You Got This! Becoming Confident in Public Speaking is an empowering, practical guide designed to help individuals overcome fear, build confidence, and communicate effectively in a variety of speaking situations. Written by educator and leader Dr. Ayanna L. Bridges, the book combines real-world strategies with encouragement and relatable insight, making it especially accessible for students, professionals, and emerging leaders.
The publication focuses on breaking down the barriers that often prevent people from speaking with confidence, such as anxiety, self-doubt, and lack of preparation, and replacing them with actionable tools. Readers are guided through foundational skills, including organizing thoughts, developing a strong message, engaging an audience, and delivering with clarity and presence.
Dr. Ayanna Bridges is a Coordinator, Instructor, and Honors Program Director at Metropolitan Community College - Maple Woods. She has over 26 years of teaching experience over several universities and community colleges.
Chapter 1: Introduction into Public Speaking
Chapter 2: Conquering Anxiety
Chapter 3: Maintaining Ethics
Chapter 4: The Listening Component of Speaking
Chapter 5: Analyzing the Audience
Chapter 6: Topic Selection, Purpose Building and Thesis Statements
Chapter 7: Locating and Citing Credible Sources
Chapter 8: Introductions/Conclusion
Chapter 9: Planning the Body of your Speech
Chapter 10: Delivery: Language, Voice, Body
Chapter 11: Presentational Aids
Chapter 12: Types of Speeches