Public speaking basics

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Standing in front of a crowd can be scary, even terrifying for some - but every organizer needs to do it at some point.

I worked in theater before coming to organizing, and the same skills for speaking in front of a crowd translate nicely. On any stage, you want the audience to find you approachable and real. Here are a couple quick tips on how to get rid of those nervous jitters and gain a little confidence (even if it's faked).

1. Smile. Even when every fiber of your being is fighting you on it, smile. There's a little part in the back of our lizard brains that naturally mirrors that which we see. So the trick is, if you smile, they'll smile. And what will put you at ease quicker than a room full of smiling people?
2. Big Bear. This is going to sound crazy (and it is), but it works. Spend 2 minutes walking around taking up the most physical space your body will allow you to. Put your arms way out over your head and walk with your legs spread as far apart as your flexibility will allow. You don't have to roar, but if you're in a private place like a bathroom or behind some bushes, feel free. This takes all that terrified energy and throws it away, making you the biggest, boldest person in the room. Seriously, it works. You look goofy doing it, but trust me on this one.
3. OMG What do I do with my hands? When we get up in front of a crowd, it sometimes feels like our hands become anvils, just tugging our arms to the floor. Or the opposite happens with some -- they become filled with helium and float right up. Most of us don't think about our hands in our everyday life, so why now? Don't put them in your pockets, it looks like you're hiding something. Don't put them behind your back, it looks like you're in the military. Instead, imagine you're holding a ball. If the point you're making is minor, make it a softball. Making a medium-sized point, hold an imaginary basketball. And for those major points, break out the beach ball.
4. See #1 (bears repeating!)

And if all that doesn't work, try the old standard -- just picture them all naked.

What terrifies you the most about public speaking? How do you overcome it? Share your fears and tricks in the comments!

Jamie McGonnigal is Community Manager at NOI

Photo from Søren Cosmus ✄, via Creative Commons