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One of the most important skills that a National Service Scheme volunteer needs to acquire is that of public speaking. In fact the ultimate objective of NSS is personality development of the volunteer, and there is no bigger indicator of personality than speaking confidently in public!
Yet for many volunteers, there is no bigger fear than facing an audience, forget about uttering something on stage! Many students ask me how they can overcome this fear. There are many books and articles that help you to achieve public speaking confidence. This list is my two cents worth.
1. I AM CONFIDENT
Do something to make yourself feel confident. It could be something as simple as repeating this phrase a few times - "I am confident". You might have watched athletes, boxers and wrestlers talking to themselves just before the competition begins. What they are doing is giving themselves a pep talk to build confidence.
2. THE KING HAS NO CLOTHES!
This is one tip I learned a long time back. Most people experience 'butterflies in their stomach', just before or as soon as they get on the stage. I used to (and still do, once in a while) feel as if my legs are getting heavy and difficult to move - classic signs of panic. When this happens, just imagine that every single person in the audience left their clothes at home. At least the comic factor in this imagination would calm your nerves a bit.
3. AVOID READING OUT
Reading out your speech word for word is equivalent to a healthy dose of anesthesia for the listeners. The loud snore of somebody in the audience wouldn't be the encouragement you seek. Trust me - been there, done that!
4. DON'T SHOW IT!
Even the most capable speaker creates mistakes. An experienced speaker would just carry on calmly, as if nothing happened. On the other hand, an inexperienced one would feel the urge to apologize before continuing. The listeners might not have noticed it, but thanks to you they do now.
5. PRACTICE
There is no substitute for hard work. If you want your audience to give you 100% attention, you've gotta give them your 100%. Be sure of what you are going to speak. Practice in your room at least 10 times. Know that the listeners want you to do well.
Remember that good speaking skills are essential in almost all areas of life. It is an important life skill that all students must acquire. Let the National Service Scheme be your training ground for that.
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