First Speech Questions

"HELP! The Spotlight Is On Me!"

Public speaking tends to be a common source of stress for everyone. Many people have some degree of uneasiness or fear associated with public speaking. Getting up and speaking in front of a group of people can produce nervousness, fear, tension, and anxiety. Even experienced public speakers feel an adrenaline surge at the opening of a speech. For some, public speaking  can create a paralyzing fear that makes public speaking very difficult.

I believe the fear of disapproval and rejection are the primary fears behind public speaking. When we are one on one or within a group of family or friends we can have greater control over whether someone approves of us or likes us. Most often times the people who know us accept us, our opinions, and thoughts. However, when we are speaking to a group of people that we don't know it's impossible to say something that everyone approves of us and likes us. Some people may like what we have to say and agree with us, while other people may not care to hear what we have to say or care to be there. Some people won't be able take their eyes off of us and some will be restless and looking around the room. Regardless, of the reason the end reaction will always be the same. We will have 10, 20, 100 sets of eyes all on us. That is dozens the times the possible disapproval we would ever encounter when interacting with people. I have been told the best way to combat the fear of disapproval and rejection is to look past the audience's acceptance and execute your message without anticipating their reaction.

A good speech moves an audience where the speaker wants it to go. I feel a good speech is well articulated with a clear beginning, middle, and end. The speaker should be themselves and be relevant to the their audience. The question of the audience is usually "Why am I here?" or "Why should I care?" The job of the speaker is to answer the why question first and then answer the how. The speaker can deliver a great speech as long as they focus on the purpose of the speech and strive to achieve the purpose in the minds and hearts of an audience.

A bad speech has the potential to turn the audience against the speaker. As the speaker the important thing to remember is that you want your audience to hear the message of your speech. A bad speech can make the audience lose interest because it doesn't present the message clearly. Bad speeches often fail to introduce the topic. The speaker should prep the audience for what he/she intends to say. A bad speech will also include little or no evidence to support the message. For the audience to buy into what the speaker is saying, they must provide facts that support their statement. Without these facts, the speech is simply the speaker's opinion and adds little credibility to their message. 

~ First Lady Michelle Obama ~