Page 341 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

308 Part 3 Putting Theory Into Practice

First, time varies from one individual to the next. Research confi rms what you
no doubt long ago suspected. The internal body clock each of us has regulates
not only when we sleep but also peak performance when we’re awake. Some
people perform best from early to midmorning, some during the middle of the
day, and others late at night. What is true of performance in general, moreover,
is true of public speaking specifi cally. During our time awake, there are periods
when our speaking abilities peak, depending on our individual body clock. Most
of us know from our own experience that we either are or are not very alert in
the early morning or late afternoon. To the extent possible, attempt to schedule
a speaking time when you know your mind and body will be alert.
Time affects your delivery in other ways as well. For example, the time limits
you face as a speaker can have an impact on your delivery. As a result of at-
tempting to cover too much material, for example, time limits may cause you
to hurry your delivery. Conversely, if you fi nd that you’re about to fi nish your
speech under the minimum time requirement of an assignment, you may slow
down your delivery in an attempt to meet the time requirement.
The audience’s perception of your delivery will also be affected by your “tim-
ing,” a term frequently used in reference to actors and comics. Just as their tim-
ing of a joke or dramatic monologue can spell the difference between success
and failure, so too can your timing. Rushing a punch line or dramatic anecdote,
for instance, may negate its intended effect. Telling a story too slowly may do
likewise.
Because the norms that govern the use of time vary across cultures, how
quickly or how slowly you deliver your speech may be a consideration. Whereas
a relatively speedy style of delivery may be well received in New York City, it
may be received as evidence of the “little time” you have for an audience in
parts of the South and Southwest. Conversely, a slow rate of speech, which some
mistakenly confuse with the speed at which a person thinks, may prove irritat-
ing to audience members whose culture is fast paced.
Finally, whether you are “on time” or late, not only for a speech but just in
general, affects your credibility in our North American culture. People who are

on time are perceived as efficient and courteous, both of which affect perceptions
of competence and trustworthiness. People who are routinely late give the im-
pression they are disorganized and not especially considerate of the time needs
of an audience. This is very true of both your classmates and your instructor.

Making the Most of
Nonverbal Behavior in Delivery

The eight dimensions of nonverbal behavior we’ve been talking about per-
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form a number of important functions in speech delivery. As we’ve discussed,
these dimensions interact to make speeches more emblematic and illustra-
tive. They can also help regulate audience feedback and intensify or lessen the
emotional impact of what you say during a speech. Other ways that nonver-
bal dimensions such as the face, eyes, and voice function to facilitate the de-
livery of your messages include complementing, contradicting, and repeating
the message; substituting for a verbal cue; increasing the perception of imme-