Some are afraid of sharks. Some are afraid of snakes. Others are fearful of spiders. And many are downright scared of public speaking or glossophobia. What are techniques that a potential speaker/presenter can employ to combat the fear of public speaking? How about preparation and using the Steve Jobs Method?

1. Overcoming Glossophobia
Kevin M. Brett
J454
May 13, 2013

2. One of the World’s Most
Prevalent “Phobias”
Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the
fear of public speaking or of speaking in
general. The word glossophobia comes from
the Greek γλῶσσα glōssa, meaning tongue,
and φόβος phobos, fear or dread

3. Overcoming Glossophobia
1. Knowledge
2. Practice
3. Conversation, not Reading
4. Movement
5. Friendly Faces

4. Slow Down
• Only One Opportunity to Deliver Message
• Good Way to Overcome Nerves
• You Are Your Own Worst Critic
• Avoid: “You Know” “Stuff” “Like” and “You Guys”
• Use Your Time Effectively

5. “PR Agency” Disease
• The client has committed 80 minutes for a
presentation.
• The agency responds with a 64-graphic
PowerPoint deck.
• Why does this approach not work?

6. Combatting PR Agency Disease
1. Research on Your Audience (Friendly,
Hostile, Mixed, Educated, Not Educated,
Domestic, Foreign)
2. Put Yourself in the Audience’s Shoes
3. When Possible Employ the “10-20-30”
Rule
-- 10 graphics
-- 20 minutes
-- 30-point font

7. Have the Audience Demanding More
• Rod Stewart; 90 minutes
• Rolling Stones; Two Hours
• The Who; Two Hours
• Led Zeppelin; Four Hours

8. What Can the Audience
Reasonably Absorb?
• Presenters Transmittal Performance
• Receptivity of the Audience
• After 15 Minutes; 10 percent showing signs of
inattention
• After 35 Minutes; Everyone is Inattentive

9. Get Away from the Podium
• Class is Now in Session
• Conversation, Not a Speech
• Lavaliere Microphone
• Floor Monitor
• Don’t Read Everything on Slides
• Move, But Don’t Overly Wander
• Invite Two-Way Symmetrical

10. Whatever You Do: Don’t Read
• PowerPoint or Prezi is Your Friend
• Use Graphics as Prompts
• Conversations are More Effective
• Note Cards, If You Must
• Reading is So Yesterday

11. Don’t Forget
• Advocacy: Serving the public interest by
acting as responsible advocates…
• Honesty: Adhering to the highest
standards of accuracy and truth…

12. Use Takeaways
• What’s The Headline?
• Become a Thought Leader
• Prepare; Practice
• Use PowerPoint; Prezi
• Conversation; Not a Speech
• Leave Them Demanding More
• Two-Way Symmetrical; Invite Feedback