Audience Contact in Public Speakers

William R. Gondin and Edward M. Mammen (1981) observe, "Public speaking is an enlarged conversation" (p. 48). While the conventional view of a conversation is that of an exchange of words, a dialogue, public speaking is a more subtle version of the same kind of exchange. The audience usually does not speak (at least not during the speech itself) but nevertheless participates in the discussion by following the speaker's argument, agreeing or disagreeing, and thinking about the points being made.

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r group would not be likely to be accepted as an authority by members of that group; for example, Anita Bryant would not be the best choice to speak about gay rights to a predominantly gay audience, although she would probably be well received by a conservative group opposed to more liberal gay issues. The way in which the message is delivered is also important. If the audience cannot hear the speaker, has trouble understanding the speaker's accent, or is distracted by the speaker's delivery, an exchange is unlikely. Gary W. Hankins (1991, January 7) cites the example of the chief executive of an aerospace firm: "He continued in the same dull, distant monotone, even when he announced, 'If I sound enthusiastic, it is because I am enthusiastic'" (p. 42). The best speakers are good performers, using a variety of gestures, humor, energy, and rapport to establish contact with the audience. Hankins (1991, January 7) suggests, "Look at everyone during your presentation. This lets the audience know you are talking to them, not merely reciting something for your own benefit. It also enables you to judge audience reaction and tailor your remarks accordingly" (p. 42). Jaffe (1995) contends that the speaker-listener relationship is p
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Approximate Word count = 1324
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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