The Art and Science of Communication: Tools for Effective Communication in the Workplace

Chapter 5. Public Communication

We wear the mask that grins and lies; it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes ....

—Paul Laurence Dunbar

THE COMMON DENOMINATOR

The above excerpt from the poem "We Wear the Mask" aptly describes the manner in which most of us meet and greet the world on daily basis. As we leave the safety of our personal spaces, we gear up to face world where we must meet variety of responsibilities and wear variety of hats. As result, most people wear the masks that help them rise to the occasion and meet the manifold pressures they are required to perform. Public speaking has been touted as the number-one fear known to man. Yes, people are more afraid of speaking publicly than falling into pit of live snakes, bungee jumping, or—in some cases—even dying! You've heard people say, "I'd rather die!" Fear of speaking in public is common phenomenon in many cultures. How comfortable do you feel expressing yourself in front of group? How would you rate your public communication effectiveness on scale of one through eight, with eight being exceptional?

Public Communication is the act of communicating publicly in private or open forum, whether to inform, persuade, or entertain. There are a variety of communication circumstances that require we speak publicly whether we want to or not. Interviewing, department meetings, business gatherings, and performance appraisals are all circumstances most of us will find ourselves in at some point during our adult lives. It is with this fifth ...