ABSTRACT
Communication is a two-way street. That means the need to consider the listeners when they are preparing to speak. It's tempting to focus only on themselves: their goals, their fears, and their own interests. If they want to speak so that they reach others, however, then they must construct the speech from the listeners' viewpoint. Throughout the process of developing their speech, always consider the listeners and the occasion. The listeners' expectations and the reasons they have gathered to hear them will influence the choice of topic and the focus of the speech. This chapter examines the steps in the process of speech development, remember that the ultimate goal is to communicate with the listeners. There are no shortcuts to developing speaking confidence. The chapter expresses that self-confidence can be developed by understanding the communication process and through public speaking experience.
