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如何做好演讲:战胜恐惧6步法

桑国亚 老桑说 2019-06-01

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老桑说


你是否曾经不得不站在一群人面前讲话?

公众演讲是一种常见的焦虑,

但你可以克服它。



  朋友,你好,我是老桑。」


你是否曾经不得不站在一群人面前讲话?也许是给你的同学做一次演讲,或是给你的同事们展示一份年度报告,也可能是在晚宴上祝酒。我想你一定能够体会这种感觉:心脏狂跳、手心出汗、双手和声音quiver(颤抖),甚至有点头晕。



并不只有你一个人这样。在最近的一项对美国人的调查中,25%的人说他们害怕在公共场合讲话,这比任何其他的恐惧都要高(恐高和对虫子/蛇/动物的恐惧分别排在第二位和第三位)。在另一项调查中,人们对站在他人面前讲话的恐惧是如此之大,以至于我们对它的恐惧甚至超过了对死亡的恐惧。



多年来,我做过很多场公开演讲:给班级和大批听众讲课,在礼堂里讲述“我的茶之旅”,给晚宴上的宾客祝酒,为他人主持婚礼,甚至还拍了许多视频。我学习到了一些技巧来提高自己的公共演讲能力,今天老桑希望给大家分享一些小技巧。



老桑在对外经济贸易大学发言


老桑在东方国艺讲课


首先,应当理解害怕公开演讲是一种常见的焦虑。它的范围涵盖从轻微的紧张到paralyze(麻痹)的恐慌。然而,这并不是逃避公共演讲的理由。通过适当的准备和坚持,你就能克服恐惧。方法如下:



01




以前当我开始在观众面前演讲时,总是读写好的文稿。这样我就不会犯任何错误了。但我发现有写好的台词却不能缓解我的焦虑。更糟的是。然后我担心:如果我突然不知道讲到哪里后会发生什么?如果我把这几页掉在地上,它们乱了,会发生什么?我读的时候会不会听起来太机械?


由于之前你已经听过很多次讲座了,不妨从听众的角度来考虑一下。作为一名观众,当有人给你朗读时,你有什么感觉?你可能会想,“若是我的话,可以自己读!” 这有点单调乏味,很难与演讲者交流。有时候,你可能会因为感觉到说话者的紧张而感到紧张。


准备公开演讲的妙计之一就是熟知自己的演讲主题。这与考试十分类似——准备充分总是会减少考试时的焦虑感,对于公开演讲来说也是一样的道理。随着你对演讲主题的熟悉,你可以更加自然的感受到面对观众时的从容——即便是脱稿演讲!



当我在华尔街的宝维斯(Paul Weiss)律师事务所工作时,有一次合伙人把一项新的任务交给我去完成——那是一件我从未处理过的事情。我必须起草一份文件并在第二天交给合伙人和客户。他只是交代我说:“成为这方面的专家。”所以我极度周全的做了准备,当我成为一名“专家”时,做陈述时就不那么焦虑了。




02




在演讲之前,准备好所有你想要展示的信息,包括任何道具、音频或视觉辅助设备。如果可能的话,实地探访自己要演讲的地方,并在开始前预演一下可用的设备。


对我而言,即使我不再需要准备发言稿来演讲,我还是会准备一个大纲,其中包含了我希望讲到的要点和想法。如果我使用Power Point,我会提前把它发给组织者,让他们在我演讲的房间里检查一下。我有时会在演讲的时候放视频,所以也会提前检查一下视听系统。


通常情况下,在我发表演讲之前,电脑都会出现一些问题——其中许多问题都通过适当的准备beforehand(提前)解决掉了。但是有时候IT问题无法解决,所以我总是做最坏的打算。这就是为什么我只用PPT或视频来辅助我的演讲。



Dorothy Lee


“做好准备”是需要谨记的要旨。桃乐茜·李(Dorothy Lee)是天普大学法学院(Temple Law School)特别活动的一名负责人,负责许多容易出错的活动。她知道需要做的每件事——以及可能出错的地方。她总是有备而来,遵循她的座右铭:“拥有它而不需要它好过需要它而不拥有它。”




03




我们都知道“熟能生巧”这句话。公众演讲中也是如此。我建议你在实战之前多练习几次。也可以给自己拍一段视频,之后再回来看看,观察自己的肢体语言,寻找提高整体表现的方法。


然后,你可以在一些朋友面前练习你的谈话。这个练习将帮助你建立自信。然后,当你在重要的日子做演讲时,你可以说:“小菜一碟!我已经练习过了。”


我曾在费城四校春晚和清华法学院学生节上配合着音乐和视频朗诵“我的茶之旅“。然而,在我上台之前,我邀请了我的天普大学中国学生朋友、魔术师Sinbad Max来观看我的排练。由于马克斯常常登台表演,所以他给了我一些非常有用的建议。




04




当我们感到焦虑时,我们会在脑海中夸大坏事发生的可能性。不要陷入焦虑,写下你的具体担忧。然后挑战每一个,考虑的客观证据和从而确定更可能发生的结果。


例如,你可能在想:“我会把事情搞砸,丢脸面。”当然,我们都没有可以看见未来的水晶球,所以我们无法预测自己会怎样表现。即使你犯了一些错误,你怎么知道别人会怎样看你呢?我的感觉是,不管你说的是什么,人们总是会欣赏你的sincerity(真诚)和所传达的信息。



你也要清楚,即使做了充分的准备,你的演讲也不会完全按照计划的进行。有时会更好,有时相差不大,有时则会比预想要糟糕。这就是公开演讲的魅力所在。你能做的就是告诉自己要尽自己所能做到最好,这也会帮助你建立自己的预期。




05




你可能会感觉准备上台之前的那几分钟最为焦虑。当你的名字被宣布出来的时候,你可能会开始wring(绞)着手,哀叹着说:“哦不,时间到了!“这发生在我们很多人身上。我认为解决这个问题的最好方法就是深呼吸。当你的心脏在跳动时,深呼吸可以帮助你平静下来



06




当我要去演讲的时候,总是会很早到达,和房间里的一些人交谈——尤其是那些坐在前排的人。这种见面和问候拉近了我们的距离,并帮助我与那些人建立联系。


如果这不能实现,我就会让组织者告诉我将要面对怎样的听众,他们的背景是什么。例如,如果我在乡下和受教育程度有限的人交谈,我可能会在谈话中加入更多的背景信息以使他们对谈话主题了解更充分。但是如果每个人都是对内容较为了解的大学毕业生,那么我就会相应地调整我的内容。


很多时候,当我开始演讲前,我会向观众提一些问题,因为这样可以“破冰“,帮助我进一步了解我屋子里的听众。对一些人来说,这似乎是在浪费时间,但这种方式能帮助我在讲话时调整内容,使其与每个人都更相关。



我有一些其他的公众演讲技巧,如专注于你的材料,减少对观众的注意力;不要害怕片刻的沉默或喝点水;与你的听众互动;想象自己讲演的成功;加入一个像TI/国际演讲会

(Toastmasters)这样的组织,获得支持。



老桑天普大学孔子学院演讲


我的朋友,公众演讲是一种常见的焦虑,但你可以克服它。通过了解你要讲的话题,有条理地组织,预演,面对你的恐惧,深呼吸,吸引你的听众,你将为成功做好准备。祝你好运,欢迎在下面的评论中分享你的演讲技巧和故事。


本文部分图片来源网络。



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英文版

English










6 ways to overcome your fear

of public speaking



 Hello, my friend!

I'm John Smagula. 」


Have you ever had to get up in front of a group of people to speak? It may be to give a talk to your classmates, present an annual report to your colleagues, or just give a celebratory toast at a dinner. You know the feeling: your heart starts racing, your palms get sweaty, your hands and voice may quiver, and you may even become a little dizzy.



You are not alone. In a recent survey of Americans, 25% said they were afraid of public speaking—which came in higher than any other fear (heights and bugs/snakes/animals came in second and third place). In another survey, our fear of standing up in front of a group and talking is so great that we fear it more than death.



Over the years, I have done a lot of public speaking: giving lectures to classes and large audiences, reciting “My Tea Journey” in auditoriums, toasting at dinners, presiding at weddings, and even doing videos or my blog. I have studied a number of tips to try to improve my public speaking, and today I’ll share a few with you.  



First off, know that fear of public speaking is a common form of anxiety. It can range from slight nervousness to paralyzing panic. However, this isn’t reason to avoid pubic speaking. With proper preparation and persistence, you can overcome your fear. Here’s how:



01




When I started speaking before audiences, I used to just read a script. This way, I thought, I wouldn’t make any mistakes. But I found that having a script didn’t alleviate my anxiety. It just made it worse. I then worried: what happens if I lose my place? What happens if I drop the pages and they get out of order? And will I sound too robotic as I read?


Think of it from the audience’s perspective, as you have sat through many lectures before. How do you feel as a member of the audience when somebody just reads to you? You think, “I could just read it myself!” It’s kind of flat and boring, and it’s hard to engage with the speaker. And then sometimes, you may get nervous as you feel the speaker’s nervousness.


One of the best ways to prepare for your speaking event is to know your topic well. It’s very similar to taking a test. As being over-prepared for a test is the best way to reduce test taking anxiety, so is it for public speaking. As you become more familiar with the topic, you will naturally feel more comfortable in front of an audience—even if you go off script.



When I worked for the Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss, a partner once gave me a new matter to handle—on a topic I knew nothing about. I had to draft a document and present it to the partner and client the next day. He simply said, “Become an expert on it.” So I over-prepared, and as I became an “expert,” I had less anxiety in making the presentation.




02




Before your talk, prepare all the information you want to present, including any props, audio, or visual aids. When possible, visit the place where you'll be speaking and review available equipment before your presentation.


In my case, as I no longer speak from scripts, I also prepare an outline with bullet points with the ideas I plan to cover. If I’m using Power Point, I’ll send it to the organizers in advance and ask them to check it in the room where I’ll be giving the talk. I sometimes show videos with my talk, and I’ll check out the audio-video system beforehand as well.


More often than not, there have been problems with the technology before I have given a talk—many of which were resolved beforehand with proper preparation. But sometimes the IT issues can’t be resolved, so I’m always prepared for the worst. This is why I only use Power Point or videos to supplement my talks.



“Be prepared” are great words to live by. Dorothy Lee, Director of Special Events at Temple Law School, is responsible for many events where a lot can go wrong. She is aware of everything that needs to be done—and what can go wrong. She always comes prepared, following her motto: “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”




03




We all know the expression “practice makes perfect.” This is true for public speaking. I recommend practicing your complete presentation several times before actually giving it. You can also take a video of yourself and then watch it, observing your body language and finding ways to improve your overall performance.


Then, you can practice your talk in front of some friends. This practice will help you build your confidence. Then, when you give your talk on the big day, you can say, “This is a piece of cake! I already gave this talk.”



My “My Tea Journey” recitation at the Philadelphia Four College Chinese New Year’s Gala and the Tsinghua Law School Student Festival was coordinated with music and video. Yet before I got on stage, I invited my friend, Temple Chinese student and magician Sinbad Max to watch me rehearse. As Max is used to performing, he gave me some really helpful feedback.




04




When we are anxious, we can exaggerate in our minds the likelihood of bad things happening. Rather than give into that anxiety, write down your specific concerns. Then challenge each one, considering objective evidence and identifying more probable outcomes.


For example, you may be thinking, “I’ll mess up and lose face.” Well, none of us have crystal balls, so we can’t predict how we’ll do. And even if you do make some mistakes, how do you know what other people will think of you? My sense is that people will always appreciate your sincerity and the information you convey, no matter how your talk goes. 



You can also be aware that even with great preparation, your talk will never go exactly as planned. Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s about the same, and sometimes it may turn out worse. That’s just how it goes with public speaking. Just tell yourself that you’ll do your best, and this will help you set your expectations.




05




You may feel the most anxious in the few moments before you get up in front of the group. As your name is being announced, you may start wringing your hands and lamenting, “Oh no, the time has come!” This happens to many of us. I think the best way to handle this is to take some deep breaths. As your heart is pounding, the deep breathing can help calm you down. 



06




When I have to give a lecture, I always arrive early and talk to some of the people in the room—especially those who are seated in the front. This meet-and-greet reduces distance and helps me build a connection with those who are there.


If this is not possible, I ask the organizers to give me a sense of who will be in the audience and what their backgrounds are. If I’m out in the countryside and speaking to people with limited education, for example, I may add more background information to my talk. But if everyone is a college graduate, then I’ll adjust my content accordingly.


And very often, I’ll ask some questions of the audience when I start speaking, as this will break the ice and help me further get to know who is in the room. It may seem like a waste of time to some, but it helps me to adjust the content as I speak to make it more relevant to everybody.



I have some other tips on public speaking, such as focus on your material and less on the audience; don’t fear a moment of silence to pause or drink some water; engage with your audience; visualize your success; and get support—like joining a group like Toastmasters.



My friend, public speaking is a common anxiety, but you can overcome it. By knowing your topic, being organized, rehearsing, facing your fears, deep breathing, and engaging your audience, you’ll be setting yourself up for success. Good luck with it—and please share any of your public speaking tips and stories in the comments below!


{  今日英文速记卡  }



1.Quiver \ ˈkwi-vər \

a)含义:v. 颤抖;抖动

b)例句:

i.You know the feeling: your heart starts racing, your palms get sweaty, your hands and voice may quiver, and you may even become a little dizzy.

你知道这种感觉:心脏开始狂跳、手心出汗、双手和声音颤抖,甚至有点头晕。

ii.Leaves quiver in the cold winter wind. When a person is frightened or very cold or very nervous, he may shake like a leaf.

叶子在寒风中会颤抖。当一个人很害怕、很冷、或者很紧张的时候,他就会颤抖得想一片树叶。

c)近义词:shiver, shudder, tremble

2.Paralyze \ ˈper-ə-ˌlīz \

a)含义: v. 麻痹

b)例句:

i.It can range from slight nervousness to paralyzing panic.

它的范围涵盖从轻微的紧张到麻痹的恐慌。

ii.You let uncertainty paralyze you.

不确定性将你击溃。

c)近义词:cripple, disable, incapacitate

3.Beforehand \ bi-ˈfȯr-ˌhand \

a)含义:adj. 提前的

b)例句:

i.More often than not, there have been problems with the technology before I have given a talk—many of which were resolved beforehand with proper preparation.

通常情况下,在我发表演讲之前,电脑都会出现一些问题——其中许多问题都通过适当的准备提前解决掉了。

ii.I should have called you beforehand.

我本应该提前给你打电话的。

c)近义词:before, earlier, previously

4.Sincerity \ sin-ˈser-ə-tē \

a)含义:n. 真实;诚挚

b)例句:

i.My sense is that people will always appreciate your sincerity and the information you convey, no matter how your talk goes.

我的感觉是,不管你说的是什么,人们总是会欣赏你的真诚和所传达的信息。

ii.What impresses me most is his sincerity and diligence.

让我印象最深的是他的真诚和勤奋。

c)近义词:authenticity, credibility, genuineness

5.Wring \ ˈriŋ \

a)含义:v. 拧;绞

b)例句:

i.As your name is being announced, you may start wringing your hands and lamenting, “Oh no, the time has come!”

当你的名字被宣布出来的时候,你可能会开始绞着手,哀叹着说:“哦不,时间到了!“

ii.When you've washed the clothes, wring them out.

你洗完衣服后,把它们拧一下。

c)近义词:twist, wrench, wrest




Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you. 

See you next time.


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