Public Speaking ... We Meet Again ...

     I am not an artist, but I do know how to appreciate art.  The ability to speak in public is certainly a noteworthy art, and is among those skills that every person should possess. Most people, however, don't realize how important public speaking skills can be when trying to communicate effectively.  Although we were drastically unprepared to give an effective presentation in class on Thursday, it was a sneaky way of Professor Middleton (yes, sneaky) to teach us about our presence in front of a group of people.  I was instantly reminded of the many presentations that I gave in a public speaking class I took here at BYU two years ago.  I was also reminded of the hundreds of poorly given sacrament meeting talks and testimonies that I have heard in church over the years.  The point is, you have to earn someone's attention, and it should not be treated disrespectfully.  I need to feel like a person cares about what they are talking about otherwise they are wasting my time along with everyone else's!

       I am no great speaker myself, but my goal in the past (and the present) has been to effectively use silence when speaking in public.  Even a short pause, accompanied by a meaningful gaze into the eyes of an audience can draw them in and make them feel as though I am about to tell them a great secret -- and I should tell them secrets!  My time spent speaking in front of people should be used to teach or improve the lives of those who I am addressing, even if it is in just a small way.  

What You Say and How You Say it, The Quickest Way That Other People Judge You

Since our last MCOM 320 class on Thursday, I have been paying more attention to the way I speak and how that affects the way people think about me.  I use a few words that I could eliminate from my vocabulary.  If I plan to communicate effectively on a professional level in the future it would be smart to avoid using the words dude and bro, for starters.

     More importantly, levity and laziness in speech are noticeable in my speech. My natural demeanor leads me to joke around in order to put people at ease, however,  it often leads to them seeing me with less credibility.  My laziness in speech, or failure to speak clearly leads to people asking me to repeat myself quite often.  My voice can be a bit monotone at times.  While these issues don't tie directly to grammar (which is what we talked about most in class), they do tie into communication.  I have set a personal goal to enunciate words better, and maintain a credible demeanor throughout the day no matter what circumstances I am in.  It will take a bit of training to change old habits but they will ultimately change both how I feel about myself as well as how others view me.   

Thoughts on a new semester

     This new semester has started out with a bang.  There is an energy in the air that I can feel more-so than last semester. I am excited to begin what should be the one of the most interesting times for me at BYU thus far.

      To start, I have med school applications and the MCAT on the horizon as I prepare for med school and work to improve my resume. MCOM 320 is going to be a great addition to my preparation and an interesting chance to learn from the experiences of my classmates and professor.  

      Communication is such a fundamental part of success.  I realized while in class on Thursday how much we can learn about others through the way they dress and speak.  Clarity and a desire to communicate clearly can motivate others to do the same. I was motivated and comforted to hear about the expectations and level of knowledge of our other classmates during the first lecture. In other classes I would have sat there, not gotten to know anyone very well and been bored at the prospect of just doing the work that would be placed in front of me in MCOM.  I was grateful to get to know everyone and feel that open discussion in the classroom is promoted.  

    What can I learn from this?  That people who communicate with people and work together can have a much more productive and enjoyable experience with their work than those who don't.  Hearing from the experiences of Professor Middleton and her knowledge helped me realize how much one person can do when they are motivated to make a difference in the lives of other people.  I have it in mind now to speak more with my classmates during lectures in other classes.  I also want to be the person who motivates others by his determination and effort.  To sum it all up, seemingly small things can make a big difference for people even when they seem insignificant to others. 

-Parker