1. Speech: Exploring Communication
Chapter 6
Building Confidence

2. Stage Fright Stage fright is nervousness when facing an audience.
#1 - Stage fright begins in the Brain
#2 – Nervous tension

3. Understanding Stage Fright
Some have, some don’t
If you don’t have stage fright, be happy about it, but don’t get overconfident
Being free of stage fright doesn’t automatically make you a better speaker

4. Most People Experience Stage Fright
Research shows over half of beginning speakers experience stage fright,
And very few experience speakers were totally free of nervousness.
80 to 90 percent reported some sort of nervousness about giving a public speech.

5. Even Winston Churchill, considered one of the most influential speakers of the 20th century, once confessed that he had stage fright when delivering his speeches.

6. Why Stage Fright Occurs
#17 - Stage fright affects most people in physical ways
Sweaty palms
Queasy stomach
Dry mouth
Excessive perspiration
Increased heart rate
Shortness of breath

7. Why Stage Fright Occurs
#12 - Tension is mental or nervous strain – apprehension
#3 Nervous Tension triggers PHYSICAL reactions.
Comes from two conflicting realizations
I Desperately want to perform well and make a good impression.
I may not be very successful.

8. The idea that
all eyes are on you
you are the center of attention
you fear failure and embarrassment
intensifies your the desire for success, and therefore makes it difficult for you to take a “so what” attitude about the outcome of the speech

9. Controlling Stage Fright Make good use of tension
Internal tension causes your muscles to tighten, your heart and breathing to increase, and more adrenalin and oxygen to pump throughout your body

10. The Result Your brain and muscles become “supercharged”
Your body is carrying out a natural function of preparing you to meet a specific situation

11. #13 - Controlled Stage Fright
The simple realization that stage fright is natural before a speech – and actually an aid to sharpen thinking – can itself be a means of controlling it.
#4 The BEST way to control stage fright is to realize that it is occurring.

12. Uncontrolled Stage Fright
Runaway Stage Fright
feeling of anxiety that are so intense that one loses control; the loss of control of the feelings of anxiety experienced before or during a speech or performance.

13. #14 - Runaway Stage Fright
Two Forms
Lack of confidence
Over confidence

14. #14 a - Lack of Confidence Usually strikes before the speech begins
Most speakers are well-prepared but allow symptoms of stage fright to snowball
Self-confidence is at a very low point by the time the speech begins, and this leads to runaway stage fright

15. #16 - Overconfidence Usually strikes after the speech has begun
Arises from poor preparation
Does not surface in introductory remarks but becomes obvious in the body of speech.
Read Tom Sawyer quote (SEC, p. 153)

16. The wise speaker must aim for the critical degree of self-assurance that comes from thorough preparation, mixed with the realization of the unpredictable nature of public speaking situations

17. Feels Worse Than it Looks
Stage fright is more noticeable to the speaker than the audience
Audience can’t hear your stomach tightening, nor notice your sweaty palms or dry mouth
Might notice a slight tremor in your voice, or a faster than normal breathing rate
Even those symptoms bother the speaker more than the listener

18. Unless a speaker foolishly call specific attention to his/her stage fright by comments such as “I’m nervous, I’m sure this speech isn't making much sense,” the audience will often be unaware that the speaker is nervous.

19. Controlling Stage Fright
As discussed, a limited amount of stage fright can be helpful.
The trick is to control stage fright, NOT get rid of it entirely.

20. Controlling Stage Fright
Prepare Thoroughly
Relax Before you Speak
Sympathetic Audience
Develop the Right Attitude
Concentrate on Your Topic
Concentrate on Your Audience
Inject Humor
Move about, Use Gestures, and Make Eye Contact
Handle Specific Symptoms of Nervousness
Speak as Often as You Can
Use Speech Critiques to Your Advantage

21. 1. Prepare Thoroughly Study your topic
Analyze the needs of your audience
Research and outline the ideas of your speech
Rehearse your presentation sufficiently
Have a back up plans for unexpected situations

22. Prepare Thoroughly
The possibility always exists that something unexpectedly disturbing will occur.
A loud noise, a heckler, a fire drill

23. Prepare Thoroughly The fear of forgetting a part of the speech
This is not such a serious problem.
The audience normally doesn’t know what you intend to say.
Don’t call attention to it.
Use note cards to jog your memory.
Forgetting is normally not a problem if the speaker has rehearsed thoroughly.

24. 2. Relax Before You Speak
Relaxation Tips (SEC p. 156)

25. 3. #5 - Sympathetic Audience
Most audiences know that they could have the same feelings if they were the one at the podium.
Audiences want to see the speaker succeed, NOT FAIL.
If an audience does sense symptoms of stage fright, they usually react in a friendly and encouraging fashion.

26. 4. Develop the Right Attitude
Train yourself to think in the following sequence:
Since the speech is near, I’m feeling symptoms of stage fright,
This is my body’s way of preparing me to meet a special speech situation,
Once my speech begins, the tension will serve as a spring to sharpen my thinking and give vitality to my presentation.

27. 5 . Concentrate on Your Topic
# 8 - Concentrate on your topic, not on yourself.
Share your enthusiasm.
Have the feeling “I have to give a speech today!” Not “I have to give a speech today.”

28. 6. Concentrate on Your Audience
It is perfectly okay to give more attention to the interested listeners (not everyone will like your speech or performance).
Only when a large portion of your audience is showing signs of boredom should you begin changing your approach.

29. 7. Inject a Little Humor
If not overdone, humor can actually relax your audience.
However use these precautions:
Prepare humor thoroughly beforehand
Use humor mainly during the speech introduction
Do not overuse humor
Avoid offensive jokes

30. 8. Move About, Use Gestures, and Make Eye Contact
Any movements you make should be suited for the speech and the audience.
Some movements will reduce tension, others will look ridiculous or pointless.
Read second paragraph in SEC p. 160

31. #19 - Types of Body Movement
Total Body Movement – move diagonally
Gestures – hand, head, and facial movements should look natural.
Eye Contact – most effective means of body-motion communication

32. 9. Handle Specific Symptoms of Nervousness
See the chart on SEC, page 163

33. #20 - Speak As Often as You Can
Confidence in Public Speaking is built more by the experience of giving speeches than by anything else.
Many school organizations sponsor speech contests each year.
Practice and experience reduce stress.

34. 11. Use Speech Critiques to Your Advantage
Students find giving and receiving critiques awkward.
You may tolerate teacher critiques, but dislike peer critiques.
Some dislike critiquing their peer’s speech because you think that you might hurt or anger the person.

35. Speech Critiques are one of the best ways of teaching you to become a confident and effective public speaker.

36. #18 - How to Give a GOOD Speech Critique (SEC p. 164-165)
Begin with positive points
Be specific
Criticize the speech, not the speaker
State your reaction as your opinion
Focus on improvement
Don’t debate your critique with the speaker
Keep your critique brief
Show empathy for the speaker

37. In this class…(Quest: 21/22)
Never END any speech with the words: “I’m done!”
Never BEGIN any speech with an apology.

38. #23 POSTURE #24 VOLUME 1 – Anchored – Don’t rock 2 – Don’t Lean
3 – L – Shaped Footing (Don’t be awkward)
4 – Don’t be closed off
Be loud enough to be heard – But don’t shout
Don’t fade at end of sentences
Avoid inside jokes

39. ENUNCIATION / OUTLINE #25 Clear, Crisp, Staccato – Like
#26 OUTLINES:
(a) Should show pre-thought (Subjective)
(b) Always introduce yourself in introduction
(c) Give us a reason to listen – AUDIENCE INTEREST
(d) Have a conclusion that summarizes the speech. NOT “I’m done!”