I've heard some references to relationships created on social media as "fake friends"
As a matter of fact, this week I read a blog post by Elizabeth Potts Weinstein thanking all of her "fake friends" for stepping up and managing her online business while her daughter had to receive emergency surgery for a brain tumor.
So, maybe they're not so "fake," after all? Maybe some of those brief connections made — either online or off — are real. Maybe they aren't largely superficial.
Here's a thought: an authentic connection is real, no matter how brief. When you take the trouble to make them, they come back and give you support.
This also works powerfully with public speaking.
If you arrive early for an engagement, take whatever opportunity you have to meet as many people in your audience as possible. Make the first move. Introduce yourself, speak with them one-on-one, and break the ice. Make the connection. Clear your preoccupations and your internal chatter. Put yourself in the mindset of being truly interested in meeting and getting acquainted with some fellow human beings. Act like you're one of the hosts of a party.
Feeling a little nervous about your public speaking? Even the slightest acquaintance with some audience members will go a long way toward easing your nervousness as you take the stage. Here's a secret: your audience will be more comfortable with you, too. Often, they're more nervous about speaking to you than the opposite. Have you ever noticed this? If you make an effort to connect and make them comfortable with you, they'll like you a lot better, and you'll be much more persuasive with your public speaking.
A federal judge I used to know once gave me great advice: approach every new experience and situation with an open mind and attitude, and you'll get the most out of the experience. In other words, put aside the apprehension, the fear, and the negative assumptions.
Isn't that how the most healthy relationships are built? Build that relationship with your audience as well. People are interesting! They have interesting lives and stories to tell, no matter how unassuming those folks may be initially. Keep that door to opportunity open.
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