Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Public Speaking

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Public Speaking

Public speaking entails communicating thoughts, presenting ideas, and sharing information. It requires that the speaker use proper verbal and nonverbal communication skills to capture the audience’s attention and ensure that the right message is delivered. Verbal communication involves effectively presenting thoughts through talking (“What Is Verbal Communication?”, 2020). Conversely, nonverbal communication involves sending and receiving wordless cues; it comprises encoding and decoding processes. Encoding involves generating information such as facial expressions, gestures, or postures, while decoding entails interpreting information from sensations of prior experiences (David John et al., 2017).

A speaker’s speech, presentation, and communication should be in sync. Accordingly, the speaker’s verbal statements should match their nonverbal communication. Consequently, when the speaker’s verbal and nonverbal communication do not match, the audience could doubt or get the wrong message. For instance, once, my partner gave a speech about preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, when delivering the speech about the severity of HAIs, including high morbidity and mortality rates, he kept smiling and using the word “you”. Consequently, the audience received a negative tone that they were being blamed for the HAI incidences as the speaker kept on saying “you”. The audience was also insulted because they felt the speaker did not take HAIs seriously and was wasting their time, so they all left the conference hall.

Several communication strategies could be adapted in the case presented to improve the speaker’s communication integration. Firstly, speakers should employ the appropriate body language. For example, they should hold their head up, keep an open stance, place their palms up, and make eye contact with the audience (Guarino, 2015). Body language is the most significant aspect of communication because it complements verbal communication (David John et al., 2017). In addition, speakers should maintain a positive tone to persuade, inspire, or influence the audience. For instance, the speaker could have said, “we should implement prevention and control interventions and improve antibiotic use at hospitals since these strategies are critical for reducing HAIs.” This statement shows a connection between the speaker and the audience; besides, like Oprah Winfrey said, “Great communication begins with a connection.”

References

David John, A., Nagarajan, G., & Arthi, M. (2017). Non Verbal Communication in Public Speaking. International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Literature, 5(2), 97-100.

Guarino, J. (2015). Public Speaking: The Verbal & Non-Verbal. Institute of Public Speaking. Retrieved 9 June 2022, from https://www.instituteofpublicspeaking.com/public-speaking-verbal-non-verbal/.

What Is Verbal Communication?. Harappa. (2020). Retrieved 9 June 2022, from https://harappa.education/harappa-diaries/verbal-communication-and-its-types/.

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Verbal and nonverbal communication in public speaking
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Part I
Integrated communication refers to the energy public speakers bring to their presentation through the excitement of their voice, the sincerity of their faces, their body language and gestures, and the intensity of their connection with listeners. When used together, these dimensions of integrated communication can create a powerful public speech. When communication is not integrated, a public speaker’s verbal communication often does not match his or her nonverbal signals. For example, imagine a news anchor who smiles while talking about an accident caused by a drunk driver or a speaker persuading an audience to travel to Hawaii with a monotone voice and lacklustre appearance.

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Public Speaking

Part II

Respond to the following questions, and if it’s relevant, include your own personal experience:

Think about how you feel when your communication partner’s verbal statements clearly don’t match his/her nonverbal communication. What message does the audience receive when this happens with a speaker?
Give an example of when you experienced this, and explain what could have been done to improve the speaker’s communication integration. If you have never experienced this, think about the examples provided here and explain the steps public speakers in general, should take to ensure their verbal communication matches their nonverbal signals.