by Catherine Barbaro

Created on: August 03, 2009

Ranked above the fear of drowning and the fear of assault is the fear of public speaking. What can account for that disparity between the potential result of serious injury or death and the unknown reaction of simply speaking out loud in front of a group? The prospect of death and injury are far out-wayed by the fear of embarrassment and the fear of appearing incompetent. Pride and injury to self esteem trumps injury to self.

The first step in overcoming a fear of public speaking is a plan. How can this be done? One person's baby steps are another's giant leaps. Evaluate what you are willing to do to overcome fear. Several organizations can help with this but the most affective is Toastmasters International ( http://www.toastmasters.org/ ) which has a number of nationwide groups that offer a variety of meeting times. They have a proven format where you are accepted and welcomed no matter how fearful you are. Toastmasters has tried and proven methods and a series of speeches that take you from an ice breaker designed to just get you through the first speech to advanced speeches that target lifestyle and career paths. You are mentored throughout your speech path and rewarded by safe assessments and budding relationships if you stick through the process. Participants do not have to follow a timetable other than their own. Each meeting has scheduled speakers. Evaluations are done by other members. Points of success are listed with points of potential improvement. Everyone there is present for improvement and has started from a point of fear, no matter where they are currently situated in the control or conquering of that fear. You find yourself surrounded by people who understand and support youand each and every one of them are convinced that they themselves started far less stellar than you have begun. It has been a no judgment , just improvement, zone for many many people.

There are a number of tips like looking at the tops of people's heads. This allows you to appear to offer eye contact. Other tips have seemed distractive and just silly like picturing people in their underwear. Ick. I don't want to go there. Much more effective measures are personal. Evaluate what is important to you. If you volunteer or feel strongly about a particular cause, research it, study it and practice how to present one on one the significance of your belief. Then try presenting it to a couple of people. Work your way up through small groups who

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