Chapter 16

This chapter pays attention to HOW to deliver the speech and some other pieces that could contribute to the delivering of the presentation.

Some ideas that I consider important in HOW to present the ideas in the speech:

First is coping with anxiety and fears, there are many techniques that help controlling anxiety, like deep-muscle relaxation and breathing exercises. Also, organization of materials and practice the speech gives confidence. Believing and getting familiar with the content of the speech is another approach to control the anxiety and fears. This is very familiar to me, I know about that fear and anxiety that the textbook presents. I am very personal and private person and being in front of people is something that I avoid as much I can because it makes me very uncomfortable. I can do it, I even get good reviews. I learned how to cope but those techniques do not make it easier for me.

When it came to the speakers’ tools I found very interesting how they can assist to deliver a credible and powerful, or a misleading, weak speech, depending how those speakers’ tools were use. How the clothes, the posture, the gestures, movements, the eye contact, the voice can deliver some of that presentation. Reading about this tools it made me remember those political speeches when the speaker transmits a feeling of confidence. It leads you to believe in the words because the speaker seems secure, strong, confident. Other times the speaker cannot even read a speech and mumbles through it (any President comes to mind?), leans over the podium, move nervously, repeat gestures over and over. That are clear examples of insecurity, weakness, and lack of self confidence that a good speaker needs to avoid.