by Katherine Reilly
Speeches, Lectures and Presentations. What do all of these have in common? Simply put – you have an audience.
Imagine yourself on a stage while being ‘examined’ by hundreds of eyes. The feelings are overwhelming to say the least. Many of my friends and colleagues ask me questions such as, “How do you do it? Don’t you have stage fright? What if you forget your lines?”
I’d be lying if I said that I never felt just a bit nervous when facing a large audience. During one of my speeches, I had the deputy mayor of Athens sitting next to me and representatives of the American University of Deree and the U.S. Embassy in the audience; all the while, my speech was being recorded.
How did it go, you might ask? At the end of it, I was surrounded by my audience who literally got up and embraced me. My heart was full of joy and relief, as I ‘got through’ to them. Now, if you’re wondering, that I might be a ‘natural’ at this, then you’re wrong. I’m just an ordinary girl like any other. Then why am I at ease when I’m on the stage?
The answer is simple. Proper preparation. Meticulous preparation and attention to detail can get you through anything. There’s a saying, ‘practice makes perfect’ and by following a few simple guidelines, you’ll start feeling more comfortable when you grab that mic and start talking.
Katherine Reilly 