Lifestyle

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”    – Jerry Seinfield

 

 

 

*1996 Roper Reports Survey

 

The famous Jerry Seinfeld punch line about the average person who would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy may still apply today even after 20 years – as statistics have shown according to a 2016 study by the National Institute Of Mental Health proving that 74% of people suffer from speech anxiety and around 5.3 million Americans have a social phobia. 

 

Glossophobia, also known as the fear of public speaking, is an all-too-common phenomenon that millions of people struggle with globally. A fear of speeches may seem insignificant as compared to other forms of anxiety one may face, but it must not be taken for granted – for this condition, if not conquered as early as possible, is a social phobia that has the potential to drastically affect both personal and professional relationships, decreasing the overall quality of life and in turn, increase the levels of depression. 

 

Eliminating the fear of public speaking is the ultimate key to the success of all forms of communication and career opportunities. It means being able to express your thoughts at a project meeting or answer spontaneous questions in front of a camera if the news crew shows up. On the personal front of some of life’s biggest events, it also means the adaptability and ability to give a speech at important weddings or delivering an eulogy at the funeral of a loved one.

Overcoming glossophobia can be challenging, but it is not impossible if one is equipped with the right skills. In this article, Speech Academy Asia unlocks that key to 6 healthy ways to eliminate the big fear of public speaking so you can be more confident sharing your thoughts in the workplace and other social settings.

 

 

 

Only Have 10 Minutes? Use The 10 Minute UMP Strategy 

 

Some people, even professionals who give speeches daily, regard delivering a speech as no problem. This no problem approach comes with its drawbacks. People with this approach are filled with overwhelming confidence in their speaking abilities that they fail to prepare even an outline of their speech. In this case, no matter how skilled the speaker may be in his or her tonality and pronunciations, the content may lack direction, clarity and focus. 

 

An easy 3 step strategy will help you manage the anxiety often associated with public speaking to improve the content and delivery of your speeches.

 

 

*Understand speech anxiety

*Manage physical and emotional responses

*Plan a course of action to effectively deal with those responses

 

U – Understand Speech Anxiety

Academic researchers use the term communication apprehension to describe Glossophobia and define it as “the fear or anxiety associated with real or anticipated communication with others” (Dwyer, 1998, p. 9). 

 

 

 

Public speaking is a skill required by many professions and will progressively advance one in almost all business, educational, and social situations. In careers ranging from the legal profession to sales, marketing to engineering, volunteering to teaching, effective public speaking skills are an asset and often a requirement for success. Instead of thinking of public speaking as a punishment, consider it as a meaningful addition to your personal toolbox of skills and abilities. In fact, public speaking has three key advantages: 1) it develops critical thinking skills, 2) encourages creativity, and 3) plays a key role in leadership (McKay, 2000).

It is common for someone experiencing speech anxiety to have physical reaction before, during, and after a speech. Public speaking, from the mere possibility all the way through the speech itself, can trigger increased breathing and excessive nervous energy.

 

Reducing the threat of such reactions can be done by preparing strong outlines and practicing over and over again. Speech anxiety also frequently consists of a psychological reaction. Now that you have understood speech anxiety, the next section will address how to manage the anxiety so that it can be refocused into something useful.

 

M – Manage Your Response

 

 

 

With an understanding of Glossophobia, you are ready to consider ways to manage it. One strategy for managing speech anxiety is to ensure that you are prepared to deliver an effective speech. Therefore, several rules for effective public speaking are presented below:

 

If you only have 10 minutes before the speech:

 

• Choose a topic that you know well
• Have a positive attitude towards your speech
• View the audience as a source of support
• Never read your speech directly – utilize pointers instead
• Know that nervousness is not readily seen by the audience
• Even the most accomplished speakers experience some level of arousal before a speech, the key is that they have learned to think of that arousal as excitement instead of a threat or anxiety. 

 

And if you have extra days ahead of your speech presentation:

 

• Deep breathing exercises – to reduce heart rate
• Relaxation – do yoga, mediate, stretch
• Exercise – run, lift weights, swim, take an aerobics class
• Maintenance – sleep and eat well
• Find a calm place – imagine yourself in a desirable location

 

P – Plan Your Course Of Action

 

 

 

The following is a brief topical outline format that will help you organize an informative speech.

 

I. Introduction

 

Greeting (good morning, afternoon, evening)

Name

Topic/Thesis Statement

Credibility (what makes you a trustworthy and expert speaker on this topic)

Relevance (why is this topic important to the audience)

II. Body

 

Point 1 (with evidence)

Point 2 (with evidence)

Point 3 (with evidence)

III. Conclusion

 

Notice (in conclusion, to summarize, etc.)

Recap/Summary

 

 

 

Consider What Is Said (Content), How It Is Said (Delivery), Who It Is Said To (Audience)

Keep in mind that effective speakers must consider how the audience might respond to the delivery and content of the speech. Speakers with a no problem approach are overtly confident in their own abilities that they forget how crucial the audience is to the success or failure of their speech. Speakers with Glossophobia on the other had, place the emphasis on the wrong and tend to focus more on what the audience might think about them and what they are presenting. Anxious speakers often invest a lot of time and effort into preparing a very informative speech but struggle to convey that information effectively. They may, for example, read their entire speech directly from the paper. Though informative, public reading is not nearly as interesting to the audience, nor as effective as public speaking. Equal emphasis must be given to audience and yourself – the speaker.

 

Get Rid Of Glossophobia And Take Charge Of Your Life Today! 

Have you ever thought about climbing the corporate ladder and eventually finding yourself in a management or other leadership position? If so, then public speaking skills are very important. If you want people to follow you, you have to communicate effectively and clearly what followers should do. “Powerful leadership comes from knowing what matters to you. Powerful presentations come from expressing this effectively. It’s important to develop both.” *Bender, P. U. (1998). 

 

 

 

 

 

“But after they settle in, you’ve still got to be funny because for an hour, just that fact that they get to see you live in a theatre is going to wear off if you’re not doing well.”

 

Those are once again, the words of Jerry Seinfeld. And while he was speaking about stand-up comedy, he could have been speaking about public speaking. If the audience are going to hear you speak for 20 minutes, 45 minutes or an hour, you better be good at what you are doing. 

Contrary to popular belief, public speaking is more than merely standing on a podium and speaking into a microphone to an audience. Public speaking, or a skill of communicating information, is the backbone of every society, regardless of age, gender, level of education or occupation. On a daily basis, we all form connections, influence decisions, and inspire change with public speaking. 

 

It is time to challenge the notion that public speaking should be reserved for the gifted, the professionals, or the elites. History, politics and statistics have ascertained the importance of speaking one’s mind. Martin Luther King gave his “I have a dream speech” which inspired a nation and eliminated racial barriers. It may have taken an extra decade for equality to all races if not for such an inspirational speech. And let us not fail to recall Donald J Trump’s political victory that was met with shock across a wide political divide – simply with his powerful form of speeches and substance.

 

This applies to every common folk – politically apathetic or not. Without communication skills, the ability to progress in the working world and in life, itself, would be unachievable. Yet public speaking is one of the most important and most dreaded forms of communication.

 

I Have An Education To Advance Me – So Why Take Up Public Speaking?

According to recent polls, the more educated you are, the more comfortable you may be with public speaking. In one poll, 24% of degree graduates expressed a fear of public speaking, compared to 52% of respondents who had a high school certificate or less. Yet employment statistics say otherwise. In a study from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 44 percent of employers say the first thing that gets their attention is a job candidate’s general demeanour and confidence.

 

 

*Chronicle Of Higher Ed

 

“When employers do hire from college, the evidence suggests that academic skills are not their primary concern,” says Peter Cappelli, a Wharton professor and the author of a new paper on job skills. “Work experience and personality is the crucial attribute that employers want even for students who have yet to work full-time.”

Does this mean that if you lack confidence and strong communicative skills, this will translate into lower chances of employability? The answer is a resounding yes. Throughout primary school, it is easy to be the student who sits in the back of the classroom and avoids raising his or her hand to evade ‘show and tell’ situations. Not so easy in the working world – public speaking is a vital skill to have and to hone. It effectuates artless, everyday interactions between colleagues, bosses and employees, as well as potential clients. This can have an enormous impact on your career path and your level of success in your industry.

 

One may argue an education and polished resume is sufficient to carry you through the success of your career or business – but a confident personality and communicative skills set could give you that edge over the many competitors in what may seem as the rat race of the 21^st century. 

 

 

 

Governments, parents and teachers may be equipping highly intellectual students with an education who understand disciplinary content, but are we preparing them to communicate that information globally?

 

The Types Of Everyday Public Speaking Everyone Should Know

To help you further understand why public speaking is important, Speech Academy Asia will first examine public speaking in everyday life. We will then discuss how public speaking can benefit anyone, regardless of age and occupation, personally.

Although public speeches are of various types, they are grouped here into three categories based on different purposes: informative, persuasive, and entertaining.

 *Speech Academy Asia

Everyday Informative Speech

Informative speaking is one of the most common types of public speaking. The primary purpose of informative presentations is to share your knowledge of a subject with an audience. The reasons for an informative presentation have in common one goal –  to impart information to an audience. For example, you might be asked to instruct a group of colleagues on how to use a new program or to report the development of a latest project to a group of managers. A local community group might wish to hear about your volunteer activities in Nepal over the holidays, or your classmates may want you to share your expertise on French cooking. 

 

 

 

Informative speaking is integrated into various occupations. Doctors often lecture about their areas of expertise to medical students, other surgeons, and patients. Teachers find themselves presenting to parents as well as to students. Firefighters give demonstrations about how to effectively control a fire in different environments. Informative speaking is a common aspect of numerous jobs and everyday activities. As a result, learning how to speak effectively is an essential skill in today’s world.

 

Everyday Persuasive Speech

 

 

In our everyday lives, we are often called on to motivate, convince or persuade others to change take an action, change their beliefs, or reconsider a decision. Advocating for a new co-curricular activity in the local university, convincing clients to purchase a product, or inspiring a group of youths to do voluntary work all require influencing people through public speaking. 

 

 

 

Giving persuasive speeches is a crucial part of attaining and continuing career success for politicians – in the case of Donald J Trump; who easily convinced millions to elect him as President. Motivational authors and speakers Motivational authors and speakers make millions of dollars each year from people who want to be motivated to do better in their lives. Les Brown (http://www.lesbrown.com) and Brian Tracy, another professional speaker and author, specializes in helping business leaders become more productive and effective in the workplace (http://www.briantracy.com). Whether public speaking is something one does daily or just a few times a year, persuading others is a challenging task. Developing the skill to persuade effectively can be personally and professionally rewarding.

 

Everyday Entertaining Speech

Entertaining speech involves an array of speaking occasions ranging from wedding toasts to presenting and accepting awards, to delivering eulogies at funerals and memorial services as well as after-dinner speeches and congratulatory speeches. 

 

The advent of entertaining speech traces its roots to the time of the ancient Greeks, when Aristotle identified epideictic speaking (speaking in a ceremonial context) as a significant form of address. Professionals such as religious leaders and comedians make a living from delivering entertaining speeches. We’ve all watched an awards show on television or seen the father of the bride deliver a wedding toast. Speaking to entertain is no insurmountable task, but similarly to a persuasive and informative speech, one that requires preparation and practice to be effective. 

 

 

 

Can Public Speaking Courses Benefit Me, Both Professionally and Personally?

According to a study by sociologist Andrew Zekeri, A. A  (2004), oral communication skills were the number one skill that college graduates found useful in the business world. In addition to learning the skills of creating and delivering an effective speech, students of public speaking courses leave the class with other amazing life-skills.

 

You Will Develop Critical Thinking Skills

The very first benefit you will gain is an increased ability to think critically. Problem solving is one of many critical thinking skills one will engage in during a public speaking course. For example, when preparing a persuasive speech, thinking through real problems affecting your society, community, or the world will provide possible solutions to those problems. Thinking through the positive and negative consequences of your solutions and then presenting your ideas to others will be a less complicated thought process. 

 

At first glance, it may seem easy to come up with solutions for a problem such as a shortage of community spaces; just build more spaces. After thinking and researching further however, you may find out you will cause an environmental impact from loss of green space and maintenance costs. Being able to think through problems and analyse the potential costs and benefits of solutions is an essential part of critical thinking and of public speaking aimed at persuading others. These skills will help you not only in public speaking contexts but throughout your life as well. Providing credible evidence within your speeches if you are going to persuade various audiences will enhance your ability to conduct and analyse research as well.

 

You Will Improve Both Your Verbal and Non-Verbal Skills 

A second benefit from a public speaking course is that it will help you improve both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Whether you competed in a debate competition as a student or as a complete novice in public speaking, the opportunity to actively practice communication skills and receive professional feedback will help you become a better overall communicator. Apart from improving your tonality as a well-groomed orator, you will discover how to improve non-verbal skills. Every so often, people do not realize that they overdo hand gestures or repeatedly mispronounce words while speaking in public settings until they receive feedback from a trainer during a public speaking course. After all, details do matter.

 

You Will Eliminate Your Fear Of Public Speaking 

Whether one is a professional public speaker or a greenhorn who has never given a speech, statistics show that majority of people experience anxiety when engaging in public speaking. 

 

According to a poll in the United States, roughly 40 million people in the U.S. aged 18 or older suffer from different forms of anxiety. A study by Rose, H. M., & Rancer, A. S. (1993) evaluating students’ levels of public speaking anxiety during both the first and last weeks of public speaking classes found that those levels decreased over the course of the semester. This means that a public speaking course will make anyone become better acquainted with the public speaking process, making them more confident and less apprehensive! 

 

Join A Course At Speech Academy Asia Today

The skills set required for someone speaking for informative, persuasive, or entertainment reasons, are applicable across all public speaking forms. Taking a public speaking class with Speech Academy Asia will improve skills in speech, develop your critical thinking, and even help you overcome anxiety.Speech Academy Asia’s courses have directly benefitted every individual,influencing the world around them, developing their leadership skills, and transforming them into a go-to person for solutions.