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Do Professors ever have a fear of public speaking?

I've considered being a professor, but I have a fear of public speaking. This is one of the most common fears so I wonder if this is something I could work through. Do Professors initially have a fear of public speaking? How do you work past it? #professors #public speaking

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Allison’s Answer

I was a professor for a couple of years, and I will say that talking in front of a group of people (and being expected to answer all their questions) can be scary. It helps that by the time you become a professor, you should be well-versed in your field. Of course, you may still experience impostor syndrome ("I don't really know as much as they think I do!"), but this fades with time.


If you have a fear of public speaking, I recommend being prepared. I know that I don't always think well on my feet, so having plenty of examples and information ready before lecturing really helped.

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RAHUL’s Answer

Hi Ansley,

Many professors and even professional speakers have the fear of public speaking, having delivered a number of educational talks myself, i can tell you that it can be daunting. So rest assured you are not the only one.

Coming to what can you do about it.

  1. Practice and be prepared for your presentations. Even the most skilled speakers put in a lot of hours in their presentations practicing.
  2. I would suggest you to join toastmasters which is a communication and leadership platform . IT is structured mainly to improve your public speaking skills and improve your confidence.

Hope this helps.

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Simeon’s Answer

You might be thinking of professors that speak in front of a large group of students, but there are lots of university types, and there are many prestigious universities with smaller class sizes. I don't think I've ever met a professor that was a natural at public speaking. Also, public speaking is much easier if you're teaching out of a curricula even if you're teaching at a larger public university.
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