Chapter 1: Speaking in Public

The Power of Public Speaking During modern times, many women and men around the globe have spread their ideas and influence through public speaking such as: FDR Cesar Chavez MLK Ronald Reagan Barack Obama Margaret Thatcher Nelson Mandela

The need for public speaking may also come from: Job interview School board meeting Job promotions Out of 300 employers 93% stated the ability to think critically and communicate clearly is more important for career success that the undergraduate major Out of 768 executives and managers asked to rank the skills most essential in the work place, communications skills was the number 1 answer

Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation The average adult spends 30% of the working hours in conversation The 4 main skills needed when talking to people are: Organizing your thoughts logically Tailoring your message to your audience Telling a story for maximum impact Adapting to listener feedback These skills are also heavily utilized in public speaking

Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation As the size of the audience grows, there will be 3 major differences between conversation and public speaking. Public speaking: Is more highly structured Time limitations No listener questions or commentary Accomplish the purpose in the speech alone without answering questions More detailed planning needed than conversation Requires more formal language No slang or bad grammar The speaker must evaluate and polish the speech Requires a different method of delivery No “like” or “uhm” or “you know” Adjust voices to be heard clearly Good posture Avoid mannerisms

Developing Confidence In 2005, Americans were polled on their greatest fear. 42% identified speaking in front of a group as their largest fear Speechmaking is at the top of many lists provoking anxiety Nervousness is a healthy sign of someone getting “psyched up” for a good performance by producing adrenaline

Nervousness is Normal Famous people who have reported to have stage fright: Abe Lincoln Winston Churchill Jennifer Lawrence Conan O’Brien Oprah Winfrey Leonardo DiCaprio

Dealing with Nervousness 6 tested ways to turn nervousness from negative to positive: Acquire speaking experience Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! Pick topics you care about 1 minute of speaking = 1-2 hours of prep Think positively If you think you can do it you can Use visualization Create a mental blueprint on how you will succeed in your mind Be realistic but stay positive Nervousness is not visible Act cool and confident on the outside Look calm even when you aren’t Don’t expect perfection The audience does not know what you planned to say Audiences are not looking for perfection, they are looking for well thought out speech

Dealing with Nervousness Additional ways to combat nerves: Be at your best physically and mentally Take a few slow deep breaths Make eye contact with audience Use visual aids

Public Speaking and Critical Thinking What is critical thinking? The ability to spot weakness in other people’s arguments and avoid them Distinguishing fact from opinion The ability to see clear relationships between ideas How is it used in speeches? Organizing your thoughts clearly Backing your claims up with sound evidence Think clearly on the spot

The Speech Communication Process

Public Speaking in a Multicultural World The U.S is the most diverse society on earth The internet allows for instant communication Despite many difference in the human race, all nations are a part of the global network

Cultural Diversity and Public Speaking Speech making becomes more complex as cultural diversity increases The following meanings vary vastly through cultures: Gestures Facial expressions Other non-verbal signs (I.E waving, pointing, ok sign)

Cultural Diversity and Public Speaking Ethnocentrism: The belief that one’s group or culture is superior to all others “Right” “natural” vs. “wrong” “unnatural” Positive to create pride and loyalty Negative to create prejudice and hostility Does not mean you must agree with the practices of other cultures However, you must attempt understanding and show respect for the practices Be aware of how cultural factors may affect your audience and how they will respond Avoid ethnocentrism when listening to speeches as well Be aware of how quickly you judge someone and stop yourself from creating a bias