Public Speaking Chapter OneSpeaking with Confidence

Why Study Public Speaking?

O There are two main reasons to study public speaking: empowerment and employment.O Empowerment is to have the resources,

information, and attitudes that allow you to take action to achieve a desired goal.O Being a skilled public speaker will give you

an edge that others lack (even those who are more educated, have better training, or who may even have better ideas).

O This is because being able to communicate and to position yourself for leadership puts you “ahead of the pack”

Empowerment (continued…)

O When you are confident in your public speaking skills, you are able to express yourself with assurance, conviction, and confidence.O This makes others confident in you and

your message.O Being an empowered speaker can

open up career and leadership opportunities.O This is because doing so gains you

respect and gives you confidence.

EmploymentO Employment is to gain employment.

O Charles M. Schwab said, “I’ll pay more for a person’s ability to speak and express himself than for any other quality he might possess.”

O If you speak well, you possess a skill that others value highly

O Whether you are currently employed at an entry-level position or aspire to climb the corporate ladder, being able to communicate effectively (and “talk yourself up”) is the key to success – in any line of work.

Employment (continued…)

O The skills needed (and most sought by employers) in terms of public speaking include:O ethically adapting information to

listenersO organizing your ideasO persuading othersO holding listeners’ attention

O Communication skills is THE TOP FACTOR in helping college graduates gain employment.

Employment (continued…)

O Interviews:O People interviewing you rely on what

you’ve written on your resume and how you present yourself and communicate with them.O What carries more weight?

O Being able to communicate in person and talk about yourself and your abilities is much more important than what is written on a resume. The resume only lists what you have done, the communication part of interviews tells or shows prospective employers what you can do.

Public Speaking and Conversation

O As a public speaker, you will need to learn to make decisions on your feet (like in a conversation).O These decisions will be based on:

O your knowledge of your listenersO your listeners’ expectations for your

speechO their reactions to what you are saying

Public Speaking and Conversation (continued…)

O Public speaking is more planned than conversation.O you should spend plenty of time

practicing your speechO as you are practicing (both alone and in

front of others), you should also be revising and editing your speech

O Unlike conversation, public speaking is formal.O as a result, slang or informal language

is NOT APPROPRIATE

Public Speaking and Conversation (continued…)

O **Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression. If

you have to present information twice, your audience is already lost and will have preconceived notions.

**

Communication is a Process

O Model of Communication

Channel

Receiver

Source

Noise

Message

Message

Feedback

Model of Communication

O source – the public speaker is the source of the information and ideas for an audience

O encode – the job of the public speaker is to encode, or translate, the ideas into verbal and nonverbal symbols (codes)

O code – a verbal or nonverbal symbol for any idea or image

O message – the speech itself (both what is said and how it is said)

Model of Communication (continued…)

O decode – it is the receiver’s job to translate the speaker’s codes into ideas and images (to understand the speaker’s message)

O channel – the visual and auditory means by which a message is sent from speaker to receiverO to be successful, the visual and

auditory symbols must match!

Model of Communication (continued…)

O receiver – the individual audience member

O noise – anything that interferes with the communication of the message

O external noise – physical soundsO internal noise – physiological or

psychological causesO feedback – verbal and nonverbal

responses provided by and audience to a speaker

Model of Communication (continued…)

O context – the environment or situation in which a speech occursO timeO placeO the speaker’s and audience’s cultural

traditions and expectationsO * No speech occurs in a vacuum.

Each speech is a blend of circumstances which can never again be replicated. *

The Heritage of Public Speaking

O rhetoric – the use of words and symbols to achieve a goalO Aristotle formulated guidelines for

speakers that we still use today.O In Medieval Europe, the clergy were

the most polished public speakers.O In the 18th century, British subjects in

the colonies listened to the town criers and impassioned patriots of what was to become of the United States

Public Speaking and Diversity

O Such factors as the gender, ethnicity, and culture of both speaker and audience are crucial components of the context of a speaking event. O to be effective, public speakers need

to understand, affirm, and adapt to diverse audiences

Improving Your Confidence as a Speaker

O Understand Your NervousnessO your body summons more energy to

deal with the conflict you are facing (shaking, knees quivering, stomach fluttering, etc.)

O you are experiencing physiological chances because of your psychological state

Improving Your Confidence… (continued…)

O The most common causes for feeling nervous when speaking publicly:O fear of humiliationO concern about not being preparedO worry about one’s looksO pressure to performO personal insecurityO concern that the audience wont’ be

interestedO lack of experienceO fear of making mistakesO overall failure

Improving Your Confidence… (continued…)

O People feel the most nervous right before giving their speeches.O the 2nd highest level of anxiety is

when the teacher explains the assignment

O the least amount of anxiety is experienced when preparing for a speech

Communication Apprehension

O There are four styles of communication apprehension:O average – a generally positive approach to

communicating in publicO insensitive – tend to be less sensitive to

apprehension because of previous experience in public speaking

O inflexible – highest heart rate when speaking, uses fear to motivate them

O confrontation style – high heart rate at beginning, but tapers off to average levels

Understanding Your Communication Apprehension

O It is important to understand your style of communication apprehension because:O it helps to know that you are not alone in

your experiencesO having an idea of your own style may

give you greater insight into better manage your apprehension

O research supports the idea that communication apprehension may be a genetic trait

Public Speaking TipsO Keep these tips in mind while

speaking:O you are going to feel more nervous

than you lookO almost every speaker feels nervousO anxiety can be useful

Building Your Confidence as a Public Speaker

O don’t procrastinate in preparationO know your audienceO be audience-entered rather than speech

centeredO select an appropriate topicO be preparedO develop and deliver a well-organized

speechO know your introduction and conclusionO re-create the speech environment (as close

as possible) while practicing

Building Your Confidence as a Public Speaker

O use deep-breathing techniquesO visualize your successO give yourself a mental pep talkO focus on your message rather then

your fearO look for positive listener support for

your messageO seek speaking opportunitiesO after your speech, focus on what you

have accomplished rather than on your anxiety