Keep communication apprehension in perspective. Above all, do not be anxious about your anxiety. Accept it as natural, and be assured that the general effect of the public speaking class is to reduce it.Even more significant, you can learn how to convert these feelings into positive energy. One of the biggest myths about public speaking classes is that they can or should rid you of any natural fears. Instead, you should learn how to harness the energy generated by anxiety so that your speaking is more dynamic. No anxiety often means a flat, dull presentation. Transformed anxiety can make your speech sparkle. The late Edward R. Murrow, a renowned radio and television commentator, once said: “The best speakers know enough to be scared. . . . The only difference between the pros and the novices is that the pros have trained the butterflies to fly in formation.”
How can you train your butterflies to fly for you? If you find yourself building to an uncontrollable state of nervousness before a speech, don’t stand around and discuss with your classmates how frightened you feel, especially with other speakers scheduled that day. You will only increase your own anxiety and make theirs worse as well. Instead, go off by yourself and practice relaxation exercises. While breathing deeply and slowly, concentrate on tensing and then relaxing your muscles, starting with your neck and working down to your feet. These relaxation techniques will help you control the physical symptoms of anxiety. While you are relaxed, identify any negative thoughts you may harbor about yourself as a speaker, such as “Everybody will think I’m stupid” or “Nobody wants to listen to me.” Replace them with positive messages that focus n your ideas and your audience, such as “These ideas are important and useful” or “Listeners will really enjoy this story.” This approach to controlling communication anxiety by deliberately replacing negative thoughts with positive, constructive statements is called cognitive restructuring.” Still another technique to help you control communication anxiety is visualization, in which you systematically picture yourself succeeding as a speaker, then practice with that image in mind. Athletes often employ visualization to improve their performance. A memorable example occurred when Mark McGwire hit his sixty-second home run, breaking baseball’s historic record. In the moments before McGwire came to bat, television caught him in the on-deck circle with his eyes closed. The announcer noted, “He’s visualizing what will happen at the plate.” Using this same technique, you picture a day of success, from the moment you get up to the moment you enjoy the congratulations of classmates and teacher on an excellent speech.’3 To make visualization work best, you will have to develop and enact the kind of script You must have a vivid sense of your successful day for visualization to be effective.
