how those can help before you speak.
