Rules of public speaking

Emotions have accompanied humans in their lives since the dawn of time, being a key existential factor. Emotions are a mixture of stimuli with positive tints and those we identify as unpleasant, even undesirable.
It is primarily these negative stimuli that determine how we behave in difficult situations. Evolution, having produced in us the "fight or flight" mechanism ("fight or flight"), took care of our correct reactions, because in stressful situations the mechanism allows us to achieve optimal performance in a short period of time, thus increasing our chances of survival - also in the jungle of civilization.

However, according to research, for modern man - using mainly the mind - quite a hindrance can be this evolutionary "inheritance". In parallel with the increase in physical capabilities, the mind has also adapted, increasing its readiness to defend itself against dangers.

The aforementioned development causes most active people to become over-stimulated emotionally at times of increased stress, which is often associated with a destructive effect on themselves and those around them.
Unfortunately, precisely such a destructive mechanism is replicated by people for whom speaking at a forum takes the shape of public humiliation. Some are so paralyzed by fear of ridicule that they are unable to get a word out. Fear of speaking causes anxiety, depression, malaise, even extreme physiological reactions. People suffering from such a phobia themselves often admit that it is irrational and unreasonable, but they are unable to overcome the paralyzing fear and react similarly at every subsequent situation.

Rules of public speaking

1. Keep the speech structured so that the audience does not feel confused or lost;
2. Try to use images that emphasize what you are conveying with words - slides trigger more attention from the audience;
3. Avoid reading prepared materials - when reading, some of the intonation that naturally arises when speaking and improvising freely is lost;
4. Look in the direction of the audience;
5. Emphasize the spoken words with gestures in a natural, gentle and harmonious way;
6. Use short sentences and use simple vocabulary, without unnecessary professional terminology;
7. Use an appealing style of speech - a pleasant voice, calmness or any other feature that attracts the listener.

Although it is not easy to overcome the fear of public speaking, we should know that there are ways to minimize the effects of the stress associated with it, and these include:

• practicing speaking alone,
• memorizing the material,
• detailed planning of the structure of the presentation along with its time dimension,
• acquiring information about the audience before whom we will be speaking, so as to satisfy their expectations all the more fully.

Above all, however, let's remember: let' s not be too hastily critical of ourselves, let's give ourselves a chance to be judged by others! This can be the key to a perfect speech.