What to Do as You Speak

• Focus on connecting your message to your audience rather than on your fear.

• Look for and respond to positive listener support for you and your message.

What to Do After You Speak

• Focus on your accomplishments and success rather than only reviewing what you may have done wrong.

• Seek other speaking opportunities to gain experience and confidence.

she gives hundreds of speeches. “This is my survival; this is how I deal with losing Matt,” she explained to students at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia.41

Talking about something you are passionate about can boost your motivation and help you manage your fear. In the chapters ahead, we offer more detailed guidance about how to select a topic.

Prepare One formula applies to most speaking situations you are likely to experi- ence: The better prepared you are, the less anxiety you will experience. Being prepared means that you have researched your topic and practiced your speech several times before you deliver it. One research study found clear evidence that rehearsing your speech reduces your apprehension.42 Being prepared also means that you have devel- oped a logically coherent outline rather than one that is disorganized and difficult to follow. Transitional phrases and summaries can help you present a well-structured, easy-to-understand message.

Be Organized One of the key skills you’ll learn in Public Speaking: An Audience- Centered Approach is the value of developing a well-organized message. For most North American listeners, speeches should have a beginning, middle, and end and should follow a logical outline pattern. researcher Melanie Booth- Butterfield suggests that speakers can better manage their apprehension if they rely on the rules and structures of a speaking assignment, including following a clear out- line pattern, when preparing and delivering a speech.43 Anxiety about a speech as- signment decreased and confidence increased when speakers closely followed the directions and rules for developing a speech. So, to help manage your apprehension about speaking, listen carefully to what the specific assignment is, ask for additional information if you’re unclear about the task, and develop a well-organized message.

Improving Your Confidence as a Speaker 15

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. We aren’t suggesting memorizing your introduction word for word, but you should have it well in mind. Being familiar with your introduction will help you feel more comfortable about the entire 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 con- clusion can permit you to make a graceful exit.

Make Practice Real When you practice your speech, pretend that you are giving the speech to the audience you will actually address. Stand up. Imagine what the room looks like, or consider rehearsing in the room in which you will deliver your speech. What will you be wearing? Practice rising from your seat, walking to the front of the room, and beginning your speech. Practice aloud, rather than just saying the speech to yourself. A realistic rehearsal will increase your confidence when your mo- ment to speak arrives.

Breathe One symptom of nervousness is a change in your breathing and heart rates. Nervous speakers tend to take short, shallow breaths. To help break the anxiety-induced breathing pattern, consider taking a few slow, deep breaths before you rise to speak. No one will detect that you are taking deep breaths if you just slowly inhale and exhale be- fore beginning your speech. Besides breathing deeply, try to relax your entire body. Deep breathing and visualizing yourself as successful will help you relax.