I found another good article from eHow.com on how to deal with public speaking anxiety. I know I’ve spoken to a couple of you on the subject already and that you thought you might have some issues in this area.
From my own personal experience, I feel that the very first step is probably the single greatest key to becoming more comfortable speaking in front of others: preparation. The more prepared I am to give a speech and the more I am familiar with the material I am presenting, the easier it is for me to focus, stay on track, and get back on track if mishaps occur with my notes, my technology, or my train of thought.
When you get the “deer in the headlights” look from people during a speech, it is most likely because they forgot something or something isn’t working properly, and that look is a look of panic because they think that they are suddenly on a trapeze without a net. The better you prepare for something to go wrong, the less likely that is to occur, and the more you end up having successful presentations, the more confident you will be.
