Next time I have to give a speech I will definitely remember these techniques. I will also remember that most of the time, the rest of the class is just as nervous as me, so we are all in the same boat.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Concept from Chapter 10: Speech Anxiety
The concept I found particularly interesting in chapter 10 was about speech anxiety. When I get in front of a group of people I tend to talk really fast and then my words get pushed together. I am conscious that I am doing this but have a hard time slowing down. This all happens because I am nervous and just want the speech to be over quicker. The book gives two ways to lower nervousness. The first is cognitive restructuring. This basically encourages you to think positively about the speech. Think things such as "I know more about this topic than anyone else in the class," or "I am going to do a great job." Thinking positively will give you confidence which in turn should reduce nervousness. The other technique is called physical relaxation. This is relaxing your muscles and taking lots of deep breaths. Now that you are feeling confident and relaxed, there is no way to feel nervous and tense.
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I too get speech anxiety. I start speedily going through my speech without any control, and before I know it my speech has ended several minutes before I had intended. That is such an awful feeling. When you work hard on something, then practically self-distruct in front of an audience. The advice in this section is really good, and applies in many different circumstances. The deep breathing is a technique I frequently employ to help with anxiety. You are so right when you say "the rest of the class is just as nervous as me." We are, and some may be even more nervous! Try to remain confident. You can be successful and slow your speed down as you need to if you just think positively!
ReplyDeleteI find it helpful to spend time before a speech to concentrate on the core message o the speech; answering the question why is what I am about to talk about is important. This helps me to get into the moment and stay on topic.
ReplyDeleteAs for the butterflies, I remember a story I was told by a great public speaker about a time he questioned Bruce Springstien if he still get nervous before a concert. Bruce's reply was that he doesn't feel he his ready until he feels these butterflies; when he feels his insides turning over he knows that "yes, now I'm ready!" :-)