Public speaking is a skill that can be learned and refined over time. But even experienced speakers can fall into common traps that undermine their message and connection with the audience. Here are 10 of the most frequent mistakes — and how to avoid them.
1. Reading Directly from Your Notes or Slides
The mistake: Keeping your eyes glued to your script or slides, making little to no eye contact with your audience.
What to do instead: Use notes as a guide, not a crutch. Practise enough that you're familiar with your content and can deliver it naturally. Slides should support your message, not replace your words.
2. Speaking Too Fast
The mistake: Rushing through your speech due to nerves or time pressure, leaving your audience struggling to keep up.
What to do instead: Slow down deliberately. Use pauses to let key points land. A slower, measured pace signals confidence and gives your audience time to absorb your message.
3. Poor Eye Contact
The mistake: Looking at the floor, ceiling, or a fixed spot instead of engaging with your audience.
What to do instead: Make genuine eye contact with different people in the room. This builds trust and creates a sense of personal connection with your audience.
4. Filler Words
The mistake: Overusing "um," "uh," "like," "you know," and other filler words that distract from your message.
What to do instead: Embrace silence. A brief pause is far more powerful than a string of fillers. Record yourself speaking and count how often you use them — awareness is the first step to improvement.
5. Ignoring Your Body Language
The mistake: Standing rigid, crossing your arms, slouching, or making nervous gestures that contradict your words.
What to do instead: Stand tall, use open gestures, and move with purpose. Your body language accounts for a significant portion of how your message is received.
6. Lack of Structure
The mistake: Jumping between ideas without a clear beginning, middle, and end, leaving your audience confused.
What to do instead: Plan your speech with a clear structure. Tell them what you're going to say, say it, then tell them what you said. A well-organised speech is easier to follow and far more memorable.
7. Not Knowing Your Audience
The mistake: Delivering a one-size-fits-all speech without considering who you're speaking to, their level of knowledge, or what they care about.
What to do instead: Research your audience beforehand. Tailor your language, examples, and tone to suit them. A speech that speaks directly to your audience's needs and interests will always land better.
8. Skipping the Practice
The mistake: Winging it or only rehearsing mentally, then feeling unprepared when you're actually speaking.
What to do instead: Practise out loud, repeatedly. Rehearse in front of others, record yourself, or even present to a pet. The more you say your speech aloud, the more natural and confident you'll feel.
9. Weak Opening and Closing
The mistake: Starting with "Um, so today I'm going to talk about…" and ending with "Yeah, that's it, I guess."
What to do instead: Hook your audience from the very first sentence — with a bold statement, a question, a story, or a surprising fact. Close with impact: a call to action, a memorable quote, or a return to your opening hook. First and last impressions stick.
10. Failing to Manage Nerves
The mistake: Letting anxiety take over — visibly shaking, speaking in a trembling voice, or freezing up mid-speech.
What to do instead: Accept that nerves are normal — even experienced speakers get them. Use deep breathing techniques before you speak, reframe nerves as excitement, and remember that your audience wants you to succeed. The more you speak in public, the more manageable the nerves become.
Final Thoughts
Every great speaker was once a beginner who made mistakes. The key is to be aware of these common pitfalls, learn from them, and keep practising. Public speaking is a journey, not a destination — and every speech you give is a step forward. Take our free Public Speaking Readiness Checklist to identify which of these areas still need work, explore our Public Speaking Program, and practise your delivery with our free Teleprompter Tool.
