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All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.
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| —Ralph Waldo Emerson
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This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that it's natural to feel nervous about public speaking. In fact, many people say public speaking is the thing they are most afraid of in the world! What's important to remember is that everyone can improve with practice. One great example is David Nottage from New Zealand[1]. As a young manager of a supermarket, David said he "couldn't string two words together" if he was in front of four people. He chose to do something about it, worked on his speaking skills, and in 1996 he beat 30,000 others to become a world champion speaker!
We don't all need to be world champion contenders, but there are many resources available, both on the internet and/or in your local library, on developing your skills as a speaker. There are also different organisations that you can join, such as Toastmasters International, or perhaps local classes that you can attend for free. Find out if there are any in your area!
Read
Section 10.4: Myths and realities of public speaking, in Saylor Academy (Ed.) 2012. Business Communication for Success. (See page(s) 402 - 405 in PDF version.)
The key concept in this reading is that public speaking can be as enjoyable as a friendly conversation when you are well prepared and organised. Fear of public speaking can be a powerful intrapersonal communication barrier. This common fear is often based on faulty beliefs that you have to be perfect, or that audiences will have negative attitudes. The learning activities in this topic describe techniques that can help you develop confidence and positive perceptions to keep improving your public speaking skills.
Do the chapter exercises with the modifications suggested here.
- For the first exercise, as you prepare your informative presentation, set aside time to visualise a positive presentation experience in both your delivery and the audience response.
- In the second exercise, write out goal statements for what you want to achieve with each part of your informative presentation. Rehearse your goal statements aloud, taking slow, complete breaths between statements to relax your delivery.
- In the third exercise, describe how you would adjust key parts of your presentation if you were preparing a persuasive speech.
Did any of these techniques prove particularly useful? Share your thoughts here.
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