Speaking in Public and Listening

What is Public Speaking? Public Speaking is a way of sharing your ideas with other people and of influencing other people.

Public Speaking Produces Anxiety in Most People People’s Biggest Fears 3. Death 2. Snakes 1. Public Speaking

Developing Confidence Nervousness is Normal Actors are nervous before a play, politicians are nervous before a speech, and athletes are nervous before a big game. Surveys show that 76% of experienced speakers have stage fright before taking the floor.

Developing Confidence … Cont’d Dealing with Nervousness Rather than trying to eliminate every stage fright, you should transform it from a negative force into positive nervousness. Here are many ways you can turn your nervousness from negative force into a positive one: Acquire Speaking Experience Prepare, Prepare, Prepare Think Positively

Use the Power of Visualization Know That Most Nervousness Is Not Visible Don’t Expect Perfection Take a couple slow, deep breaths before you start to speak Make eye contact with your audience As you are waiting to speak, quietly tighten and relax your leg muscles, squeeze your hands together and then release them Concentrate on communicating rather than worrying about stage fright

Listening is Important Although most people listen poorly, there are exceptions. Top business people, and successful politicians are all excellent listeners.

Kinds of Listening Appreciative Listening – listening for pleasure or enjoyment, as when we listen to music. Empathic Listening – listening to provide emotional support for the speaker, as when a doctor listens to a patient or when we listen to a friend is distress Comprehensive Listening – listening to understand the message of a speaker, as when we attend a classroom lecture or listen to directions Critical Listening – listening to evaluate a message for purposes of accepting or rejecting it, as when we listen to the speech a political candidate, or arguments in a court

Four Causes of Poor Listening Not Concentrating Although we talk at a rate of 120 to 150 words a minute, the brain can process 400 to 800 words a minute. Listening Too Hard We try to pick up a speaker’s every word as if every word was equally important Jumping to Conclusions Focusing on Delivery and Personal Appearance

How to Become a Better Listener Take Listening Seriously Listening comes from practice. Be an Active Listener We listen to music while studying; parents listen to their children while fixing the dinner. This is passive listening. Active listeners give their undivided attention to the speaker to understand his or her point of view. Resist Distractions We try to eliminate all physical and mental distractions Make a conscious effort to pull your mind back to what the speaker is saying. Try to anticipate what the speaker is saying next. This is not the same as jumping to conclusions. Another way to keep your mind on a speech is to review mentally what the speaker has already said and make sure you understand it

How to Become a Better Listener … Cont’d Don’t’ be Diverted by Appearance or Delivery Gandhi was a very unimpressive-looking man who often spoke dressed in a simple white cotton cloth. Suspend Judgment If you are sure of your beliefs, you need not fear listening to opposing views. If you are not sure, you have every reason to listen carefully. It has been said more than once that a closed mind is an empty mind. Develop Note-Taking Skills

ENOUGH FOR TODAY! 