Portfolio

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Start Stop Continue: Shark Tank Edition

Start:

• I need to start using more tone fluctuation in my speaking. I work as a server so adjusting my voice to each specific customer, i.e. old lady, tourist family from Asia, or bro, is key to receiving a quality tip. Being privy to when I should alter my voice, depending on the circumstance, will enhance my communication in business and basically any situation. 
• Furthermore, coinciding my hand gestures with my tone fluctuation will only improve my communication skills. When classmates such as Canyon and Jake speak they are very expressional with their speaking, meaning that they excel at using non verbal methods to further stamp their point upon the audience. This is something that I noticed from a variety of my peers throughout the semester, such as Perez and Foschman. 

Stop:

• I need to stop being tentative with my the volume of my speaking while I am presenting. If I am louder, and more assertive, I will be more persuasive. Thus, increasing my credibility in whatever situation I am using public speaking. 
• Procrastinating on preparing for speeches. I need to stop doing this so I have time to practice and be fully accustomed to the material. This will allow me to have a better grasp of the subject that I am presenting. 
• I need to get rid of my pre-speech anxiety. If I can get rid of this, I can focus on using all of the the speech enhancers that we have learned about (i.e. tone, hand gestures, ect.) 
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Continue: 

• Using the variety of methods that I have picked up during this course. Zach, you did a great job letting each one of us grow as a public speaker in our own way. Not restricted by rules of the class. This is something that I really appreciate of you as a teacher. 
• Some of the methods I learned from class and by watching my classmates present are:
• Being passionate ~ Daisy and Beer Bike Homie/ Slamming Folder Dude were the people in this class who stood out to me in this category. They always appeared like the subject they were discussing was very important to them.  This is something that I want to replicate in my public speaking. I feel like it enhances your ethos as a speaker when you appear passionate about something. Recently, I've been using this in while serving. In my opinion, when I appear passionate in talking about the course we serve, the customer tends to become more exuberant about their meal. Again, leading to more tips. 
• Practice, Practice, and MO Practice ~ Canyon was the one classmate of mine that really was effective at practicing the speech beforehand. I believe that this had a direct effect on him receiving some of the highest grades on each speech. In the future, I am going to focus on being prepared for any public speaking situation I'm in, by actually practicing numerous times beforehand. 
• Being Confidant ~ To quote Wu Tang Clan's Method Man, talking about something Biggie Smalls told him, "personality and confidence is a Ma' fucka with the ladies" In terms of public speaking, I need to continue being confident with myself when I am giving a speech.  This will help me from being overly nervous, as well as allow me to be comfortable on stage. When I am secure in a situation I am way better at remembering to incorporate hand gestures and tone fluctuations, which is are abilities that I am focusing on increasing. 

p.s. Thanks for a great year Zach. I absolutely despised this class when I took it at KU.  Your hands on approach to the class taught me way more about public speaking, than some class I paid a shit ton of money for.