Introduction to Persuasive Speaking

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Introduction to Persuasive Speaking
Part 5 Overcoming Fear
John E. Clayton Nanjing University, Spring, 2005
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Syllabus
02/28 Orientation Photos Communication
Speaking types purposes 03/07 Persuasion and
reasoning Peer Criticism 03/14 Speech 1 03/21
Writing process Outline components Monroe
Sequence 03/28 Movie Remember the Titans 04/04
Overcoming fear using an outline 04/11 Speech
2 04/18 Review of speech 2 04/25 Selecting
topic thesis 05/02 HOLIDAY NO CLASS 05/09
Researching supporting material 05/16 Speech
3 05/23 Review of speech 3 Speech delivery
tips 05/30 Using visual aids 06/06 Clean-up
final review and preparation for speech 4 06/13
Speech 4 06/20 Speech contest prep Final exam
Evening speech contest
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Most People Feel Anxiety

• What people fear most...
• Snakes
• Public speaking
• Death

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Why Are You Afraid?

• You are at the center of attention
• Lack of experience
• Feelings of strangeness
• Fear of rejection or embarrassment
• Fear of looking stupid in front of others
• Fear that your mind will go blank

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Effects of Anxiety

• Anxiety effects people differently.
• You may...
• feel your heart start beating faster
• feel your mouth getting dry
• get nauseous
• feel like fainting
• hear your voice tremble
• feel your legs or body shaking
• stutter or start speaking rapidly
• ramble through the material incoherently

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Five Steps to Overcome Fear

1. Be well prepared
2. Practice
3. Have a backup
4. Reduce fear of your audience
5. Relax yourself

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1. Be Well Prepared (1)

• Leave nothing to chance
• Lay out your strategy
• Ensure all material is ready
• Make contingency plans

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1. Be Well Prepared (2)

• Know your material
• know exactly what you are going to talk about
• have a good outline of facts and information

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1. Be Well Prepared (3)

• Know the Conditions
• Check out the lectern and microphone
• Visualize how you will be doing things
• Going through this process will relax you give
  you more confidence

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2. Practice Your Speech (1)

• Practice alone
• many times
• speak out loud
• speak looking into a mirror
• stand in the corner
• record your practice

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2. Practice Your Speech (2)

• Practice before
• friends
• Gets you closer to the "real world" of speaking
  to a group
• Even one person is good for this type of practice

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3. Have A Backup
3. Have a backup, in case you forget what you
want to say.
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3. Have A Backup in Case You Forget

• Prepare a "safety net"
• Outline your speech
• use paper or cards
• Referring to notes is
• generally acceptable, as long as you are not
  reading your speech.
• You may never even use your notes, but they can
  reduce the butterflies.

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4. Reduce Fear of Audience (1)
The more important the audience or the occasion,
the greater your fear can be.
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4. Reduce Fear of Audience (2)

• Negative approach
• visualize the audience as not being all that
  important.
• old trick imagine audience is naked, or in
  clown suits -- the ridiculous image will make
  them seem less important.
• Problem the negative image may be reflected in
  your speech.

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4. Reduce Fear of Audience (3)

• Positive approach
• the audience is usually on your side
• they want to hear what you have to say
• it is just like talking to your friends

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5. Relax (1)
Relax yourself just before you speak.
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5. Relax (2)

• Take two breaths to settle you before you get out
  of your chair.
• thank the person who introduced you.
• count to 5 before you start speaking.
• This will allow the audience to get settled and
  ready to hear you.
• It is also a way to show that you are now in
  control.

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5. Relax (3)

• Stress-Control Breathing
• Centered in your abdomen, not your chest.
• Stage One
• Inhale air and let your abdomen go out.
• Exhale air and let your abdomen go in.
• Stage Two
• As you inhale, use a soothing word such as "calm"
  or "relax.

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5. Relax (4)

• The Wave
• Under stress, breathing and speaking can get
  uncoordinated.
• To coordinate breathing and speaking, begin
  speaking at the crest of the wave.

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Mini-Quiz
1. Why are most people afraid to speak to a
group? a. They fear the audience will get angry
at them b. They are afraid of looking foolish c.
It is an excuse for their incompetence 2. How
can you gain confidence in your speaking
ability? a. Gather together a series of small
speaking successes b. Only speak before people
you know c. Have several alcoholic drinks before
speaking 3. How can you reduce fear of your
audience? a. Visualize them as friendly toward
you b. Don't look at them while you speak c. Tell
them you are better than they are
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Use A Monroe Outline

• Introduction (attention)
• Attention Getter
• Reveal Topic
• Relevancy
• Credibility
• Thesis Preview
• Main point 1 - (need) Why is this important?
• Reason 1
• Reason 2
• Main point 2 - (satisfaction) This is how we
  solve it...
• Example 1
• Example 2
• Main point 3 - (visualization) "How great it
  would be if..."
• Sample vision 1
• Sample vision 2
• Conclusion - (action) "This is what we have to
  do..."
• Action 1
• Action 2
• Review Main points

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Use A Monroe Outline

• Introduction (attention)
• Attention Statistic - young adult deaths due to
  drunkenness
• Topic - The danger of uncontrolled alcohol sales
• Relevancy many of us know someone who has been
  injured under the influence of alcohol
• Credibility It has happened to me
• Thesis Preview Alcohol sales to young
  adults must be controlled, otherwise deaths will
  continue, academics will suffer, and costs to
  society will skyrocket. My experience is only
  one of thousands each day. Young adults think it
  is cool to get drunk, but the end result is
  often a lifetime of misery and suffering.
• Main point 1 - (need) Why is this important?
• Reason 1 Deaths of students
• Reason 2 Damage to academics
• Reason 3 Costs to society
• Main point 2 - (satisfaction) This is how we
  solve it...
• Example 1 Establish new laws regulating the
  sale of alcohol
• Example 2 Create an advertising program to
  make students aware of the dangers.
• Main point 3 - (visualization) "How great it
  would be if..."
• Sample vision 1 If only one life is saved, it
  will be worth it.
• Sample vision 2 Picture a new generation free
  of alcoholism
• Conclusion - (action) "This is what we have to
  do..."
• Action 1 Contact leaders who claim to support
  progress in our society.
• Action 2 Establish a committee to make
  recommendations.

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Grade Sheet

• Introduction (attention) 5 points
• Main point 1 - (need) 5 points
• Main point 2 - (satisfaction) 5 points
• Main point 3 - (visualization) 5 points
• Conclusion - (action) 5 points
• -----------
• Total 25 points

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Homework
You should be almost finished with speech 2 3
minutes Type argumentative Topic some current
event Presentation from a Monroe outline (note
please avoid political or religious topics)