Public Speaking - How To Cure the "Mr. Smarty Pants Blues" When Speaking in Public
"I'm so afraid that someone will ask me a question and I won't know the answer," she said softly.
"I'll look really stupid in front of my boss.
" This soon-to-be speaker was giving a presentation for her co-workers and others in her industry.
Including her boss.
She was so worried that she'd come across as an idiot, or incompetent, if she didn't know absolutely everything about her subject.
I call this the "Mr.
Smarty Pants Blues" and it afflicts people who are just starting to speak in public.
They feel that if they are going to speak about something, if they are going to stand up there and ask people to pay attention to them, then, by golly, they should have the decency to know everything about their subject.
Hey, if every speaker had to know everything about their subject then no one would be speaking at all! There is no way you can know everything because there is always more to know.
But you can know what you know.
Know What You Know When you are speaking, you are simply sharing information.
You have something to say and you say it.
You don't have to know or share more than that.
Yes, you may get a question that you can't answer, but that is perfectly fine.
No one expects you to know everything.
Just know what you know and speak from that knowing.
Being the Expert Another thing that contributes to the "Mr.
Smarty Pants Blues" syndrome is the assumption that all speakers are experts.
Otherwise, why would anyone listen to them? But here's the deal.
You are an expert.
You are an expert in your own experience.
You are an expert in being who you are, knowing what you know, and that is all you need in order to share your expertise with an audience.
Ignorance is Bliss If you get asked a question you can't answer, raise your hands and sing "Alleluia!" because this is your time to play.
(Okay, maybe you don't want to sing Alleluia out loud right then and there, but you can sing it out internally).
Not knowing allows you the opportunity to connect with your audience as another human being rather than as "Mr.
Smarty Pants.
" It also offers you the chance to play with your audience a bit.
You can say, "Hmm, I don't know the answer to that but let me see if I can make one up...
" Not knowing gives you the opportunity to include your audience as well.
Open up the discussion by asking your audience if there is anyone who can answer that question.
This shows your respect for the intelligence of your audience and your own willingness to move the spotlight off of yourself and do whatever you can to provide an answer for the questioner.
Give yourself permission to know what you know, be open to questions you can't answer, and enjoy sharing yourself and your experience with your audience.
"I'll look really stupid in front of my boss.
" This soon-to-be speaker was giving a presentation for her co-workers and others in her industry.
Including her boss.
She was so worried that she'd come across as an idiot, or incompetent, if she didn't know absolutely everything about her subject.
I call this the "Mr.
Smarty Pants Blues" and it afflicts people who are just starting to speak in public.
They feel that if they are going to speak about something, if they are going to stand up there and ask people to pay attention to them, then, by golly, they should have the decency to know everything about their subject.
Hey, if every speaker had to know everything about their subject then no one would be speaking at all! There is no way you can know everything because there is always more to know.
But you can know what you know.
Know What You Know When you are speaking, you are simply sharing information.
You have something to say and you say it.
You don't have to know or share more than that.
Yes, you may get a question that you can't answer, but that is perfectly fine.
No one expects you to know everything.
Just know what you know and speak from that knowing.
Being the Expert Another thing that contributes to the "Mr.
Smarty Pants Blues" syndrome is the assumption that all speakers are experts.
Otherwise, why would anyone listen to them? But here's the deal.
You are an expert.
You are an expert in your own experience.
You are an expert in being who you are, knowing what you know, and that is all you need in order to share your expertise with an audience.
Ignorance is Bliss If you get asked a question you can't answer, raise your hands and sing "Alleluia!" because this is your time to play.
(Okay, maybe you don't want to sing Alleluia out loud right then and there, but you can sing it out internally).
Not knowing allows you the opportunity to connect with your audience as another human being rather than as "Mr.
Smarty Pants.
" It also offers you the chance to play with your audience a bit.
You can say, "Hmm, I don't know the answer to that but let me see if I can make one up...
" Not knowing gives you the opportunity to include your audience as well.
Open up the discussion by asking your audience if there is anyone who can answer that question.
This shows your respect for the intelligence of your audience and your own willingness to move the spotlight off of yourself and do whatever you can to provide an answer for the questioner.
Give yourself permission to know what you know, be open to questions you can't answer, and enjoy sharing yourself and your experience with your audience.
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