Speaking in Public

Meeting 2
1. The Tradition of Public Speaking
• Public speaking has played a pivotal role
throughout history.
• Pericles (A Greek leader) once said : “One who
forms a judgment on any point but cannot
explain” it clearly “might as well never have
thought at all on the subject”
Public Speaking
•It is a way of making your ideas
public - of sharing them with
other people and of influencing
othe people.
Cont...
• During modern times, many women and men around the globe have
spread their ideas and influence through public speaking
E.g:
1. U.S : Franklin Roosevelt, Billy Graham, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther
King, Hillary Clinton, and Barrack Obama
2. U.K : Margaret Thatcer
3. South African Leader: Nelson Mandela
4. Kenyan Environmentalist and Nobel Prize winner: Wangari Maathai
Cont...

• Because of its importance, public speaking

has been taught and studied around the
globe for thousands of years.
• the oldest handbook on effective speech
was found in Egypt some 4.500 years ago.
Public Speaking and Conversation
(Similarities)
• The average adult spends about 30% of her/his waking hours in
conversation.
• Skills needed to talk to people: (Conversation)
- Organizing your thoughts logically
- Tailoring your message to your audience
- Telling a story for maximum impact
- Adapting to listener feedback
Cont...

• While in public speaking

- Public speaking is more highly structured
- Public speaking requires more formal
language
- Public sepaking requires a different method
of delivery
2. Developing Confidence
• Stage fright is one of the major concerns of students
'Don't worry, you are not ALONE'
A 2001 Gallup Poll asked Americans to list their biggest fear;
40% answered that speaking in front of public as their TOP fear.
Further another study, asked and interviewed 9.000 people. The
ranking is as follows :
1. public speaking
2. speaking up in a meeting or in a class
3. meeting new people
4. talking to people in authority
5. important examination or interview
Cont...
• Nervousness is normal
• Some of the greatest public speakers in history have suffered from
stage fright (Abraham Lincoln, Oprah Winfrey, and Winston Churchill.
• The famous Roman orator Cicero said “I turn pale at the outset of a
speech and quake in every limb and my soul”
• It is perfectly normal - even desirable - to be nervous at the start of
the speech.
• Your body is responding to any stressful situation - by producing extra
adrenaline.
Cont...

• This sudden shot of adrenaline is what

makes your heart race, your hands shake,
your knees knock, and your skin perspire.
• The question is:
' How can you control your nervousness and
make it work for you rather than against
you?'
Checklist to speak confidently
• Am I enthusiastic about my speech topic?
• Have I thoroughly developed the content of my speech?
• Have I worked on the introduction so my speech will get off to a good start?
• Have I rehearsed my speech orally until I am confident about its delivery?
• Have I worked on turning negative thoughts into the positive ones?
• Do I realize that nervousness is normal, even among expeienced speakers?
• Do I understand that most nervousness is not visible to the audience?
• Am I focused on communicating with my audience, rather than on worrying about my
nerves?
• Have I visualized myself speaking confidently and getting a positive response from the
audience?
Dealing with nervousness
• Acquire Speaking Experience
• Prepare, Prepare, Prepare (Pick speech topics that you are
interested with)
• Think positively
• Use the power of visualization
• Know that most nervousness is not visible
• Don't expect perfection
3. Public Speaking and Critical Thinking

One definition for critical thinking is "the intellectually

disciplined process of actively and skillfully
conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,
and/or evaluating information gathered from, or
generated by, observation, experience, reflection,
reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and
action."
Cont...
• Critical thinking:
- clarifies goals,
- examines assumptions,
- discerns hidden values,
- evaluates evidence,
- accomplishes actions,
- and assesses conclusions
Cont...
Critical thinkers are those who are able to do the following:
• Recognize problems and find workable solutions to those problems
• Understand the importance of prioritization in the hierarchy of problem solving tasks
• Gather relevant information
• Read between the lines by recognizing what is not said or stated
• Use language clearly, efficiently, and with efficacy
• Interpret data and form conclusions based on that data
• Determine the presence of lack of logical relationships
• Make sound conclusions and/or generalizations based on given data
• Test conclusions and generalizations
• Reconstruct one's patterns of beliefs on the basis of wider experience
• Render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life
Therefore, critical thinkers must engage in highly active
listening to further their critical thinking skills. People can use
critical thinking skills to understand, interpret, and assess what
they hear in order to formulate appropriate reactions or
responses. These skills allow people to organize the
information that they hear, understand its context or
relevance, recognize unstated assumptions, make logical
connections between ideas, determine the truth values, and
draw conclusions. Conversely, engaging in focused, effective
listening also lets people collect information in a way that best
promotes critical thinking and, ultimately, successful
communication.
Causes of Poor Listening
• Low concentration
• Lack of prioritization
• Poor judgement
• Focusing on style, not substance
Cont...
• Cultural differences (including speakers' accents,
vocabulary, and misunderstandings due to cultural
assumptions) can also obstruct the listening process.
The same biases apply to the speaker's physical
appearance. To avoid this obstruction, listeners should
be aware of these biases and focus on the substance,
rather than the style of delivery, or the speaker's voice
and appearance.
Conclusion
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