A521.3.4.RB - Credibility

Select one of the Whalen pillars that represent the area you feel you need the most development in, to increase credibility with your organizational followers. Reflect on why you think you need development on the selected pillar and create an action plan to improve it.

Out of the the five pillars of credibility described by Whalen (2017), the one that I need to develop further is the application of 'dynamism.' This aspect of credibility is communicated through enthusiasm in order to persuade people. However, this definition of enthusiasm is not necessarily based on intense emotions, but rather showing the passion for the topic at hand. This particular method of engagement shows the care an individual has for a particular subject. However, my issue is being able to overcome anxiety and introversion in speaking to a group of people that I am unfamiliar with. Within my circle of colleagues at work, this is not much of a problem, but when I have to present my work in a forum or at a conference my thoughts come across as incoherent and I end up getting a sense of stage fright and can lose my train of thought from the gaze of the audience. I have the passion for my work, but being able to translate it in an open forum that is difficult for me to overcome. The question is, how do you show people your passion for work when you become too anxious to deliver a smooth, free-flowing presentation in a credible manner?

The initial step for any presentation is to prepare and rehearse key points in order to drive the main ideas home to your audience. That is common practice, but what do you do if you have stage fright and cannot seem to keep it together in front of a crowd? For myself, I have learned that it is okay to use notes or an index card to help keep tension or shakiness down. This is also suggested by Kearns (2013) by using a podium and to avoid unsteady gestures because of the distraction that it can create. Sometimes, I can get through a good amount of the presentation, but then midway through I have a blip in communication. By having these index cards can help to guide me back to the main topic instead of going astray or having uncomfortable silence.

To add credibility in a more sincere manner, it also helps if you admit in front of an audience that you are nervous, but you are passionate about the topic at hand. By admitting it through self-disclosure it helps to release some inner stress and allows the audience to be more empathetic as well. According to McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009, p. 26), self-disclosure helps to improve communication, gives more energy from not having to hide emotions, and lightens uncomfortable feelings. This helps to clear any misinterpretations of shyness or anxiety for lack of knowledge. Furthermore, on a subconscious level, it helps to calm my anxiety because admitting it allows it to be expressed and not bottled up internally.

In order to keep on improving my credibility, I will have to keep on pushing myself to present more even if I feel uncomfortable doing so. By doing so, I hope to become more desensitized in front of an audience. The more I am in front of a crowd, the more my anxiety will decrease, and the more likely that I will be able to express dynamism in my presentations. It is important for me to keep on practicing and applying small features that I have learned such as using index cards or self-disclosing anxiety to be more genuine so that I can speak freely without losing my thought-process in front of an audience. Some other techniques that I need to be cognizant of moving forward is to avoid making apologies in my presentation and to avoid using filler words. This is described by Kearns (2013) because it detracts from the credibility of a presenter by bringing the focus on an unnecessary distractions. Nonetheless, although dynamism does not come as naturally to me as I would like, I should be able to increase my ability at conveying this aspect of credibility through pushing myself to present more to become more secure doing so.

References

Kearns, K. (2013, August 3). You don't have to imagine their underwear! Seven tips to becoming  dynamic presenter. Attard Communications, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/dynamic.htm

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The communication skills book (3rd ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Whalen, J.D. (2007). The professional communications toolkit. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.