Why People Really Fear Public Speaking

An entire industry has developed around the simple skill of public speaking. Studies have shown that public speaking is more feared than death by most Americans. Of course, the greatest fear must be of public speaking to death, that would combine the worst of all evils. Why are most Americans so afraid of public speaking?

My first memories of public speaking fear tie back to early memories of school, and more importantly public speaking at school. I think many of our fears of public speaking tie back to that scenario. I recall being required to stand before the class and recite, from memory, a poem by Chaucer. I was terrified that I would not remember it, and watched as classmate after classmate forgot the poem, and stood there besieged with laughter from his classmates. When I think of my classmates, I wonder how public speaking, given this memory, affects them later in life. Did this one horrible event make everyone fearful of public speaking?

I wish that this instance was unusual, but I hear it over and over again when I ask students when they developed their fear of speaking. It is my theory that a lot of public speaking fear is really fear of memorization. That's why, in my public speaking courses; I try to eliminate all memorization. I teach speakers that in real life, nobody memorizes anything. You speak from a prepared text or, at a minimum bulleted notes. I have found that once I remove memorization from the public speaking syllabus, speakers loosen up and focus their energy more on positive delivery than negative fear. To me, memorization is the cause of public speaking anxiety. That is why I completely remove it from speaker's lives to make them happier and more effective.

Do you look stiff reading from a prepared text? Not if you practice and learn good eye contact techniques. Sure, you look more natural without looking at your notes, but you sacrifice your health and happiness. Also, the tension will eliminate any off the cuff naturalness. In the end, you really are better off, and more successful, without making memorization a part of your public speaking job.

Think back on your first bad public speaking experience. Did it include memorization? I thought so.

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