Building Confidence and Overcoming Fear

Communication Skills

What is confidence?

• Confidence is the feeling you have when you believe that you are capable of handling a situation successfully.

• You are not born with confidence! • It is something that anyone can

develop.• Confidence is the framework of

effective oral communication.

What is stage fright?

• Stage fright, or communication apprehension, means that a person is afraid to speak in public.

• Surveys indicate that 80 to 90 percent of Americans admit to feeling extremely uncomfortable about public speaking.

• A phobia is an irrational fear.– Public speaking cannot harm you! Therefore, if

you have an ongoing fear of it, then you have a phobia, which is irrational and can be overcome!

Common Physical Symptoms of Communication Apprehension

• Upset stomach• Flushed face• Dizziness• Fast heartbeat• Shortness of breath• Excessive perspiration• Wobbly legs• Why? – The body is being flooded with energy,

or adrenaline, because the person is perceiving an emergency situation.

Why do we get stage fright?

• The body is flooded with energy (adrenaline) because we sense an emergency situation.

• We don’t like to be judged.• We don’t think our ideas are worth

listening to, we don’t think we can express our ideas well, or we fear the audience won’t like us while we are speaking.

• We don’t feel prepared.

So how can we overcome a fear of speaking?

Think your way out of uncomfortable feelings. Let your mind overcome your emotions!

Recalling the Facts: p. 30

• Please answer these questions on page 30

Perception• Perception is how you see things.• How you perceive a situation when you feel

fear is often very inaccurate.• An inaccurate perception of a situation can

cause a person to blow things out of proportion, or make a problem seem greater than it is.

• We must learn to see things as they are rather than how our fears might lead us to see them.

Perception of Your Audience

• You may think that your audience automatically knows that you’re nervous.

• Consider this:Studies on how well an audience perceives

anxiety should comfort nervous speakers. Researchers have found that most report noticing little or no anxiety in a speaker. Even when individuals are trained to detect anxiety cues and are instructed to look for them, there is little correlation between their evaluations and how anxious speakers actually felt. (Ch. 2, p. 33)

Perception of Your Speech• Consider it your opportunity to share

something meaningful (your message).• It is not a performance! No Hollywood

screen tests here!• The speech is an extension of yourself. It

exemplifies your personality, feelings, likes, and dislikes.

• The audience will not “judge” or “score” you!

Perception of Yourself• Don’t compare yourself to others.• You don’t have to be perfect!• Don’t equate a few mistakes with

total failure.• Mistakes are an opportunity to

learn and improve!• Self-esteem, or confidence, is the result of

discovering who you are, with all of your strengths and weaknesses.

• We are all unique and have a lot to offer one another.

Recalling the Facts – p. 37

1. How you see things is known as _________.

2. A speech should not be viewed as a performance. Instead, how would you define a speech?

Psychologist John Rosemond states that confidence is often the result of a discovery process. Another term for confidence he notes, is self-__________.

Thinking Critically1. This section mentions that the media have created the

“beautiful people” – or those people who seem to look perfect and lead perfect lives. However, this perception is not always true. Many “superstars,” representing different professions, have had their own share of problems. List some of those people. After you have made your list, analyze why we perceive their lives to be great. Finally, after describing the positive aspects of these people’s lives, discuss the problems that they have had to face.

2. Socially, why is it sometimes difficult for us just to “be ourselves”?

Building ConfidenceContentOrganizationNotesFriendlinessImpressionDedicationEmpathyNewnessConvictionEnthusiasm

Content• Have something worthwhile to

say.• Do your research and develop

your content.• Use a variety of sources

(books, websites, magazines, newspapers, interviews, etc.).

• Use a variety of appeals (logical, emotional, and ethical).

Organization

• Have some type of an outline that is easy for both you and your audience to follow.

• Have a main idea, clear areas of analysis, and supporting evidence that fits the topic.

• You always need:– An introduction that leads to – A thesis statement,– Support, details, and elaboration that proves your

thesis statement,– And a conclusion that summarizes and provides an

ending appeal

Notes• Jot down your ideas in a brief, directed

(preferably outlined) form.• Note cards to guide your speech rather

than a fully written-out speech!• Avoid having too many words on one card

and having too many note cards.• Do not read to your audience!• Key words and phrases to remind you.• Notes cannot substitute for preparation!

Friendliness• Showing friendliness will encourage your

audience to give positive feedback.• Smile and use your nonverbals.• Make eye contact.• Talk to individuals (Don’t view the

audience as a mass of faceless people.)

Impression• Getting off to a good start is essential in

building confidence.• Smile and be positive from the moment

you walk to the front.• Be well-dressed and

well-groomed.• Don’t detract from your

message.

Dedication• Practice. Practice. Practice.• Try to simulate the real

thing.• Become acquainted with

your voice and how to use it.• Practice looking at people

while delivering your speech.

• Practice your gestures. • Practice movement.

Empathy• Know how it feels to feel that way.• Empathy is a sincere understanding of the

feelings, thoughts, and motives of others.• How is your audience feeling? What is

important to them? • Make an attempt to “put yourself in their

shoes.”• Try to find common ground with your

audience.

Newness• Apply some originality.• Gives confidence to have something new

to say.• Take a different approach or slant to the

topic.• Use a clever anecdote,

meaningful quote, artwork, charts or graphs, or tell a personal story.

Conviction• Believe in what you say.• Some speech topics can be boring unless

you add your own special dimension of personal conviction. (Create a value statement out of a “boring” topic.)

• If you are confident about the importance of your message, then your audience is more likely to be persuaded.

Enthusiasm• Get fired up!• You need energy!• Great outlet for nervous energy.• Intellectual enthusiasm comes from the

sharpness of mind that your research brings.

• Physical enthusiasm comes from your energetic nonverbal communication.

Recalling the Facts

Complete the questions on page 44

Student Work: “It’s the G.I. Joe Thing to Do”

• An effective speech is meant to be spoken rather than read.

• Can you tell where Tony is trying to be humorous?

• Where he is attempting to be casual and “off the cuff”?

• Explain why rewriting and revising your work takes self-discipline and sacrifice.

• How does hard work often lead to confidence?

Student Work: “It’s the G.I. Joe Thing to Do”

• This speech takes the “G.I. Joe” figure and teaches a lesson

• What specific lesson is the author saying that “G.I. Joe” can teach America?

• Use textual evidence to support your answer.• What are some sources used in the speech?• A good speech offers personal examples, as well.• What “personal” material does this author present that

helps him find “common ground” with the audience?

Your Assignment

• Choose a photograph that shows a vacation highlight, a special gift or prized possession, an accomplishment, an extra-curricular activity, a hobby, a special event, some heroic figure, a friend, family member, etc.

• Explanation of the picture and the significance that it holds should last 2-3 minutes