NEW YORK, April 01 (Reuters) -- Whether it's a kindergarten pageant or a business presentation, public speaking can have most of us quaking with fear. But one expert says stage fright can be talked down.
"Stage fright is the fear of having your performance evaluated negatively," says Dr. Peter Desberg, a professor of psychology at California State University at Dominguez Hills, California. Desberg outlines a few simple guidelines on beating stage fright in this month's issue of the magazine Prevention.
He says the first step is to 'suspend judgment' on yourself. "The main idea is to avoid evaluating your own performance and continually act as though you were not afraid." If this sounds easier said than done, Desberg gives a few steps at avoiding self-criticism:
-- Imagine yourself doing something you know you're great at, and use that as a model. If you're a pro on the golf course, imagine giving the speech there, Desberg says. If you're wonderful in one-on-one discussions "act as if you were performing in that situation."
-- Pick a role model. Love President Clinton's delivery and style? Give your speech using his inflections, his gestures. Desberg suggests picking anyone you highly respect and try to understand what makes them comfortable in front of others. "Quite often you have the skills... but sometimes they are just temporarily forgotten under the stress of the moment."
-- Appraise the situation. Ask yourself, 'Just how intimidating are these people?' Desberg says some simple self-reminders can help put things into perspective. "I know more than this audience... I've done this before... These people want me to succeed," -- statements like these ring true and lend support, Desberg says.
-- Examine the basis of your fear. It's usually overrated, Desberg points out. Repeating back lines like, "There's no proof I'll fail" opens the door to the very real possibility that you'll be a success.
-- Practice, practice, practice. "Repetition is the mother of retention," quotes Desberg. It's a basic fact that practicing your speech beforehand boosts confidence and helps beat back the jitters. Practicing into a tape recorder is a good idea, he says. "You'll be surprised to find out how much pressure a cassette recorder can put on you." Playing the tape back can point out areas that may need improvement. Finally, try testing out your speech on friends and family members. If you're feeling really brave, ask for their feedback.
Desberg says that stage fright hits most of us. "Anyone can experience the butterflies, not just shy or insecure people." And he says stage fright doesn't only happen behind a podium. "Some other examples of stage fright are going on a job interview, asking for a date, and asking the boss for a raise."
SOURCE: Prevention (April 1997; pgs. 102-106, 157)
