1.
STAGE FRIGHT<br />“The human brain is a wonderful thing. It starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” - George Jessel<br />NAZEEM P VDEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES<br />PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY<br />

2.

3.
WHAT IS STAGE FEAR?<br />Stage fright is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, whether actually or potentially.<br />

4.
THIS USUALLY HAPPENS!<br />

5.
IDENTIFY THE STAGE FEAR<br />Most people experience stage fright. <br />Stage fright affects most people in physical ways<br />Dry mouth<br />Tight throat<br />Sweaty hands <br />Cold hands <br />Shaky hands<br />Nausea<br />Fast pulse <br />Shaky knees <br />Trembling lips <br /> Fear of success<br />

6.
CAUSES<br />Inadequate preparation<br />Fear of being judged<br />Unfamiliarity with the audience or the <br /> environment<br />Lack of knowledge about public speaking <br />Feelings of inadequacy<br />Fear of the unknown<br />Negative past experiences<br />

7.
HOW TO OVERCOME?<br />

8.
COGNITIVE STRATEGIES<br />Most detrimental - catastrophising:<br />“I think I am going to faint”<br />“I’m sure to make a dreadful mistake and that will ruin everything”<br />Best kind - realistic appraisal:<br />“I’m bound to make a few mistakes, but so does everyone.”<br />“The audience wants me to play well and will make allowance for a few slips”.<br />

9.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT…<br /> 0 Be extremely well prepared 0 Organize your speaking notes 0 Absolutely memorize your opening statement 0 If you have to Practice, practice, practice. 0 Especially practice bits so you can spit out a few minutes of your program no matter how nervous you are. 0 Anticipate hard and easy questions<br />

10.
HOW YOU CAN DO IT…<br /><ul><li>Be in the room early.

11.
Yawn to relax your throat.

12.
Doodle.

13.
Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly </li></ul> for several minutes. <br /><ul><li>Don't drink caffeinated drinks.

14.
Go somewhere private and warm up </li></ul> your voice, muscles, etc. <br />

15.
Stage Fright--Strategies<br />Try not to hold the microphone by hand in the first minute. <br />Don&apos;t hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead. <br />Use eye contact. It will make you feel less isolated. <br />Look at the friendliest faces in the audience. <br />Joke about your nervousness. What&apos;s the right wine to go with fingernails? <br />

16.
Tips for a great speech…<br />Speak Up! Make sure to speak a little louder than normal conversation when you are giving your speech. <br />Slow Down! When you are giving your speech to your listeners, remember to slow your speech down a little bit and don&apos;t rush through the words. Make sure to enunciate and don&apos;t slur your words either. <br />Be Confident! You can do this! Believe in yourself!<br />

17.
Overcoming Anxiety<br /> Understanding presentational anxiety<br /> and applying some of these techniques<br /> and suggestions will help you overcome <br /> the more paralyzing forms of stage fright.<br /> They might become very useful when<br /> you give your next speech.<br />