When Jarawa tribe saw jungle creatures performing a speedy mass exodus they decided they should peg it too. Meanwhile civilised men may have noticed lack of birds singing in trees or their dog straining leash and did nothing. Clearly something separates tribal man from civilised man.

While they run for hills we stand around believing it will be nothing but a storm in a tea cup and that everything will be fine. The fact that they act while we suppress clearly shows that life and death comes down not just to instinct, but way we use it, if we use it at all.

Few elements of modern life can be so detrimental for one's ability for self-improvement and success than “Fear of Public Speaking.” Surveys indicate, however, that this is is number one source of apprehension in United States. The first survey to point this out appeared in October 7 1973 issue of Sunday Times of London. The findings have been verified by countless other surveys and studies in subsequent years.

The Times survey found that 41% of 3000 respondents listed "fear of public speaking" as their number one fear, while 19% listed "death."

For businessperson, either in a small company or a large corporation, ability to speak coherently and persuasively is a vital skill, but this "fear of speaking" holds many otherwise competent people back.

This can be a disaster for sales person, but it need not be so. Speaking skills are easy to acquire once fear is controlled. Note that i said "controlled," not overcome.

In hundreds of executive workshops I have conducted, I have found a high percentage of intelligent people apprehensive at prospect of giving a presentation.

Is this fear unique to modern life? Probably not. Pericles, great orator and statesman of ancient Greece, observed about 2500 years ago that

" Those who can think, but cannot express what they think, place themselves at level of those who cannot think."

One of fundamental reasons smart people cannot “express what they think” is paralyzing fear of speaking in public.

If you suffer from that anxiety, rest assured you are in main stream of American public. In this article, I'll provide advice on how to make this nervousness work to your advantage so that you actually become a better public speaker because of your fear.

DON'T KILL THE BUTTERFLIES

Among physical manifestations of nervousness can be a queasiness frequently labeled "butterflies in stomach." Someone in field of speech training once said you didn't want to kill butterflies; instead, get them flying in formation.

I certainly agree with basic premise of controlling, not eliminating, nervousness. I find it disappointing when colleagues and competitors in field of presentation skills training promise that if you buy their book or attend their workshop, you will never again fear speaking in public.

That is absolute rubbish. It causes people to make overcoming "Fear of speaking" their main objective. Their objective should be to frame and deliver their message in such a way that they persuade their audience to adopt point of view they are advocating.

I have seen many nervous speakers do an excellent job because they believed in their message, and I have seen speakers so calm it seemed rigor mortis had set in. Their calmness made them appear indifferent, and they bombed.

You want to be somewhat nervous. It releases adrenaline that gets you "pumped," that shows passion and enthusiasm. It is same as pre-game jitters of athletes which allows them to convert nervousness to energy.

Presenters must make same conversion into that positive energy which demonstrates presenter's belief in his or her message.

A TRIO OF FEARS AND THEIR ANTIDOTES