Even if you have stage fright, that doesn't mean you have to be a bad speaker. I don't know anyone who doesn't have some trouble speaking in front of a group. In fact, a healthy amount of fear will help you be a better speaker when you're giving a speech. You can either fall apart because you're afraid to speak in front of people, or you can use your fear to help you become the best speaker you can be. Here are some common problems that many new speakers have. These problems can make you a bad speaker, but they are easy to fix with a little practise.
Some people with worries tend to go to the other end of the spectrum with their problems. For example, if someone has stage fright, they might try to make up for it by becoming too calm. This will not give your audience the impression that you are calm and in control. It will, however, make you a bad public speaker. One classic example of this is how many new speakers who are nervous overcompensate for their nerves by leaning on the podium or becoming too familiar with a new audience. It's important to stay calm and stand up straight when you're speaking, and it's also important to get to know your audience as you talk. Don't let your nerves make you seem like you know everything.
Another problem that many people have is that they show how nervous they are by moving their bodies in ways that don't feel natural. I once heard a talk by someone who was supposed to be knowledgeable, but all they did was jingle their keys in their pocket the whole time. This was not only annoying, but it also showed that the person was nervous, making it hard to pay attention to what they were saying. Nervousness can also show up as too much hand movement or tics in the face. One of the best ways to find this kind of problem is to have someone videotape you giving the presentation in front of a group of trusted friends. Then you can watch yourself to see if you do anything that seems out of place.
The most important thing you can do to deal with stage fright is to hide your nerves from the people watching you. Many speakers get their energy from how their audience feels, and if they can keep things under control, their stage fright will go away soon after they start speaking. This is a very important thing to remember, because if you have severe stage fright, you need to act right from the start if you want to get over it. Once you realise you are in charge, it will be much easier for you to calm down and go through your information in a calm and logical way.
