Conquering Your Fear of Speaking in Public

Module One: Good Communication Skills

Defining Communication

Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message and a recipient. This may sound simple,
but communication is actually a very complex subject.

The transmission of the message from sender to recipient can be affected by a huge range of things.
These include our emotions, the cultural situation, the medium used to communicate, and even our
location. The complexity is why good communication skills are considered so desirable by employers
around the world: accurate, effective and unambiguous communication is actually extremely hard.

Communication, therefore, has three parts:

 The sender
 The message
 The recipient.

The sender ‘encodes’ the message, usually in a mixture of words and non-verbal communication. It is
transmitted in some way (for example, in speech or writing), and the recipient ‘decodes’ it.

Of course, there may be more than one recipient, and the complexity of communication means that
each one may receive a slightly different message. Two people may read very different things into the
choice of words and/or body language. It is also possible that neither of them will have quite the same
understanding as to the sender.

In face-to-face communication, the roles of the sender and recipient are not distinct. The two roles will
pass back and forwards between two people talking. Both parties communicate with each other, even if
in very subtle ways such as through eye-contact (or lack of) and general body language. In written
communication, however, the sender and recipient are more distinct.
Categories of Communication

There is a wide range of ways in which we communicate, and more than one may be occurring at any
given time.

The different categories of communication include:

Spoken or Verbal Communication: which includes face-to-face, telephone, radio or television and other
media.

Non-Verbal communication: covering body language, gestures, how we dress or act, where we stand,
and even our scent. There are many subtle ways that we communicate (perhaps even unintentionally)
with others. For example, the tone of voice can give clues to mood or emotional state, whilst hand
signals or gestures can add to a spoken message.

Written communication: which includes letters, e-mails, social media, books, magazines, the Internet
and other media. Until recent times, a relatively small number of writers and publishers were very
powerful when it came to communicating the written word. Today, we can all write and publish our
ideas online, which has led to an explosion of information and communication possibilities.

Visualisations: graphs and charts, maps, logos and other visualisations can all communicate messages.

Here are 9 Tips for Improving Your Communication Skills:

1. Make communication a priority. Take classes, read books, magazine articles or learn from
successful communicators around you. Seek a mentor or coach.
2. Simplify and stay on message. Use simple, straightforward language. Remember that Lincoln’s
Gettysburg Address was 286 words, about two minutes long.
3. Engage your listeners or readers. Draw your listeners and readers into the conversation. Ask
questions and invite opinions. Solicit their feedback.
4. Take time to respond. After you’ve listened (and understood) take time to “draft” in your head
what you want to say.
5. Make sure you are understood. Don’t blame the other person for not understanding. Instead,
look for ways to clarify or rephrase what you are trying to say so it can be understood.
6. Develop your listening skills, too. The best communicators are almost always the best listeners.
Listen without judgment and don’t be distracted by thinking about what you want to say next.
Then, respond, not react.
7. Body language is important. Studies show that 65% of all communication is non-verbal. Watch
for visual signs that your listener understands, agrees or disagrees with your message. And be
aware that your body is sending signals, too.
8. Maintain eye contact. Whether speaking to a crowd or one-on-one, maintaining eye contact
builds credibility and demonstrates you care about your listeners.
9. Respect your audience. Recognise your message is not just about you or what you want. You
should sincerely care about the needs and the unique perspectives of those to whom you are
communicating. One of the best ways to show your respect is simply by paying attention to
what they say.
These are also effective ways to be a good communicator. To make powerful, impressive, and lasting
presentations, start from within.
 Talk to yourself. Clarify the message in your own mind before you try communicating it to
someone else.
 Rehearse. Nothing clarifies your thoughts more than writing them down and then saying them
in different ways until you get them to where you want.
 Be very aware of the messages or inner tapes you are playing to yourself. Don’t sabotage
yourself by giving yourself negative messages about your ability to communicate, or about how
the other person will take your message.
 Most of us are way too hard on ourselves. Plan what you will say and then be optimistic that it
will come out right and be received well.
 Who is stopping you from being self-confident and self-reliant right now? I’m not stopping you.
Have a look at any barriers you are putting up and make a decision to deal with them.
 When you speak to individuals, take the time to express yourself in an organised manner. Don’t
rush.
 Clarify. Ask for feedback. Do not assume that the message sent was the message received.
 Take part in all the activities we’ll be doing today. When you take part, you are preparing
yourself to be a leader, rather than a follower, in your workplace and your community. You are
a role model for your colleagues, your children, and those who look up to you in other ways.
 Know when to stop talking.

When presenting to a group, make sure you:

 Have a message worth communicating

 Understand your audience and what their needs are
 Gain the listener’s attention
 Emphasise understanding
 Get feedback
 Watch your emotional tone
 Persuade them to adopt your point of view or take the action you want them to take

Today you will have several opportunities to practice the skills of speaking in public. Use these exercises
because they are good learning opportunities and practice makes perfect.
Barriers to Communication

The process of communication has multiple barriers. The intended communique will often be disturbed
and distorted, leading to a condition of misunderstanding and failure of communication. The Barriers to
effective communication could be of many types like linguistic, psychological, emotional, physical, and
cultural etc. We will see all of these types in detail below.

As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions changes within a few kilometres. Even in the same
workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a result, the communication
channels that span across the organisation would be affected by this.

Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for different employees. Some
of them are very proficient in a certain language, and others will be ok with these languages.

Linguistic Barriers

The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective communication. Language is the most
commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that each major region has its own language is one of
the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect may render the communication
ineffective.

Psychological Barriers

There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to effective communication. Some
people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia, depression etc. All of these conditions are very difficult to
manage sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease of communication.

Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent effective communication between the
various channels of an organisation. The shrillness of voice, dyslexia, etc. are some examples of physiological
barriers to effective communication. However, these are not crucial because they can easily be compensated
and removed.
Emotional Barriers

The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they can communicate. A person
who is emotionally mature will be able to communicate effectively. On the other hand, people who let their
emotions take over will face certain difficulties.

A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for effective communication. Emotions like anger,
frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person and thus limit the effectiveness of
their communication.

Physical Barriers to Communication

They are the most obvious barriers to effective communication. These barriers are mostly easily removable
in principle at least. They include barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty equipment used for
communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large office, the physical separation between
various employees combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to effective
communication.

Cultural Barriers of Communication

As the world is getting more and more globalised, any large office may have people from several parts of the
world. Different cultures have a different meaning for several basic values of society. Dressing, Religions or
lack of them, food, drinks, pets, and the general behaviour will change drastically from one culture to
another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account during communication. This is
what we call being culturally appropriate. In many multinational companies, special courses are offered at
the orientation stages that let people know about other cultures and how to be courteous and tolerant of
others.

Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw, there are many methods of communication at an organisational level. Each of these methods
has its own problems and constraints that may become barriers to effective communication. Most of
these barriers arise because of misinformation or lack of appropriate transparency available to the
employees.
Attitude Barriers

Certain people like to be left alone. They are the introverts or just people who are not very social. Others
like to be social or sometimes extra clingy! Both these cases could become a barrier to communication.
Some people have attitude issues, like a huge ego and inconsiderate behaviours.

These employees can cause severe strains in the communication channels that they are present in.
Certain personality traits like shyness, anger, social anxiety may be removable through courses and
proper training. However, problems like egocentric behaviour and selfishness may not be correctable.

Perception Barriers

Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which we must consider during
the communication process. Knowledge of the perception levels of the audience is crucial to effective
communication. All the messages or communique must be easy and clear. There shouldn’t be any room for
a diversified interpretational set.

Technological Barriers

The technology is developing fast, and as a result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the newest
developments. Hence sometimes the technological advance may become a barrier. In addition to this, the
cost of technology is sometimes very high. Most of the organisations will not be able to afford a decent tech
for the purpose of communication. Hence, this becomes a very crucial barrier.

Socio-religious Barriers

Other barriers are socio-religious barriers. In a patriarchal society, a woman or a transgender may face
many difficulties and barriers while communicating.
 Module Two: Interpersonal Skills

This Module Will Also Cover:

 Listening
 Asking Questions

Listening

The two most basic elements of good communication are listening to others and asking questions. The
physical process of hearing, where sound enters your eardrum and is registered in your brain, is not the
same as listening. Listening is more of an attitude, a desire to understand what is being communicated.
It is an essential communication skill.

Many of us don’t listen very well, and we fake it a lot of the time. We pretend we are listening when we
really aren’t, and that can create a whole lot of trouble with other people.

The good news is that we can all learn to be better listeners. We can talk about listening in terms of two
types of listening:
 Passive Listening: We hear the sounds, but we aren’t taking an attitude that allows us to hear
the message.
 Active Listening: We make a conscious effort to hear and understand the message.

Steps to Active Listening

 Non-verbal cues, such as eye contact, leaning toward the speaker, and an alert expression on
your face.
 Short verbal cues, such as “Uh-huh,” “Yes,” “I understand,” etc.
 Feedback: Where the listener summarises, clarifies, or asks questions.

Getting ready to listen means becoming prepared psychologically. It is like thinking, “Ok, another
person is taking a turn, and I must get ready to listen.” It is important in a group that every member
finds a useful way to listen.

When we make a decision to listen for total meaning, we listen for the content of what is being said as
well as the attitude behind what is being said. Is the speaker happy, angry, excited, sad, or something
else entirely?
Responding to Feelings

The content (the words are spoken) is one thing, but the way that people feel really gives full value to
the message. Responding to the speaker’s feelings adds an extra dimension of listening. Are they
disgusted and angry or in love and excited? Perhaps they are ambivalent! These are all feelings that you
can reply to in your part of the conversation.

Reading Cues

Really listening means that we are also very conscious of the non-verbal aspects of the conversation.
 What are the speaker’s facial expressions, hand gestures, and posture telling us?
 Is their voice loud or shaky?
 Are they stressing certain points?
 Are they mumbling or having difficulty finding the words they want to say?

Demonstration Cues

When you are listening to someone, these techniques will show a speaker that you are paying attention,
providing you are not acting them out.

Physical indicators include making eye contact, nodding your head from time to time, and leaning into
the conversation.

You can also give verbal cues or use phrases such as “Uh-huh,” “Go on,” “Really!” and “Then what?”

You can use questions for clarification or summarising statements. Examples:

 “Do you mean they were charging $4.00 for just a cup of coffee?”
 “So after you got a cab, got to the store, and found the right sales clerk, what happened then?”
Tips for Becoming a Better Listener

 Make a decision to listen. Close your mind to clutter and noise and look at the person speaking
with you. Give them your undivided attention.
 Don’t interrupt people. Make it a habit to let them finish what they are saying. Respect that
they have thoughts they are processing and speaking about, and wait to ask questions or make
comments when they have finished.
 Keep your eyes focused on the speaker and your ears tuned to their voice. Don’t let your eyes
wander around the room, just in case your attention does too.
 Carry a notebook or start a conversation file on your computer. Write down all the discussions
that you have in a day. Capture the subject, who spoke more (were you listening or doing a lot
of the talking?), what you learned in the discussion, as well as the who, what, when, where,
why, and how aspects of it. Once you have conducted this exercise 8-10 times, you will be able
to see what level your listening skills are currently at.
 Ask a few questions throughout the conversation. When you ask, people will know that you are
listening to then and that you are interested in what they have to say. Your ability to summarise
and paraphrase will also demonstrate that you heard them.
 When you demonstrate good listening skills, they tend to be infectious. If you want people to
communicate well at work, you have to set a high example.
Why Don’t People Listen?

Let’s take a look at the problems and some possible solutions.

The listener has decided in advance that the speaker or the subject will be uninteresting.
This leads the listener to tune out. Instead, tell yourself you will make a real effort to learn something
new during the conversation and put effort into listening.

The listener is distracted when someone is speaking.

Choose an area without distractions. Refuse to be distracted.

The listener didn’t adjust to what the speaker was saying. For example, you were talking about the
weather, but the topic has now shifted to what the speaker did on vacation.
This requires some mental agility. You could ask the speaker to slow down and give you time to shift
gears.

The listener took too many notes.

Rather than copy down every word, just note key points. This takes practice but is worthwhile
mastering.

The listener felt that what was being said was too difficult to understand, so they tuned out.
The listener should ask questions to clarify or ask the speaker to illustrate the point. The speaker can
also watch for non-verbal cues that the listener is getting confused and adapt their language to help
communication.

The listener got side-tracked by their own biases.

Let’s say the speaker used the word “refugee” to refer to the people made homeless by a flood or
earthquake. You prefer the word “victim.” This may be important to you, but try not to raise this point
until the speaker has had the opportunity to complete their thoughts.

The listener jumped in too soon to relate their own ideas or experience.
Be patient. Listen. Give the other person their turn. Then present your ideas or experiences, if
appropriate.

The listener listened only for the facts and didn’t pay attention to body language.
This is all about increasing your awareness of those around you and how they are reacting emotionally
to what is being said. Learn more about body language to help you.
The listener was daydreaming.
Self-discipline is required to listen. Bring yourself back to the conversation by internally saying “stop.”
Remember to make eye contact to connect with the speaker. This will also help you to stay engaged.

Asking Questions

Get in the habit of asking good questions to clarify what has been said. We can do this by paraphrasing
(“Are you saying…?”) or by asking other questions such as, “Do you mean…?”

Other open questions that can gather more information include:

 What do you think we can do about this?
 What would you like me to stop doing?
 Would it be helpful if I…?
 Supposing we were to…?
 Help me understand where you’re coming from?
 Let’s set a time when we can talk about the changes we’re both prepared to make.
 I’m prepared to… Would that help with the situation?

Asking Good Questions

Two of the most basic elements of good communication are asking questions and listening to others.
Some of us naturally ask a lot of questions, while for others, this is a learned skill. We can plan questions
prior to meetings or conversations to ensure our questions have thought and depth to them.

There are two kinds of questions:

Open and Closed
Closed questions are those that can be answered by either “yes” or “no,” or with a specific bit of data,
such as your name, date of birth, or occupation. These questions restrict our responses and give us little
opportunity to develop our thoughts before answering. As a result, these questions require very little
effort on either person’s part. They can be used (intentionally or unintentionally) to close down a
conversation.
Closed questions tend to get over-used, in part because they are so easy to work with. They are easy to
the phrase, and we get quick answers. This type of questioning can cause us to make assumptions as we
create fuller answers in our minds, and assumptions can be big barriers to good communication.

Open questions, on the other hand, encourage people to talk. These questions are phrased so they
cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Open questions often begin with a variation of the five W’s
(who, what, when, where, why), or can ask how.
Open-ended questions can be used to:
 Get information
 Focus conversations
 Solicit opinions
 Gain consensus
The unintentional use of a closed question can often be overcome by simply following it with a short
open question. For example:
 "Do you feel that was the right thing to do?"
 "Yes, I do."
 "Can you help me understand why you feel that way?"

Here is an example of a closed question:

 Do you like ice cream?

Replacing it with an open question provides us with more information:

 What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

The first question will only tell us whether the person likes ice cream or not. That is a closed situation.
The second question will let us know a little bit about the person. It could also lead to follow-up
questions depending on their answer. Questions that are open-ended will help us learn more about the
people we speak with, establish things that we have in common, develop rapport, and make meaningful
connections.
It is possible for you to ask someone an open question and for them to be evasive or try to shut the
conversation down. Children are famous for this when a parent says, “What did you learn at school
today?” and they reply, “Nothing.” One of your team members may come to see you after a meeting,
and you say,” How did the meeting go?” and they say, “Fine.” If you want to engage them, you will have
to ask a follow-up question. Some examples:

 What was the most interesting point raised in the meeting (or at school)?
 What were the challenges that we need to consider?
 What questions did the group ask?

There are several different types of open-ended questions. We can ask leading questions to influence
how people think (“Don’t you just love the way vanilla ice cream smells?”).

Rhetorical questions are ones that we do not really want an answer to, such as “Do I look like I care?”
Rhetorical questions can be used to engage your conversation partner and make them think about the
obvious answer. (They may also be something that you blurt out because you are thinking out loud!)

A rhetorical question can engage the listener in a persuasive manner as they process your ideas.
 Module Three: Getting Comfortable in Conversation

This Module Will Cover:

 Foul Levels
 Level One: Small Talk
 Level Two: Fact Disclosure
 Level Three: Viewpoints and Opinions
 Level Four: Personal Feelings

Four Levels

Being comfortable speaking with others in small social settings can have a big impact on both your
personal and your professional life. We are all more drawn to the person who looks at ease and
confident than we are the person who looks ill-at-ease and awkward. Individuals who can carry on a
conversation have stronger relationships. They also tend to be more confident when it comes to
speaking in public.

At work, our first encounter with another person often begins with a handshake and a smile, while
looking directly at the other person. This does not include staring at another person unblinkingly, but
rather, looking at their face: the eyes, nose, and mouth triangle.

Level One: Small Talk

What can you do to give yourself an advantage when striking up a conversation? Let’s spend a little bit
of time talking about the different levels on which we communicate.

Small talk means a very superficial conversation about the weather, the traffic, current events, etc.
While this may seem purposeless, it isn’t. This is our chance to size up another person and decide
whether you have something in common. You don’t know the other person, and you aren’t expected to
reveal anything personal about yourself.

We are aware of a young teenager who had a hard time in conversation with people her own age
(especially boys!). She decided that since lots of the boys she knew were interested in sports, it would
be a good idea to learn about some of the sports they enjoyed, and to be able to talk about them. Not
only did she manage to attract lots of new friends, but she also found out how much she enjoyed sports
at the same time. This technique was something that she shared with her girlfriends. Taking an interest
in other people and the things they are passionate about is a great way to get into a conversation.
Level Two: Fact Disclosure

When the small talk phase goes well, we are ready to move onto the second level of communication
with our conversational partner. We will reveal a few facts about ourselves, such as our occupation, our
hobbies, or the types of activities we enjoy. Now that you are revealing a bit more about yourselves, you
may find more you have in common. There is give and take in this conversation as you ask and answer
questions with your partner.

Level Three: Viewpoints and Opinions

Generally, people don’t move to this stage until they feel comfortable with one another and believe
they had found common ground when you disclosed facts in the second level. In this level, you go
beyond that to give your opinion of whatever it is you’ve been talking about.

Examples:
 Skiing is an expensive hobby
 Your dream is to ski in Jasper, Alberta
 You are counting the days to retirement
 You are hoping to move to another job soon

You may even venture into such quagmires as politics or religion if you are feeling comfortable enough
to do that. The general rule is “low and slow,” as in don’t reveal too much too soon. You may want to
commiserate about the high cost of sending a child to university today, but wait until you know the
person better before you reveal that you took out a second mortgage to send your child to university.

Level Four: Personal Feelings

This usually doesn’t come until you feel very comfortable with your conversational partner. The surest
way to get here is to not reveal too much too soon. An example of too much too soon might be telling
someone all the details of a messy divorce just five minutes into meeting them, or upon learning
someone is of a different political party, launching into a condemnation of that party.

A successful conversation starts at level one and proceeds at a comfortable pace through the second
and third levels and continues to the fourth level, although usually not during your first meeting. With
some people, you will find yourself moving easily through at least the first three stages, if not to stage
four. It usually takes a lot of conversations with someone you feel very comfortable with before you
progress to level four.
 Module Four: Redesigning Yourself for Strength

This Module Will Cover:

 Redesigning Yourself for Strength

Can you imagine what it must be like in broadcasting school? What about being a voice for cartoons or
reading audiobooks? These speakers have learned how to control their voices in order to capture the
attention of a listener. By paying close attention to the following elements of voice, you will see the
potential for making changes to your own voice and becoming a stronger, more confident speaker.

Tone

Tone refers to the way that you distinguish or inflect your words. We use tone to express emotion,
emphasis, contrast, and other features of our speech. Your tone tells your audience how you are feeling
about the words you say. Good intonation lets others see your attitude and your enthusiasm for your
subject, and demonstrates that they are consistent.

Which do you prefer: monotonous or melodious? Do your words come out pleasant and energetic, or
lifeless and wooden? Think in terms of friendliness and a desire to communicate with others and
develop the best intonation that you can to captivate listeners to what you have to say.

Pitch

This refers to how high or low your voice is. In most cases, a low-pitched voice is considered an asset.
Men and women who have lower voices are considered more exciting, more credible, more sociable,
and more relaxed. They are also generally easier to hear when you are in the audience. If you have a
high-pitched voice, be aware of it and consider how you can best deliver your message. If you have a
high voice and will frequently speak, working with a vocal coach can be an excellent idea.

Pacing

Do you trudge like a turtle or race like a rabbit when you speak? If people cannot follow what you are
saying, you’ll need to slow down. Speak too slowly, however, and your credibility can suffer. Fortunately,
we can train ourselves to pause after a particularly dramatic statement, or after a question we want our
audience to respond to. We can learn how to pick up the pace to create energy and to slow it down for
heightened emphasis.
Emphasis

Emphasis changes the meaning of our words.

 I was born in Boston. (You, on the other hand, were born somewhere else.)
 I was born in Boston! (How dare you suggest otherwise!)
 I was born in Boston. (I wasn’t born nearby.)
 I was born in Boston. (I wasn’t born in Sydney or London or Bangor.)

Facial Expressions

The face conveys more messages to the listener than any other part of our body. Positive aspects
include a smile, eye contact, relaxed facial muscles, and an alert expression. Negative aspects include
rolling your eyes, frowning, glaring, smirking, or looking tense. If you are curious about what your face is
revealing, videotape your presentation or a rehearsal and have a good look.

Posture

The way we stand conveys a lot about our level of confidence. A good posture (head up, shoulders back,
both feet on the floor) says we are confident. Watch that you don’t sway, rock, or pace when you are
speaking to others. Moving around can show how comfortable you are speaking, but if you pace back
and forth across the room, you probably look nervous, and your constant movement can be distracting.

Body Language

What Do Our Bodies Say?

Insignificant (though often misinterpreted) research, Albert Mehrabian found that when it came to
discussing emotions, only seven per cent of the speaker’s message was communicated by words, and
that tone of voice was responsible for about 38 per cent of the meaning and body language about 55
per cent. This means the words themselves played only a very small part in conveying meaning. In other
conversations (not the ones about emotions), we know that tone of voice and body language have a
large impact on those messages, too.

We are always sending signals to others, whether we like it or not. Body language combined with vocal
tone can override or even cancel the meaning of the words we say. If you want your messages
understood, make sure your words and your body are sending congruent signals.
Here are some things to keep in mind about body language:

 Your eyes, eyebrows, and mouth send out the signals that can make a world of difference.

 People who smile are happier than those who do not. Smiling releases a chemical in your brain
that makes you feel good. It is a great way to establish a rapport with listeners.
 Eye contact helps you carry your message to each person in the audience. It builds trust.
 Learn to speak with your hands. Draw lines in the air, make a point, count on your fingers, and
emphasise length and width.
 Work on appearing sincere and comfortable.

 Let your hands do what they want to do, as long as they do not get in your pockets, fiddle with
an object, or make obscene gestures to your audience.
 Your body posture affects your emotions and how you feel determining your posture. If you
are confident, happy and ready, your body will show it.

One of the most important things you can do with body language is learning how to recognise cues from
people that indicate you are making them uncomfortable. Ask yourself if you are doing what you can to
make the other person comfortable. Do you fidget, chew gum, click a pen, or check your watch
frequently? Are there other things that you do? If so, what message do you think you are sending?
If your conversation partner is doing any of these things while you talk, what could be going on?
 Rocking
 Leg swinging
 Tapping
These are the first signals of tension and indicate that the person feels intruded upon or nervous. If it
escalates, these signals are often followed by:

 Intermittent closing of the eyes

 Slight tucking of the chin into the chest
 Shoulder hunching
If you sensitise yourself to these simple cues, over time, people will have the experience of feeling more
relaxed, at ease and open with you (and to you).
Basically, learn to watch for signals, and then adjust your approach. Sometimes just taking one step
back, or ceasing talking and getting the other person to talk to you instead, will be all it takes to ease the
tension.
 Module Five: Professionalism

This Module Will Cover:

 Looking Professional
 Speaking Professionally

Looking Professional

The way you look really does say a lot about you. Professionally dressing will help you be more confident
when you speak, so dress the way you want to be perceived. Look like you care about what you are
doing.

Always appear as neat and clean as possible, with hair and fingernails that are clean and neatly
trimmed, and shoes that are clean and polished.

Choose your clothes carefully so that you look trim and neat. Be sure clothing fits properly. You won’t
feel good, and you won’t look good if your clothes are too tight. If they are too loose, you may look like
you don’t care. Dress comfortably and be proud of who you are.

You don’t have to dress like a fashion maven, nor spend a lot of money trying to keep up appearances. If
you are building your wardrobe, consider consignment and second-hand resources, which can be an
excellent way to build a wardrobe on a budget. Make sure that you learn the colours and styles that suit
you and stick to them.

Learn how to maintain your clothes so that they present you in the best way possible. This means that
you need to know how to iron your clothes and how to look after speciality fabrics if you have some.
You’ll also need to know how to reattach a button that falls off or where there is a tailor that can hem
your pants.

Wait! Forget it, you’re thinking! I just need to speak in a meeting, not learn how to sew!

Really? Step back and think for a moment. You enter a meeting where you need to participate. Around
the table are five other people. A couple of them are, as always, nicely dressed. A few others obviously
take things out of the dryer and wear them to work. They look “fine” but slightly dishevelled. Who has
the edge that you want or need in order to make a statement?
No matter what we want to believe, your clothes matter. You will feel much more confident if you dress
up than if you dress down. Just try it and see what happens!
Speaking Professionally

Here are some things to think about to help you when you are speaking. Consider each of these ideas,
and then see if you can add to the list.

 Volume: Too loud or too soft?

 Clichés: We all use a few clichés but avoid them if possible.
 Grammar: This is too broad a topic to discuss fully today. Ask someone you trust, whose
grammar is good, to give you some feedback on your grammatical errors.
 Diction: Pronounce words clearly, and watch that you aren’t dropping your “-ings.”
 Slang or vulgarities: No swearing or crude words.
 Gender references: Watch that you don’t refer to all people in authority or “he” or all those in
service positions as “she.”
 Acronyms and jargon: If you must use words that are familiar terms to you but which will not be
understood by others in the audience, either substitute more familiar words or explain the
terms.
 Tact is the diplomacy of the heart. This means saying the right thing. You know when to leave
the wrong thing unsaid.
 Module Six: Maximizing Meetings

This Module Will Cover:

 Four Areas of Opportunity
 Fifteen Ways to Master a Meeting

Four Areas of Opportunity

Meetings are a central part of communication and cooperation within any organisation. Don’t think of
them as drudgery. Recognise them as opportunities to develop skills and develop your reputation, as
well as a chance to stay on top of essential organisational information.

Anticipate.
If you receive an agenda ahead of time, take a few minutes to look it over. If you see areas where you
may have an opportunity to take the lead or to provide information to others, use that opportunity. If
there is no agenda, ask for one.

Prepare.
Do your homework. If you plan to speak on an issue, know what you are talking about. Keep your
comments positive and speak with enthusiasm. The direct, relaxed approach works best. Get quickly to
your point and stay with it. If you are raising an issue of complaint or concern, it will be better received
along if you include reasonable solutions. Busy people have little patience with more than they want to
know. However, clarity and conciseness take preparation.

Participate.
When should you speak up?
 When you know, you can clarify a point
 When you can supplement pertinent information or furnish convincing statistics
 When you can correct an error
 When you wish to ask a question
 When you can give credit that’s due
 When you have a good idea or an original suggestion
 When someone else has taken your idea and presents it as their own

Be brave! A great way to get more confident at speaking in front of others is to volunteer to chair
meetings. Let your boss know that you want to improve and that you are up to the challenge!
Concentrate on Your Message
What does the audience need to hear? Focusing on your message and your audience instead of your
nervousness will help to boost your confidence. Put the power in your message instead of holding onto
it and giving you a case of nerves to deal with.
Fifteen Ways to Master a Meeting

In the world of business, the way you carry yourself can make or break a first impression. But there’s
more to business etiquette than taking care not to chew loudly during a business lunch and drinking
your tea in a meeting without slurping.

Here are 15 business etiquette tips to help you conduct yourself appropriately in every professional
setting.

1. Know everybody’s name.

2. Know what everybody does so you won’t step on anybody’s toes.
3. Be careful about personal comments.
4. Don’t create subconscious barriers to communication (i.e. crossing your arms).
5. Sit erect and square your shoulders. Look alert and lean forward slightly.
6. Discuss but don’t argue.
7. The head of the table is a seat considered to have some power or authority. The three other
important positions are those to the right or left of the head of the table, and, unless it is too far
away, the position directly opposite.
8. Another good position is a corner position because you can make eye contact with more people.
9. If you are seated, and an important person enters the room, stand up to shake hands. A woman
should rise to her feet as readily as any man.
10. If you are holding the meeting, reserve the most impressive, appropriately appointed
conference room, when the meeting warrants it.
11. If it is your meeting, lead it!
12. If it is your meeting, have an agenda and let people know why they are attending the meeting.
13. Start and end on time.
14. If it is someone else’s meeting, take responsibility and participate.
15. Demonstrate high energy and involvement.
 Module Seven: Controlling Nervousness

This Module Will Cover:

 Controlling Physical Nervousness
 Capitalising on the Law of Attraction

Slight nervousness is normal for anyone, especially the first few times you make a presentation or speak
in public. These jitters can actually help you and give you an edge when you take that nervous energy
and deliberately use it as fuel for your presentation.

Nervousness has a way of spiralling, where you may notice all of a sudden that your heart is pounding,
your knees are shaking, or your voice is trembling.

The secret you want to learn is not necessarily the confidence that comes from experience (although
that helps), but a change in attitude. When you learn to shift your focus from yourself to the audience,
you start to release the hold that fear has on you.

One of the things that you will notice is that when you are well prepared for your presentation, you will
feel less nervous about it.

Controlling Physical Nervousness

 Smile. Look friendly and confident, even if you don’t feel that way. Your body will pick up on the
positive energy and feelings that you generate, which will help you get centred.
 Take deep breaths to get oxygen into your brain.
 Pretend. There is never a better time to put on a false face of optimism and confidence.
 Your brain will respond to your positive self-talk, so speak kindly to yourself.
 Athletes visualise their entire event so that their brain and body can recall the feelings of
success and help them perform well. When speaking, we can receive the same benefits from
visualising that athletes do.
 Expect to do well. Give yourself lots of positive feedback.
 Remember a time when you did well. Keep thinking of that time.
 Speak about things you care about, which will reduce jitters because your focus will be on the
subject.
 Avoid caffeine, which can increase your nervousness.
Capitalising on the Law of Attraction

We generally get what we expect. We can also create circumstances to get what we want. Positive
expectations are one of the most powerful, outwardly identifiable characteristics that winning
personalities demonstrate.

Evaluate your self-talk, the inner conversations you have with yourself. A winner’s self-talk sounds like
this: “I did well today. I’ll do even better tomorrow.” “I am getting to be a better speaker every day.” A
loser’s self-talk is more apt to be, “Murphy’s Law says whatever can go wrong will go wrong,” or, “If I
didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”

The way you treat yourself really shows in your results. If two people have equally rotten things going
on in their lives (an earthquake or a tornado, for example), the positive person will recover more quickly
than the negative one. Positive people live longer and are healthier than people who are negative.

Do you see where we are going with this? Embrace the habits of positive, optimistic people in order to
develop those qualities within yourself, and you will find your fears of speaking in public much smaller
than they ever were.
Final Verdict

This, Conquering Your Fear of Speaking in Public course, will provide you with an easy way to
understand about good communication, develop your interpersonal skills and with the help you to get
comfortable in conversation. By doing this course, you will be able to redesign yourself for strength,
increase professionalism and guide you to techniques to maximise meetings. If you want to overcome
your nervousness in company meetings as well as problems to make conversation at gatherings and
social events, then this course is just for you! It’s aimed at anybody who wants to improve their speaking
skills in informal situations. We’ll give you the confidence and the skills to interact with others, to speak
in informal situations, and to present in front of small groups.

Throughout this Conquering Your Fear of Speaking in Public course, you will learn to speak with more
confidence in one-on-one conversations and feel more confident speaking socially or small groups such
as meetings as well as practice developing these skills in a safe and supportive setting. This course is
designed to reduce your nervousness, boost professionalism, identify and strengthen your confidence
along with the interpersonal skills. Overall, this course will give you the opportunity to pursue a wide
range of knowledge for a rewarding career or a scope to pursue more courses at a higher level.