Public Speaking

Unit 1 Lecture Notes

The Two Main Reasons to Study Public Speaking:

Empowerment (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 over those who are more
educated, have better training, or who may even
have better ideas because being able to
communicate and to position yourself for leadership
puts you ahead of the pack
o when you are confident in your public speaking skills,
you are able to express yourself with assurance,
conviction, and confidence (making others confident
in you and your message)
o being an empowered speaker can open up career
and leadership opportunities (because doing so gains
you respect and gives you confidence)

Employment (to gain employment)

o Charles M. Schwab said, Ill pay more for a persons
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
o the skills needed (and most sought by employers) in
terms of public speaking include:
ethically adapting information to listeners
organize your ideas
persuade others
hold listeners attention
o communication skills is the top factor in helping
college graduates gain employment
o interviews:

people interviewing you rely on what youve

written on your resume and how you present
yourself and communicate with them
What to do you think carries more
weight?

Public Speaking and Conversation

as a public speaker, you will need to learn to make

decisions in your feet (like in a conversation)
o these decisions will be based on:
your knowledge of your listeners
your listeners expectations for your speech
their reactions to what you are saying
public speaking is more planned than conversation
o you should spend plenty of time practicing your
speech
o as you are practicing (both alone and in front of
others), you should also be revising and editing your
speech
unlike conversation, public speaking is formal
o as a result, slang or informal language is not
appropriate
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
noise

source

receiver
channel
message

message
feedback

source the public speaker is a source of information and ideas

for an audience
encode the job of the public speaker is to encode, or translate,
the ideas and images in his or her mind into verbal or nonverbal
symbols (codes) that the audience can recognize or understand
code a verbal or nonverbal symbol for any idea or image (the
speaker may encode into words or into gestures)
message the speech itself (both what is said and how it is
said)
decode to translate verbal or nonverbal symbols (codes) into
ideas and images (to understand the speakers message)
channel the visual and auditory means by which a message is
transmitted from sender to receiver
o audience members see the speaker and decode his or her
nonverbal symbols eye contact, facial expressions,
posture, gestures, and dress along with visuals
o to be successful (and believable), the auditory and visual
channels must match
receiver the receiver of the message is the individual
audience member, whose decoding of the message will depend
on his or her own particular blend of past experiences, attitudes,
beliefs, and values
noise anything that interferes with the communication of a
message
external noise physical sounds that interfere with
communication
internal noise physiological or psychological causes that
interfere with communication (a cold, worries, etc.)
feedback verbal and nonverbal responses provided by an
audience to a speaker (nods, facial expressions, murmurs of the
audience, questions, etc.)

context the environment or situation in which a speech occurs,

it includes:
o time
o place
o the speakers and audiences cultural traditions and
expectations
no speech occurs in a vacuum, each speech is a
blend of circumstances that can never be replicated
exactly again
Being prepared for a speech is only half of the battle when
delivering an effective speech. You also have to pay attention to
your audience and adjust your speech as you are speaking to be
the most effective and successful.

The Heritage of Public Speaking

rhetoric the use of words and symbols to achieve a goal

Aristotle formulated guidelines for speakers that we still follow

today

Cicero and Quintilian sought to define the qualities of the true

orator

in Medieval Europe, the clergy were the most polished public

speakers

in the 18th century, British subjects in the colonies listened to the

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

declamation the delivery of an already famous speech

elocution the expression of emotion through posture,

movement, gestures, facial expressions, and voice

Public Speaking and Diversity

such factors as the gender, ethnicity, and culture of both speaker

and audience are crucial components of the context of a
speaking event

to be effective, public speakers need to understand, affirm, and

adapt to diverse audiences

Improving Your Confidence as a Speaker

it is important to understand your nervousness

o Your body summons more energy to deal with the conflict
you are facing (shaking, knees quivering, stomach
fluttering, etc.)
o you are experiencing physiological changes because of
your psychological state
the most common causes for feeling nervous when speaking
publicly:
o fear of humiliation
o concern about not being prepared
o worry about ones looks
o pressure to perform
o personal insecurity
o concern that the audience wouldnt be interested in oneself
or the speech
o lack of experience
o fear of making mistakes
o overall fear of failure
people feel the most nervous right before giving their speeches,
the second-highest level of anxiety when the teacher explains
the speech assignment, and the least amount of anxiety when
preparing a speech
there are four styles of communication apprehension:
o average
you have a generally positive approach to
communicating in public
these types of speakers rate themselves the highest
o insensitive
tend to be less sensitive to apprehension when
speaking because of previous experience in public
speaking
o inflexible
you have the highest heart rate when speaking
use this high and inflexible level of anxiety to
enhance performance
their fear motivates them to prepare and be at
their best
o confrontation style

you have a very high heart rate as you begin

presenting, and then it tapers off to more average
levels
Why is it important to know and understand your style of
communication apprehension?
o it helps to know that you are not alone in how you
experience apprehension (and that others are likely to
share your feelings)
o having a general idea of your own style may give you
greater insight into how to better manage your
apprehension
o the research on apprehension styles lends support to the
theory that communication apprehension may be a genetic
trait or tendency

Keep these tips in mind while speaking:

o you are going to feel more nervous than you look
realize that your audience cannot see evidence of
everything that you feel
o almost every speaker experiences some degree of
nervousness
it is unrealistic to try to eliminate speech anxiety
instead, try to manage your nervousness so
that it does not create so much internal noise
that it keeps you from speaking effectively
o anxiety can be useful
extra adrenaline, increased blood flow, pupil dilation,
increased endorphins to block pain, increased heart
rate, and other physical changes caused by anxiety
improve your energy level and help you function
better than you might otherwise

How to build your confidence:

o dont procrastinate in preparing for a speech
a lack of thorough preparation often results in poorer
speech performance, reinforcing a speakers
perception that public speaking is difficult
o know your audience
know to whom you will be speaking and learn as
much about your audience as you can
consider their goals, needs, and hopes as you
prepare your message
be audience-centered rather than speaker-centered
o select an appropriate topic

you will feel less nervous if you talk about something

you are familiar with or have some personal
experience of
be prepared
the better prepared you are, the les anxiety you will
experience
develop and deliver a well-organized speech
speakers can better manage their apprehension if
they rely on the rules and structures of a public
speaking assignment, including following a clear
outline pattern when preparing and delivering a
speech
know your introduction and your conclusion
you are likely to feel the most anxious during the
opening moments of your speech
therefore, it is a good idea to have a clear plan
for how you will start your speech
if you know how you will end your speech, you will
have a safe harbor in case you lose your place
if you need to end your speech prematurely, a
well-delivered conclusion can permit you to
make a graceful exit
re-create the speech environment when you practice
when you practice your speech, imagine that you are
giving your speech to the audience that you will
actually address
practice aloud rather than just saying the speech to
yourself
a realistic rehearsal will increase your confidence
when your moment to speak arrives
use deep-breathing techniques
to help break the anxiety-induced breathing pattern,
consider taking a few slow deep breaths before you
rise to speak
channel your nervous energy
take a walk before you arrive
as you are waiting to be introduced, focus on
remaining calm
take a moment before you speak to look for a
friendly, supportive face
visualize your success
imagine a scene in which you exhibit skill and
comfort as a public speaker

it boosts your confidence by helping you see

yourself as a more confident, accomplished
speaker
give yourself a mental pep talk
it can give you confidence and take your mind off
your nervousness
when you feel yourself getting nervous, use positive
messages to replace negative thoughts
focus on your message rather than on your fear
think about what you are going to say (focus on your
ideas rather than your fear)
before you address your listeners, mentally review
your major ideas, your introduction, and your
conclusion
look for positive listener support for your message
when you are aware of positive audience support,
you will feel more confident and less nervous
look for positive, reinforcing feedback
be a positive, support listener for your audience so
that they return that favor to you
seek speaking opportunities
the more experience you gain as a public speaker,
the less nervous you will feel
after your speech, focus on what you have accomplished
rather than on your anxiety
when you conclude your speech, dont fixate on your
fear
tell yourself something positive to celebrate
your accomplishment
dont replay your mental image of yourself as
nervous and fearful