CAI-NJ Dec. 2018 (w)

© iStockphoto.com

AMERICA’S BIGGEST FEAR

By Kristy Winchock Morris Engineering, LLC

M any Americans fear public speaking more than heights, drowning and clowns. Whether it’s walking into a networking event or interview or getting up in front of an audience to give a presenta- tion, public speaking is nerve racking. I decided to face my fear and sign up for all four sessions of FAST Track Communication and Public Speaking Workshops present- ed by award-winning marketer and professional public speaking coach, Nicole Pace-Addeo, M.A., hosted by CAI-NJ’s FAST Committee. During the workshops, attendees practiced impromp- tu and extemporaneous speaking. Impromptu speaking involves little to no preparation, like the Q&A portion of the Miss America pageant. Extemporaneous speaking involves some preparation and reference notes but relies mostly on the speaker’s knowledge of the topic. It takes more than just knowing your stuff to be a good speaker. Entrepreneur and business coach, Evan

Carmichael, offers the “7 C’s of Effective Communication,” which was reinforced throughout the four week program: Control – Control the conversation. When you feel the con- versation digressing, bring the discussion back to the topic. 1. Conversational – Turn down the technical. Keep the discus- sion light for people to easily understand your message. 2. Confident – Use your voice, body language and content to exude confidence. 3. Competent – Know what you’re talking about and be able to back it up. Practice and research goes a long way. 4. Calm – Control your emotions. 5. Clear – Clearly state your objectives. 6. Concise – Don’t bog down the listener with too many details. Ensure the listener gets the information they need but be brief.

CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 14

13

D E C E M B E R , 2 0 1 8