Chapter 2 Building Confidence Overcoming Communication Apprehension

What we will discuss  Communication apprehension is common  What is fear?  Who gets frightened in front of an audience?  What are the symptoms?  Need to establish an accurate perception  Your audience  Your speech  Yourself  The Planks of Confidence

What is Fear?  Biological process by which animals get the energy to do the job. + Two types of energy  From regular system  From emergency system or adrenaline –Flight or fight  Communication apprehension is being afraid to speak in public.

Communication Apprehension  It’s Stage Fright  Almost everyone gets it  80 to 90% of Americans  Even actors suffer from it

Why do we get it?  Rush of energy  Adrenaline  We don’t like to be judged.

What is the Fear?  Fear of failure  Fear of attention  Fear of humiliation

What are the symptoms?  Upset stomach  Flushed face  Dizziness  Fast heartbeat  Shortness of breath  Wobbly legs What experiences have you had?

Best Cures  Talk about what you know  Support from audience  Make it simple and clear  Visualize success  Practice  Breathe, breathe, breathe to stay calm

Establish an Accurate Perception “Public speaking is no more difficult than breathing, using chopsticks or tying a bow tie. The mysterious becomes simple…once you know how to do it.” -Charles Osgood, news commentator See things as they are, not as you fear.

Perception of the Audience “Studies on how well an audience perceives anxiety should comfort nervous speakers. Researchers have found that most report noticing little or no anxiety in a speaker. Even when individuals are trained to detect anxiety cues and are instructed to look for them, there is little correlation between their evaluations and how anxious speakers actually felt.” -Michael T. Motley, Psychology Today People don’t see all your mistakes or nerves.

Perception of the Speech  Not a performance but a conversation  It is an extension of your personality  Have an intrapersonal discussion

Perception of Yourself  You don’t have to be perfect.  You have failed before, but survived.  The first time you walked  The first time you rode a bike  The first time you swam Self-esteem is the result of a discovery process  Being given responsibility and then earning it

Planks of Confidence  Content  Organization  Notes  Friendliness  Impression  Dedication  Empathy  Newness  Conviction  Enthusiasm