Three Things I Learned

Three Things I Learned from Chapter One
Public-speaking has been part of the human race for over 2000 years and is not a subject that is going anywhere anytime soon. For most, the term “public-speaking” is not an idea that people get overly excited about. In fact, many who present a speech experience a bunch of symptoms related to being nervous and experiencing anxiety. After reading chapter one, I am now realizing public speaking is about the bigger picture on how to be successful at delivering a speech and techniques to help you do so.
Public-speaking has many benefits if delivered effectively. I learned that by speaking with confidence and being prepared provides empowerment. Going hand-in-hand, empowerment leads to getting employed. Speaking well is a quality that employers value highly and being to communicate well ensures success. The book stated that the skills learned in a speech course are skills that you can take with you anywhere you go in the work field.
The most important part of public-speaking is to make sure the speech is centered around the audience. Challenges may be presented to the author of the speech depending on who the audience actually is. The way I speak, my body language, and the references I refer to all play a role in how successful my speech will be. I want the message of my speech to be effective but I always have to remember to connect and relate back to my audience. The phrase “the audience writes my speech” is very real. The more I know about my audience makes it that much easier to play of their interests.
I also learned that a lot of research and preparation is needed is order to make a speech memorable and have impact. Getting assigned a topic and “winging it” will not ensure I deliver a great speech. I first need to narrow down my topic and determine my purpose for giving the speech. Next, I must gather supporting detail to make my speech make sense but I need to remember to not cram my speech with facts or statistics....