Communication Apprehension Reduction Strategies...huh??

When I first saw the term of art, Communication Apprehension Reduction Strategies, my very first reaction was not, “Oh yes, must look into that. Good info.” Nor was my reaction, “Ahh, I myself have suffered from this debilitating malady.” No, my first blush comment to myself was, “Huh?” It was not an intellectual response, just an honest one.

There are many amazing and scholarly white papers, essays, lectures, and articles devoted to the topic of minimizing stage fright. Certainly there are books devoted to the subject. My goodness if you get into a discussion group with access to speakers you may come away with as many different ‘fixes’ as there are contributors!

The cautionary tale of this note has nothing to do with stage fright, however. Instead I wish to pass along a word of encouragement to any who find themselves in front of an audience for one reason or another. The encouragement came to me from my friend, Carlos Greene, who co-authored, The Family Goal Planning Guide and Workbook (www.thegoalplanner.com).

In doing an early review of what would become my first book, Embrace: Meditations from a Word of Truth (available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com), Carlos noted that my well researched and thoughtful writing would not appeal to all of Christianity, but instead to a demographic very limited in number. The problem was my choice of words.

In my desire to be as eloquent as possible, I had committed a common mistake.  Carlos rightly suggested the larger audience I sought to reach would understand what I had written, they just might not enjoy reading it. That’s a problem!

Knowing your audience is as important in speaking as it is in writing. When you can express yourself simply, and make your points easily why complicate the message? A sample of the best selling thought leaders (speakers or writers) will reveal a lack of what my Dad would have called ten-dollar words. They make their points convincingly without them.

Unless attending an audience of psychologists in a break-out session on anxiety disorders, one might never come across communication apprehension reduction strategies. But in the world where most of us live, it will not be uncommon at all to discuss stage fright or a fear of public speaking. Make your message simple and easy to adopt. In that simplicity is eloquence we can all appreciate.

Fearlessly,
JD