Real Communication An Introduction

404

After you have finished

reading this chapter,

you will be able to

Identify and control

your anxieties

Choose a delivery style

best suited to you and

your speaking situation

Employ effective

vocal cues

Employ effective

visual cues

Connect with your

audience

Enhance your words

with effective

presentation aids

Make efficient use of

your practice time

404

chapter

outcomes

any people feel anxious about delivering speeches—and some manage

to avoid it. But consider the nervousness and challenges that King

George and David Seidler managed to overcome in the process of finding their

voices. As their stories illustrate, with the right tools and plenty of practice,

even the most nervous or challenged individuals can become accomplished and

engaging speakers. In this chapter, you’ll learn the basics of effective speech

delivery that will help you connect with your audience and deliver an effective

presentation. We begin by acknowledging the nervousness you may naturally

experience before moving on to key methods of delivery, guidelines for effective

delivery and presentation aids, and tips for practicing your speech.

Understanding and Addressing Anxiety

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once joked, “According to most studies, people’s number

one fear is public speaking. Number two is death.... This means to the average

person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy”

(as cited in Peck, 2007). Although Seinfeld’s statistics are not accurate (Dwyer

& Davidson, 2012), it’s true that speechmaking can cause public speaking

anxiety (PSA), the nervousness we experience when we know we have to commu-

nicate publicly to an audience (Behnke & Sawyer, 1999; Bippus & Daly, 1999).

Although we might think of PSA as an emotional challenge, it often manifests

itself with real physical symptoms, including a rapid heartbeat, erratic breathing,

increased sweating, and a general feeling of uneasiness. (To determine your

own level of PSA, visit an online quiz at http://www.jamescmccroskey.com/measures

/prpsa.htm.)

For some individuals, however, this nervousness goes far beyond giving a

speech and extends to such essential speaking tasks as answering a question in

class, meeting new people, interviewing for a job, or voicing an opinion. The

late communication scholar James McCroskey (1977) calls this communication

apprehension (CA) because it is a more general “fear or anxiety associated with

either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (p. 78).

Yet speaking up or speaking out can clearly enhance personal opportunities and

career prospects. In fact, “being a poor speaker is the principal reason people

don’t make it into the executive ranks” (Ligos, 2001).

But don’t despair! Whether you suffer from PSA or even the more general

CA, you can learn to control your nervousness. In more severe cases, you might

consider meeting with a trained counselor. For less disruptive symptoms, you

might simply find comfort in the fact that nervousness is a natural part of life—

and that it can actually spur you on to do your best (in the case of a speech, this

may mean preparing more thoroughly and practicing more diligently). You may

also benefit from the advice we offer here on identifying your anxiety triggers

and building your confidence.

Identifying Anxiety Triggers

Before you can conquer your nervousness, you need to identify it. Just what has

you so frightened? Research, as well as our personal experiences, points to several

key factors, including upsetting experiences, fear of evaluation, and distaste for

attention (Ayres, 2005; Bodie, 2010).

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