What Are the Causes of Getting Emotional When Public Speaking?
When it comes to dreaded tasks, few are as common as public speaking. Some individuals go out of their way to avoid circumstances in which they are forced to give a speech of any kind. While it may be possible to do this in your personal life without encountering problems, not being able to speak in public is sure to decrease your business opportunities. Becoming excessively emotional is a common issue when you're in the spotlight: learn how to cope with this so you can communicate with larger groups effectively.
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Fear
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Fear is one of the biggest causes of excessive emotion when speaking publicly. This comes from humans' deep biological instincts to be social animals. Social animals rely on the cooperation and approval of the group to survive. If these elements are lacking, the individual can feel isolated, threatening survival. Fearing lack of approval from the group is a common concern when giving a speech or presentation. It can cause numerous fear-based symptoms, such as a quiet or shaky voice, trembling hands, and unwarranted perspiration.
Low Self-Esteem
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Low self-esteem is another cause of becoming emotional when in front of a group. If you don't believe you have anything of value to say, or that anyone in the audience will listen to you, public speaking can quickly become a depressing or saddening experience. Keep in mind that if a group has gathered to listen to you, it is likely you do have something of value to relay to them.
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Difficult Topics
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Speaking about difficult topics can also be a reason to get emotional in public. For instance; giving a eulogy or discussing a personal or uncomfortable issue can bring about a host of feelings, including anger, sadness, fear, and elation. One way to combat this issue is to thoroughly prepare and rehearse your speech in private. By going over the emotional sections several times, you desensitize yourself to them. This makes you less likely to get emotional when it's time to explain them out loud.
Considerations
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Every public speaker is likely to have some or all of these issues at one time or another. The important thing is to determine ways to deal with them in advance so they do not mar your presentation. Counseling can help those with extreme fear of public speaking, as well as raise self-esteem for those who find this issue keeps them from performing their best.
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References
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Comments
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"When it comes to dreaded tasks, few are as common as public speaking. Some individuals go out of their way to avoid circumstances in which they are forced to give a speech of any kind. While it may be possible to do this in your personal life without encountering problems, not being able to speak in public is sure to decrease your business opportunities." This is exactly why I joined a local Toastmasters group. I wouldn't say I'm a bad public speaker at all, but done well it can really help you acheive your business goals - particularly if you're in a sales or management role.
