To be a successful speaker, not only the preparation of audience analysis and adaptation but also the presenting credibility with audiences is equally important. The part of chapter 5, “Developing Credibility with Your Audience,” has a significant point that audiences evaluate speakers’ credibility by the speaker’s competence, trustworthiness, dynamism, and sociability (p 92).
Particularly, the concept of the sociability with audiences is the first step that audiences decide to proceed listening the presentation. As the effective example of Queen Noor’s opening remark, “California has played a seminal role in my journey to the Middle East,” (93) is right away connecting with her Californian audiences. I recall having attending many lectures where most speakers gave their opening by talking about their images, experiences, or relationships with the places where they stood. For example, I once attended an astronomy lecture in Foothill College. The speaker, who was an astronomical doctor of NASA, said he was my astronomy professor’s friend, and he has been the campus many time. Despite his prestigious status, I immediately felt he was friendly and respectful, as one of my school folks. Finally, the lecture was successful because he had to respond a lot…of questions from the audiences.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it is important that successful speakers convey their messages with a down-to-earth approach coupled with integrity no matter what status they hold. It is a “plus” if the speaker has a charismatic personality because this type of personality engages the audience. Extrovert personalities seem to be natural speakers because they are confident and outgoing. There is nothing worse than sitting through a speech and tuning out because you don’t have any confidence in what the speaker is saying. For example, a friend invited me to a local church function where in my opinion the speaker was a scam. She did not have any credentials. It was very upsetting to me that this speaker preyed on people who were in pain.