Hello everyone, it’s been a while since my last post on topics relating to communication. I hope you will bear with me now that I’ve graduated and can begin to blog on a more regular basis. As always the comments and suggestions you post are greatly appreciated and will be taking into consideration, in an effort to develop a worthwhile read.
Today’s topic is speaking with confidence. No matter how much attention a speaker pays to rhetorical aspects such as, setting, occasion, supportive data, or emotional appeals it will be of little to no value, if the speaker is not perceived to be a competent source.
It is a well-known fact that a competence and confidence are closely associated attributes in the minds of the general public. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to project confidence in public speaking situations.
It is with this in mind that I’ve written here the 5S’s of confident speaking according to Christine Clapp, president of spokenwithauthority.com
Stance: speakers should opt for a firm stance with their feet hip length apart standing as tall as possible, avoiding unnecessary movement. It is recommended that you avoid grasping the podium if one is present, instead leave hands-free for gesturing.
Sound: the stance you take will help the Projection of your voice; therefore speak in a moderate tone, while making sure that you have an understandable pace to your speech. It is a good idea to have variation in the tones of voice used your speech to give interest and a dynamic nature to your rhetoric.
Smile: Christine Clapp believes that smiling is an extension of sound, because people who are smiling sound more pleasant. Smiling also helps the speaker appear more at ease and conveys confidence in what is being said. Before smiling make sure it is an appropriate gesture given the topic of your speech.
Silence: use silence to pause between sentences and avoid converting your speech into one big run-on sentence. Also used silence to think of what you want to say next order to regain your train of thought thereby looking confident. Avoid unnecessary mouth sounds and words.
Sight: make and hold eye contact with audience members during your speech this creates rapport between the speaker and audience members 5 to 7 seconds for each person. It is also recommended that you distribute eye contact among all audience members not just one or two individuals despite their apparent responsiveness. Speakers should avoid staring straight at the wall because this makes audience members feel disconnected from what they are saying. Lastly, avoid merely scanning the audience.
If you want more information feel free to watch the video, or visit the link found in this post.
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