Summary:
- personal reflection and tips to prevent stage fright written by Grant Flint
- Lost great opportunities; speach at daughter's wedding, huge job promotion
- Attempted many speech improvement classes, left him still nervous and scared
- Stumbled across a great technique; speaking to a few members instead of the whole audience
- Speak truthfully from the heart to be fluent
Personal Opinion:
I really like Grant Flint's idea to cure stage frght quickly and addmitingly hav used this technique before. This is one of the easier ways to overcome nerves when presenting because i allows you to focus on certain individuals rather that a larger crowd.
Citation: Flint , G. (2012, October 6). How to cure stage fright in 20 minutes. Retrieved from http://grantflint.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Cure-Stage-Fright-In-20-Minutes
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://thewritepractice.com/performance-anxiety/
Summary:
Fight or Flight- rapid production of energy generated by the body in situations where survival is threatened.
Cycle of Response:
- Threat detected
- Nervous system puts body on alert, releases stress hormones
- Heart beats faster, breathing becomes more rapid, large muscles get more oxygen
False Alarms
- Although automatic, very inaccurate
- Most incidents are not life threateningbut brain cannot tell difference
- Common example: presentations
- Sometimes, threat is so intense the body "freezes" (muscles tense up)
- Caused by the body being overwhelemed by the threat
Personal Opinion:
The reason I chose this article in relation to my topic is because this is the response the body goes through when we present. We start to feel the room growing, the eyes of people watching you as you speak and our body starts to go defensive. Sometimes when the pressure is too much, we start to stutter and lose our place often resulting in you looking confused and your audience less focused. Although the body doesn't feel the whole affect if this response, we do feel the small strains it can have when we present.
Citation:
Fight or flight. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://cmhc.utexas.edu/stressrecess/Level_One/fof.html
(2010). What is the stress response. (2010). [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-biology.html
Summary:
Causes:
- lack of audience's attention
- shyness
- not enough prep
- lack of confidence
Five Steps And Tips To Overcome This:
1. Warm Up
- take deep breaths, stretch and wiggles your fingers and toes
- helps your body prepare
2. Be Positive
- Have a positive attitude about yourself and your presentation
- helps to mentally prepare you
3. Overprepare, not Under
- Don't just stick with content; think of possible questions and options for discussions
- Improvise
4. View the Audience
- Introduce/get to know audience to prevent awkwardness
5. Memorize
- Note key words and stick to them
- Stay on the same guidelines as your presentation
- Adapt different techniques to help you
Personal Opinion:
I really liked the way the article opened up the article with theintroduction of a scenario in which an employee who put together a fantastic presentation and now had to explain to the CEO what she did to do so. We as students do this as a means of obtaining a good grade. We put together presentations together that follow a guideline in which we get marked on. The five tips are very helpful as well in preping for a presentation. These are simple ways that can enhance your prensentation's success.
Citation:
Overcoming stage fright. (2011, August 18). Retrieved from http://www.stjobs.sg/career-resources/workplace-success/overcoming-stage-fright/a/20916
Cummins, D. (Artist). (2011). More on overcoming stage fright. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.denniscummins.com/communication/more-on-overcoming-stage-fright/
Summary:
- Triggered by two things: idea of perfection and judgmental fear
- Believe that ours is perfect; realize nothing is perfect and then are left with fear that ours isn't good enough.
- Presenting is high intensity emotions while having everyone's attention.
- Not a bad sign; sign of creative thoughts
Personal Thoughts:
I completely agree with what this article says and explains about being scared while presenting. I myself know that I get a little nervous when I present. To have the whole class look at you as you present can get a lttle nervous because you wnt to be able to keep their attention focused on you, If you notice them looking at their phones or whispering with their friends, your attitude changes and the high intensity emotions start to play a larger role.
Citation:
Zimmer , S. (2008, February 23). What causes stage fright and fear of public speaking?. Retrieved from http://www.self-expression.com/speaking-freely/what-causes-stage-fright-and-fear-of-public-speaking/
(n.d.). Get over stage fright. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.squidoo.com/get-over-stage-fright
Summary:
- Everyone gets nervous; psychologists call it the "Fight or Flight" response.
- Both positive (increased energy) and negative (dry mouth, sweaty) effects.
- Cannot stop the reactions, but you can control them.
- Self-confidence tips: Breathe deeply, know your topic, positive self talk, feel proud when you finish.
- Presentation tips: appropriate pauses, move naturally, summarize main point, use of visual aids.
- After presentation tips: encourage questions, conclusion statement
Thoughts:
After reading this article, it gave me the appropriate and helpful skills to help build my presentation skills. It not only opened my eyes with new and simple tricks to help present more efficiently, it helps me build confidence to be able to present.
Questions:
Answer 2 of the following 3 in the comment box.
1. What is the response psychologists give to people that get nervous?
2. T o F: Can you stop the reactions of nervousness?
3. What is 1 tip for self-confidence, presentation and after presentation?
Citation:
Ellen Guffey, M., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2011). How to avoid stage fright. (6th ed., p. 509). Toronto: Nelson.
