Page 322 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

Self-Assessment

Assessing Your Personal Style

Most of us have a personal style of communicating. Some of us are perceived as open, some
dramatic, and others are attentive. Perceptions of our style are largely based on nonverbal
behaviors such as eye contact and facial expressions, the sound of our voice and body lan-
guage. The following is designed to assist you in assessing your personal style of communi-
cating. We believe most beginning public speakers are best served by building on nonverbal
behaviors that come naturally rather than trying to make wholesale changes in them. As a re-
sult, think about what each of the following statements and your responses to them say about
your customary style of expressing yourself nonverbally.
Read each response and record whether you Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neither Agree
or Disagree (N), Disagree (D), or Strongly Disagree (SD) with the statement.
1. I think people see me as bland. SA A N D SD
2. I think people find me entertaining. SA A N D SD
3. I think I’m a little introverted. SA A N D SD
4. I show what I’m thinking and I’m feeling in my facial expressions. SA A N D SD
5. I try and conceal my true feelings from others. SA A N D SD
6. I gesture a lot. SA A N D SD
7. I think I make a memorable impression. SA A N D SD
8. I dislike conflict. SA A N D SD
9. I’d like to be a performer. SA A N D SD
10. I prefer that others take the lead in conversations. SA A N D SD
Statements 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 are associated with people who are cautious about commu-
nicating and avoid arguing. People who tend to agree with these items generally would be less
demonstrative in their nonverbal behavior than people who tend to agree with items 2, 4, 6, 7,
and 9. These items refl ect people who are fairly dramatic in their nonverbal behavior.
The best speakers are ultimately those who are fl exible enough to adapt their personal style
to the rhetorical situation. That kind of fl exibility typically evolves with time and practice. Thus,
we repeat what we said previously: First get comfortable with what comes to you naturally.
People who force facial expressions and gestures, for example, are less effective because
such a forced style is usually perceived as “canned” and phony.

In the effort to help you gain better control of your voice, you need to know how
sound is produced and how it can be manipulated. You also need to appreciate the
role articulation plays in the process of shaping this sound so that it is meaningful
to your audience. Finally, you need to accept the fact that you are better off speak-
ing in your own voice than trying to imitate the voice of someone else.

Vocal Production

The production of sound in the voice is fairly straightforward. You take in air
and expel the air through the trachea across your vocal cords, which are con-
tained in the larynx (voice box), and then across your teeth, tongue, and lips.
Variations in the amount of air expelled, the positioning of the vocal cords, or 289