In a world where people are screaming for attention everywhere, do you think it is going to be easy for introverts to survive? The mere concept of giving a presentation makes introverts throw up.
Public speaking can be a daunting task even for extroverts, so it is completely understood on their part as well. Not everyone is born to become a public speaker; it is a skill that comes with adaptation. Here is a matter of fact, anyone could be a good speaker. Let that be an introvert or extrovert, it falls in human nature to open up with people around them. Some people open up easily, some take their time and space to figure out if they should talk. It is never what you say; it is always what your audience responds to. Therefore, it becomes important to know your audience first and foremost. The skill of public speaking does not come easy. This is a complete guide for all the introverts out there.
Table of Contents
Who is an Introvert?
Introversion is a major personality trait that makes you feel shy when you are surrounded by people or in a public area. Some of the major characteristics of such people include- quiet, reserved, shy, silent, passive, reliable, calm, and rigid.
Personality Traits of an Introvert
All the traits of an introvert are pretty obvious. For such people, the idea of staying at home most of their time, and staying away from socializing, sounds amazing to them. The isolation lets introverts have focus and creativity on their work. When we say they enjoy living alone, we do not mean that they do not have any friends. The peer circle is usually compact and short for introverts. The irony is that they can be an extrovert in front of them.
It is a definite trait for them to write over attending any calls because they are more comfortable in expressing their thoughts through texts. Public speaking for introverts is a big no-no.
A 2009 study by the ‘National Library of Medicine’ shows that people with major depression and lower levels of extroversion are more likely to have social anxiety. They can have other sorts of disorders as well-
- Avoidant personality disorder
- Dependent personality disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors of ‘ScienceDirect’ recommend that introverts have more signs of depression than anxiety. However, they further mentioned that the anxiety would only consist of social anxiety, but majorly it is depression that kills them from inside.
If you identify any of the given traits you should know you are an introvert. It is high time for you to start opening up to people. We understand that doing it without proper guidance almost seems impossible, but Bizgurukul provides the best public speaking courses in India. So if you ask what is it about public speaking that helps introverts to open up, here are the details you need to know.
How do Introverts get Better at Public Speaking?
The reality of public speaking is far more than just gaining the knowledge of public speaking. It goes to another level of self-analysis.
Listen to Susan Cain
Susan Cain is one of the best-selling authors of the book “Quiet- The Power of Introverts in a World that can’t Stop Talking.” Susan is a self-claimed introvert, but when you will hear her TED talk, you will be amazed to know how she has drastically transformed herself into a public speaker.
She says that public speaking could be difficult for everyone, but it is particularly difficult for introverts because the focus of the public directly comes on the speaker, one wrong word, and they will be haunted forever. If you consider her words, start telling yourself that you can be a leader of yourself.
How do Influential Speakers Become Public Speakers?
Think of this situation back in the days of Gandhi or Abraham Lincoln. They never knew they would step out of their comfort zones to become the national heroes of their respective nations. All they really cared about was to bring revolution or to express their thoughts in public. This approach brings a change in the way people think of themselves. You will have to come up with a relevant way to bring such awareness into the spotlight. This way, you can care less about your fear and more about changing the world.
Being An Introvert is a Strength
Introverts are said to be overthinkers so it can be both an asset and a challenge. Asset for public speaking skills, because they get to have more creative ideas and challenges for themselves as they cannot help overthinking at times when it is not needed.
A regular self-introspection can help us in many ways. It seems to be a perfect and easy task for an introverted person. The quality of judging yourself and making yourself excel in almost every field is a quality that comes with introversion. Well! It comes with its own sets of benefits.
There is a whole new perspective when introverts look at public speaking. The reason is that they try to come up with things that would not leave any chance of further criticisms. Therefore, keeping their research on point and learning to come up with more genuine concerns. The art of public speaking can help them to open up easily along with adding to their knowledge. They give themselves the opportunities to practice more before presenting themselves to the public. It’s not always a curse to be an introvert.
5 Tips of Public Speaking for Introverts
It can be liberating to express your thoughts on stage and empower others like you to follow in your footsteps on the path of opening up. But the very nature of being a public introvert and private extrovert does not allow them to get comfortable on stage. So if you may ask what are the things that you can do, then the given are the answers to all your questions.
Find Comfort in “Myself”
It might be a cliche concept for you to hear. But, do you ever wonder how great orators do not fear getting on stage? They are always sure about what to say on the stage and that they will nail their performance. They are impromptu about any event to stand out of the crowd and say their heart out. This is a unique quality of great speakers. While leaders on stage might work on polishing their language because they have to be strategic about their replies, not all public speakers are leaders.
You will have to find peace in yourself to get on the stage and slay your performance every time you are given a mic to speak. You cannot justify it by saying that you are not good enough for the stage when you already know you could have done better than that. Never give yourself a chance to question why you have done what you have done.
Serve the Audience
It might sound contradictory to the formerly mentioned point. Before getting yourself on board with the audience, you need to know the interests of the audience. Maybe the audience might not like what you have come up with. Maybe the audience follows different niches. There could be an end number of differences in the way people think. To start with, you shall come up with something that is not extreme of an opinion. This way you will be on the safer side.
Introverts are usually characterized by keen listening skills. It becomes their added point and helps them to adjust with people accordingly. However, that is the reason why speaking is way more uncomfortable for them. It is unnatural for them. Therefore, always remember it is not about you, it is always what the audience likes. A public speaker has to take care of the interests of the audience as to what they like rather than thinking of their judgment about you.
Always be Prepared
Many extroverts find it easy to slay their performance when it comes to stepping on the stage, even when they are not prepared. On the other hand, one of the added benefits that introverts have is that they plan very well for any public speaking task- be it attire or their script or anything.
If you are not good at something, you should always leave space for more knowledge before doing it. The major fear introverts have is that they will lose their script midway through the speech, eventually, losing their knowledge. They fear that they might get on their track of small talks again.
To avoid such a situation, all you need to do is to recite every word of your script by heart like a school-going child. You should record your video and look for ways of improvement. In order to deliver your best, try to mug up the whole script in a way that seems smooth and unrecited. Make notes of important things that you should definitely mention in your speech.
Calm your body
The best way to calm your body when you are on stage is to accept that you are feared. Tell the audience that you are a bit nervous to perform in front of them. They should know how you feel at the exact moment when you are facing them. When you direct your brain to calm the body, your brain instructs itself to calm first.
The other ways are given below.
Shake your hands and legs to loosen up all the nerves of your body. It lets your blood flow throughout the body. Hence, making it easier for you to keep yourself relieved.
You can walk or stand straight and keep shifting from back and forth to take away the mental pressure you have created because of overthinking. Accordingly, place your weight on the right leg and left leg.
A smile goes a long way
Smiling might be so underrated but it changes the whole vibe of the event. Managing the key skill of keeping a smile on your face every time you meet someone is unique. While you have always been told that public speaking is for confident people, you can know the best career for introverts who hate public speaking is provided to you by Bizgurukul from your home.
It is unarguably the best way to cope with the stress of facing the public. Has anyone ever told you that a smile can instantly elevate your mood? The study by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, suggests that a person’s smile is one of the most memorable things about them to remember. The statistics show that 48% of people will remember your smile and the other 25% of people will remember the first thing you said to them. The first word ever that you have uttered to them also plays a vital role in building your character.
If you haven’t socialized for a while you can start by smiling at strangers and making small interactions with people outside your friend zone or family.
Conclusion
Glossophobia or the fear of public speaking is one of the most common fears affecting 70% of the population. While introverts make up an estimated 25 to 40 percent of the population, there are still many misconceptions about this personality type. The whole blog has covered everything you need to know about introverts and their personality traits. This article will give you a clear vision of how you can transform yourself completely and drastically.
