Scott Adams Shares a Valuable Lesson on Public Speaking
Scott Adams is a well-known American cartoonist, author, and speaker famous for creating the Dilbert comic strip.
Public speaking can be intimidating for many people. The idea of addressing a large crowd or even a small group can trigger anxiety and nervousness. Stepping onto a stage and speaking confidently can be quite challenging.
First-time speakers may naturally feel less confident compared to experienced ones. But on any given day, nervousness and panic can affect anyone, including seasoned speakers. The fear of humiliation and embarrassment is a significant factor that holds people back from becoming confident public speakers. Only a few individuals dare to step on stage, even if they are offered significant incentives.
Public speaking is a form of risk-taking, but it’s a risk worth taking. Success can gradually diminish the fear associated with public speaking. However, mastering public speaking takes time and a lot of practice.
Stage fright is a common experience, and only a few manage to overcome it. The fear of failure often prevents people from taking the risk. However, Scott Adams, a well-known American cartoonist, author, and speaker famous for creating the Dilbert comic strip, has a unique perspective on overcoming this fear.
Scott Adams faced a unique challenge in his public speaking journey. He was diagnosed with a disorder called spasmodic dysphonia: a neurologic disorder that can affect the voice and speech. Despite losing the ability to speak in certain situations, Scott was determined to continue his speaking engagements.
Many people would avoid public humiliation at any cost, but Scott was willing to face it. He was ready to embrace the risk and the possibility of failure. This was a significant shift for him, as he had previously delivered hundreds of talks without such challenges.
On the day of the event, just before his name was announced, Scott felt nervous, with his heart pounding. However, he managed to step onto the stage, where he was greeted with applause. This is a moment that typically increases nervousness, as facing a large audience who are your fans and have high expectations can be daunting.
Instead of succumbing to nervousness, Scott used several techniques to gain confidence and composure. He took deep breaths, smiled at the audience, and expressed his genuine happiness to be there. He believed he was born for this and that the stage felt like home to him.
Rather than rushing to begin, Scott waited patiently for the applause to subside and the audience to settle down. He allowed for moments of silence to align his internal timing with that of the audience. He understood that standing in front of an audience can distort one’s perception of time, leading inexperienced presenters to speak too rapidly.
Scott absorbed the applause and transformed it into positive energy. This energy boosted his confidence, and he felt connected to the audience. His heartbeat returned to normal, just as it had done countless times before in front of other crowds. His training kicked in, and with it came confidence. In his mind, he owned the audience, and they expected nothing less. They had come to listen, and all he had to do was show them that he knew it.
Despite losing the ability to speak, Scott Adams successfully delivered his talk, just as he had done many times before. His ability to face the audience without fearing humiliation was due to his willingness to take risks and his unique relationship with failure.
Scott Adams explained his perspective on failure, stating that he cultivates a unique relationship with it. He welcomes failure, learns from it, appreciates it, and ultimately uses it to his advantage. Failure always brings valuable lessons, and Scott doesn’t let it go until he extracts that value. His successful cartooning career, for example, resulted from his failure to thrive in the corporate world.
In addition to embracing failure, Scott Adams’ strategic approach to engaging with the audience allowed him to be comfortable and confident before uttering a single word. These techniques and his fearless attitude can inspire anyone looking to conquer the fear of public speaking.
