Wikipedia defines public speaking as 'speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner'. Providing information to people is the main aim of public speaking. This information could be only for understanding an issue or it could be for taking an action. It is mainly a form of one-way communication. It primarily depends on the ability of the speaker whether he can only inform the listener or change and affect the views of the listener as well. Public speaking has immense power. A balanced and well delivered speech can motivate people in favor of something whereas a poor and shoddy delivery could damage a solid view point or a product. An ill-presented speech can bore the audience into a daze, somewhere between sleepiness and death and thus defeating the very purpose of public speaking, whereas a well-researched and properly presented speech can turn even a boring subject into an interesting one. For the speaker to achieve this, he must go about the presentation in a logical and methodical manner. Slowly building up the case is a good approach. Bombarding the audience with too any statistics can simply kill the spirit. Such is the power of public speaking that great leaders have been able to influence and motivate hundreds and thousands of people by this virtue alone.

Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King and Adolf Hitler were some of the greatest orators of all times (not everybody guided the people in the right direction, though). These great orators motivated thousands of people to follow them, simply by virtue of their oratorical skills. There are many others. This amply demonstrates the power of public speaking.

In spite of its importance, this is not a virtue to be found easily. People who are confident and poised otherwise lose their calm as soon as they find themselves in front of a large audience. All hell breaks loose in front of a gathering and the carefully preserved calm and poise goes down the drain. Such is the fear of public speaking that heart beats increase, perspiration starts, legs go weak and even stammering takes place. People simply become dumbfounded, especially if the audience is large and/or an important one.

I first tasted this fear when I was around 13 years old in standard VIII. I was participating in a debate where I was to speak in front of 400-500 students of my school. I had prepared my topic well (though can't remember the topic now) and was fully confident about my ability although I had never spoken in front of more than 2-3 people till then. I was sure that I was going to be adjudged the best speaker, but all hell broke loose as soon as I took to the stage. When I saw that there were so many children staring at me, I was simply dumbfounded. I literally started shaking and forgot everything which I had prepared so painstakingly. Children started jeering at me by gestures, especially the children from my own class. A slight murmur had begun. It took me almost 2-3 minutes of my allotted time before I could regain some sort of composure and somehow deliver what I had intended to say in the first place. The term for what I underwent that day 24 years ago is stage fright or glossophobia. And this is a fear which I am not the only one to have come across. The majority of the people encounter it at some point of life.

The ability to be a successful public speaker lies in exposure. Only by sufficient practice can one deal with the fear of public speaking. As the famous saying 'genius is one percent brain and ninety nine percent hard work' clearly demonstrates, it can be overcome by repeated exposure and practice in front of an audience. Another clue to successful public speaking is knowledge. Any audience can be effectively dealt with if sufficient knowledge about the subject at hand exists. Without a complete understanding of the subject, even a slight flaw could lead to catastrophic results. The fear of public speaking can also be dealt with by undergoing professional speaking courses, where the issue is approached in a scientific manner by assigning various types of exercises. There the students learn by observation and practice. They are helped in overcoming the fear by providing them with constructive suggestions and public speaking exercises. Students can also improve by learning to speak in front of friends and acquaintances where they can be sure that they won't laughed at if they fumble and make mistakes. The fear can also be overcome by speaking in front of the mirror.

Always remember that by knowledge, practice and experience, you can overcome your fear of public speaking and deliver your speech in front of any audience in the world.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Public Speaking