But it is a good exercise to use every opportunity to listen to different public speakers and learn from them. From speakers who are not effective, study why they are and learn how to correct those problems in your presentation.
For speakers who are very good, learn what they do that works and copy their methods without shame. It's all part of learning from each other.
One thing that jumps out when an experienced public speaker is holding an audience in the palm of his hand is that he is totally relaxed up there. That is a calculated relaxation.
In fact most of the methods he uses such as his use of hands, the vocal range of his voice, where he looks and how he moves are all carefully planned and part of that presentation and who that speaker is. And all of those things come with time and practice.
So if you need a few times in front of a group, or a few dozen times before you can begin to get that relaxed, be generous with yourself and allow that public speaking is the kind of thing that you can read about all day long but you don't get good at it until you get good at it.
One thing that very often jumps out in a speaker who is at ease with his style is that for most of us the idea of a pause is terrifying. But notice smooth speakers often will pause and allow that moment of quiet in a presentation to just hang there.
When that pause happens for that other speaker, you may have felt as terrified as if it was happening to you. But not to worry.
As you noticed, that skilled speaker uses pauses to create interest and isn't afraid to let his presentation stop for a moment either intentionally or to check notes or make some other adjustment.
The pause is actually a very powerful communications tool that if you can master it, you can use it to make points, add drama or just wake up an audience that may have begun to doze off on you.
That is because as you speak along, if your presentation is somewhat long, it is easy for people to be lulled into an unintentional trance of sorts.
The mind can wander and that is the condition people get into when they doze off as you speak. They track to the continuous sound of your voice and the melodic tempo that you naturally fall into when you speak in public.
When you begin to use pauses and changes to the tempo of your presentation, you break that natural rhythm of your talk. The pause will jar the audience back to you and they will suddenly be attentive with that "what did I miss" look on their faces.
That is a real tool to you to help your audience stay focused and to use particularly when you are approaching a point that is an important part of what you have to say.
Most of us when we are just starting out in public speaking fear the pause in our presentation in the worst way. That moment when you are not speaking and that audience is looking at you and nothing is happening can feel like you are falling to your death.
But in truth, all you have done is focus the concentration of the group on you and on your talk. So don't fear the pause. If used with caution and sparingly, it can be a powerful communications tool to help you make your point.
Public speaking is not an easy thing to do, wherever it takes place and whoever the speaker or the audience may be. Teachers admit they feel a bit nervous when they address a group of students they have never spoken to before and so does the president, no matter how well-prepared he is or how interesting the speech he is going to make might sound.
However, there are speakers who have learned to control their emotions and no longer feel awkward when hundreds of eyes are watching them. They have managed to overcome the fear and anxiety that public speaking used to trigger. How could one do that? Has it got anything to do with genes? Were they born to be more 'in control' than the rest of us? Of course not; what they do is educate their mind, continually preparing it to face the challenges of speech-making. They are not specially-endowed representatives of our species, but confident and motivated people who have learnt a couple of stratagems that make things easier for them. Here are some useful tips to overcome public speaking nervousness:
The first thing you should do is give up the belief that the speaker has to be perfect and he or she is not allowed to make any mistakes. We all do, but we must be prepared to correct them and we can never do that if we are in a state of anxiety. Even stuttering is all right if it happens a few times in your speech; the audience might assume you think faster than you can speak.
A speaker is supposed to know the subject very well and also to put his or her heart into that speech. If the audience feels the speaker's passion for the subject, a great deal of the trouble has vanished. You cannot charm your audience if you are not totally committed to what you are doing. And here comes another tip: you must assume that the audience is friendly, they have come to listen to you because they are really interested in what you are going to say and no one is there to judge you. Remember the last time you were part of the audience and your own attitude to the speaker. An audience is not the speaker's enemy unless he or she has come to attack them.
Believe it or not, the speaker's appearance is very important and you should never neglect it. If you look your best and are wearing professional-looking clothing, you will definitely feel great and the audience will sense that. They will see that special glow on your face and your self-confidence will result in the positive attitude of your listeners to you.
One last thing: don't forget to put a smile on! A relaxed and confident speaker, who believes the audience to be a group of friendly and knowledge-thirsty citizens, ought to show some appreciation to the people who have come to listen to the speech. Smiling at them from time to time will maintain the friendly atmosphere in the hall and keep you connected to your listeners. A smile is worth a million words!