Regardless of how well a speech is researched or written, the audience must believe in the speaker in order to engage. One’s ability to speak confidently is the foundation to establishing that credibility and gaining initial trust from the audience.

In this section, we’ll get an overview of communication apprehension—the anxiety that can accompany speaking situations—and then dive deeper into the causes of this anxiety. Finally, we’ll learn some strategies to reduce communication apprehension and speak with greater confidence.