Ask a trainer or a teacher how many hands readily go up when participants at a workshop or students in a class are asked to share their experiences, observations or jottings, chances are they will most probably say it’s less than 10 per cent of the gathering.
You could blame it on a variety of reasons — innate shyness, lack of confidence, an unwillingness to share or, in some cases, inverted snobbery. The ones who raise their hands are those who will keep doing so repeatedly if permitted. As for the others, their heads will be down, eyes will refuse to make contact, focus will be on the neighbour’s notes or they’ll have a vacant stare, and their body language will change visibly.
Don't worry
Students and participants should realise that such opportunities do not present themselves too often. Colleges, institutes and workshops are the best places to present and test ideas and thoughts, in relative anonymity or in the company of peers. So, you better grab that chance.
If you are afraid that you’ll get tongue-tied, don’t worry. It happens to even the most seasoned speakers and presenters. Once you start speaking and focus on what you’re saying, everything else will quieten down. But you need to take that first step to see if it is really as bad as you think it is.
Taking a risk
Nobody is going to waste too much time persuading you to take the plunge. Even if you think you do not have anything worthwhile to say, you should still take the risk of sharing it with the group.
The reactions, feedback and comments you get will foster confidence, forcing you to defend your idea or refine it further. Along the way, you will learn to think ideas through, anticipate possible arguments and be ready with counters.
Remember that you have to be quick. If you dither for too long, someone else will talk before you, leaving you wishing you had gone first.
It is easy to sit back and be a passive participant while the others are busy honing their communication and presentation skills. But think about what will pay off in the long run before you pass up such a chance.