This guide is intended for anyone interested in improving their public speaking skills. My aim is to simplify a subject that many people find overwhelming. I have condensed what I believe to be the most relevant information into this post. Public speaking became an important part of my life out of necessity. My first speech class was stressful and overwhelming. I had severe speech anxiety and was frustrated by my inability to express myself with clarity and confidence. I set out to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible. I completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in communication studies. I delivered numerous speeches through Toastmasters International. Now, I teach college level public speaking courses as an Adjunct-Instructor. Throughout this time, I have coached hundreds of students and evaluated thousands of speeches. I remain committed to improving my own speaking skills while also helping others along their journey towards becoming competent co
There's a widely held belief that people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying ... Shocking, right!? I'm pretty sure this idea was popularized by Jerry Seinfeld's joke (also stated on his sitcom, a favorite of mine) that goes something like this, “A recent study showed that people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two! This means, to the average person, if you're at a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” I've come across this 'fact' in textbooks, articles, and countless conversations. It sure makes public speaking sound more dramatic and daring. It's funny, it's clever...but it happens to be factually incorrect. Allow me to explain! This 'fact' is based on a survey from the seventies that asked people to state whether they were afraid of a series of items. More individuals happened to say they were afraid of public speaking than they said they were a