School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 1 MGMT20017 Effective Business Communications Module 2 Oral Presentations— Communicating with an Audience Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Forms of Speaking .................................................................................................................................. 2 Communication Apprehension ............................................................................................................... 2 Overcoming Communication Apprehension .......................................................................................... 5 Preparing to Write a Speech ................................................................................................................... 5 Organising Your Speech ......................................................................................................................... 7 The Format of a Presentation .................................................................................................................. 7 Informative speaking .......................................................................................................................... 8 Persuasive speaking ............................................................................................................................ 9 Evidentiary Support .............................................................................................................................. 10 Transitions ............................................................................................................................................ 11 The Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Delivery and Visual Aids ...................................................................................................................... 11 A Proposal ............................................................................................................................................. 12 A Sales Presentation ............................................................................................................................. 12 Training Presentations and Adult Learning .......................................................................................... 12 Presenting a Report ............................................................................................................................... 13 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 17 References ............................................................................................................................................. 17 School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 2 Introduction In business and professional settings you will at some point be required to present information orally. Vocational presentations take many forms such as: a report to your co- workers, a sales presentation to a potential client, a brief to your team about a project, a conference presentation at an annual industry conference, a training session to employees, an interview of a candidate for employment, or a motivational video for all employees. Vocational presentations when done correctly are extremely effective, but when done poorly waste time and money. This module is designed to enhance your ability to deliver sophisticated effective oral presentations. The specific purpose of module 2 is to help you:  Reduce communication apprehension  Prepare to write an oral presentation  Research the topic of an oral presentation.  Engage your audience by effective measures  Discuss specific types of vocational presentations Forms of Speaking To begin there are three forms of public speaking. Impromptu presentations are composed and delivered on the spot without the aid of pre-written notes. Politicians in press conferences are required to speak impromptu. On the other hand, extemporaneous presentations are prepared in advance and delivered with the aid of basic notes . Your training presentation assessment is an extemporaneous speaking event . Verbatim speeches are delivered from a prepared manuscript or by memory. Organisational spokespersons will deliver prepared statements during times of crisis or change. If you have memorised your speech and are able to deliver it without notes, then you are again speaking verbatim. Communication Apprehension Communication apprehension refers to “an individual’s level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (McCroskey, 1977). For example, if you have been short listed for a job interview you may be apprehensive about doing the interview. Likewise, if you have a job review with your immediate supervisor you may, again, feel communication apprehension. Communication apprehension is very much an individual trait. Some people have little to no communication apprehension, but for others this is a very real issue. Communication apprehension is commonly associated with public speaking. There are a number of issues that affect communication apprehension. First is the novelty of the situation. In novel situations an individual may have an increased level of uncertainty because they do not know how to act. If you have never given a public presentation before, then this factor may be a cause of your communication apprehension. The level of formality is also an issue. Formal situations tend to be associated with high levels of prescribed behaviours with little latitude for deviation. Informal situations tend to be associated with less rigid behavioural rules and much wider latitude of acceptable behaviours. If you participate in a formal meeting you may be apprehensive because you are not sure how to behave. Communication apprehension is increased in formal situations because of the narrower confines for acceptable behaviour. A third factor is the status of the audience. Oftentimes appropriate behaviour is defined by the person holding the higher situation. Therefore, communication apprehension is often higher for the person in the subordinate School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 3 level. Chances are, if you have a meeting with your supervisor, she will be the one choosing what topics will be discussed. Conspicuousness is another factor. Conspicuousness refers to standing out so as to be clearly visible. Giving a public presentation is a highly conspicuous event. Generally, the more conspicuous a person feels then the higher his or her level of communication apprehension. Unfamiliarity with the audience is also a factor relating to communication apprehension. As the degree of familiarity increases, the degree of communication apprehension decreases. However, peer evaluation may have the opposite effect. Although you are familiar with your peers you worry about appearing before them as less than credible. Similarly, dissimilarity with the audience may also be a factor. As the degree of perceived dissimilarity increases, the degree of communication apprehension increases. Dissimilarity with your audience may be an issue during intercultural communication events. Lastly is the degree of attention from others. When people stare at us or totally ignore us when we are communicating, our communication apprehension increases rapidly. The following activity helps you understand the context of your communication apprehension. School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 4 Managing Communication Apprehension Self-Assessment: Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) This instrument is composed of twenty-four statements concerning feelings about communicating with others. Please indicate the degree to which each statement applies to you by marking whether you: Strongly Disagree = 1; Disagree = 2; Are Neutral = 3; Agree = 4; Strongly Agree = 5 1. I dislike participating in group discussions. 2. Generally, I am comfortable while participating in-group discussions. 3. I am tense and nervous while participating in-group discussions. 4. I like to get involved in-group discussions. 5. Engaging in a group discussion with new people makes me tense and nervous. 6. I am calm and relaxed while participating in group discussions. 7. Generally, I am nervous when I have to participate in a meeting. 8. Usually, I am comfortable when I have to participate in a meeting. 9. I am very calm and relaxed when I am called upon to express an opinion at a meeting. 10. I am afraid to express myself at meetings. 11. Communicating at meetings usually makes me uncomfortable. 12. I am very relaxed when answering questions at a meeting. 13. While participating in a conversation with a new acquaintance, I feel very nervous. 14. I have no fear of speaking up in conversations. 15. Ordinarily I am very tense and nervous in conversations. 16. Ordinarily I am very calm and relaxed in conversations. 17. While conversing with a new acquaintance, I feel very relaxed. 18. I'm afraid to speak up in conversations. 19. I have no fear of giving a speech. 20. Certain parts of my body feel very tense and rigid while giving a speech. 21. I feel relaxed while giving a speech. 22. My thoughts become confused and jumbled when I am giving a speech. 23. I face the prospect of giving a speech with confidence. 24. While giving a speech, I get so nervous I forget facts I really know. Source: McCroskey, J. C. (1982). An introduction to rhetorical communication (4th Ed). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 5 Overcoming Communication Apprehension Practice is something that you will need to do. If possible practice your presentation in front of others. In addition, you should focus upon success. Tell yourself that you are going to do well. This is your intrapersonal communication telling you that you can give a professional presentation. As discussed below familiarise yourself with the situation. This way you can minimise the potential for ‘nasty surprises’. Also try to relax. You may want to practice deep breathing through your nose. Lastly, put communication apprehension in perspective. Communication apprehension is normal and it will not ‘kill you’. Effective public communicate publicly is a highly valuable professional competency. The following information is designed to enhance your ability to engage in public presentations and speeches. The following information describes how to prepare for a presentation Preparing to Write a Speech The key to writing any good speech is preparation. Having decided upon the topic of the speech you then need to think about what you know about this topic. You may know a great deal about this topic. If this is the case then you may not need to do a great deal of additional research. However, it is always a good idea to check to see if there is any new information on the topic. If you know little about the topic then then you will need to conduct further research. You may need to go to the library to do this. At CQU you have access to a number of databases that will help you gain further knowledge of your topic. You may want to have a look and is on to see if there are any books published on your topic. In addition, it may be useful for you to speak with others who have presented similar presentations in the past because they can provide insight and may offer you resources. Next you need to think about what the audience knows about the topic. As a Speaker you need to present material in a way SCORING: Group discussion: 18 - (scores for items 2, 4, & 6) + (scores for items 1, 3, & 5) Meetings: 18 - (scores for items 8, 9, & 12) + (scores for items 7, 10, & 11) Interpersonal: 18 - (scores for items 14, 16, & 17) + (scores for items 13, 15, & 18) Public Speaking: 18 - (scores for items 19, 21, & 23) + (scores for items 20, 22, &24) Group Discussion Score: _______ Interpersonal Score: _______ Meetings Score: _______ Public Speaking Score: _______ To obtain your total score for the PRCA, simply add your sub-scores together. _______ Scores can range from 24-120. Scores below 51 represent people who have very low CA. Scores between 51-80 represent people with average CA. Scores above 80 represent people who have high levels of trait CA. School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 6 that the audience understands. This means that the information is not too technical or too superficial and it is related to the particular audience’s needs and interests. In an ideal situation you are able to get information about the audience’s current knowledge on the topic by asking the audience members themselves or the person who has commissioned you to give the presentation. If you are unable to do this, then you need to make an educated guess about what the particular audience needs are. Lastly, before you begin writing your speech you need to think about the context of the occasion. This may involve understanding what facilities are available. Clearly there is no point in preparing PowerPoint slides if the speaking venue cannot support that technology. You need to have a clear understanding of how long you are expected to speak. There is nothing more annoying for an audience and listening to a Speaker who goes over time. In a similar manner an audience may be disappointed if they expected to receive an hour-long presentation but the Speaker only talks to 15 minutes. Generally speaking, there is an expectation that the Speaker will answer questions. If this is the case, then leave two minutes at the end of the presentation for questions. Also in regards to time, you should check to see if the audience is will be taking a morning tea break or lunch. It is also a good idea to get an estimated head count so you can come to the presentation with enough handouts for everyone attending. As you start to put pen to paper there are a number of questions you need to ask in order to shape what you write. The first question that the Speaker needs to ask him or herself is what is my purpose? All speeches begin with a clear statement of general purpose. The general purpose is a broad statement relating to what it is the Speaker wishes to accomplish or achieve with the presentation. There are a number of different general purposes for giving a speech. For example, you could wish to inform the audience about a particular topic or subject. In this instance you would be expanding the audience’s knowledge of the topic with which they are familiar. Alternatively, you could facilitate the audience’s understanding of new information and skills. Another type of general purpose is persuasion. If you are seeking to persuade then you are trying to change the audiences’ attitudes or behaviours. Other types of general purposes would include to entertain, to promote change, to introduce, to actuate, to tell, to convince, to show, to inspire and/or to clarify. The next question a Speaker needs to think about is: what is his or her specifi c purpose? The specific purpose relates to what the Speaker wants the audience to do after having heard the speech. So for example, you may want the audience to feel, to believe, to agree, to appreciate, to support, to act, to understand and/or behave. When you are deciding what your specific purpose is you need to begin with the words: ‘the audience members will’. These words are then followed by a statement relating to audience effect or outcome. So for example, you may want the audience to understand something. Therefore your specific purpose would be: the audience members will understand how to do X. It is important that your specific purpose be clearly defined and related to the audience. Both the specific purpose and the general purpose are important because these statements help you work out your thesis statement, which is the main point of your speech. Having now through these issues, you are ready to write your thesis statement. The thesis is the main point of the speech. Unlike the specific and general purpose, both of which are unstated guidelines for developing the thesis, the thesis is explicitly stated within the actual speech itself. The thesis needs to be clear and to the point. School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 7 Organising Your Speech While there are many types of speeches or presentations, all have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction serves the function of identifying the topic, introducing the Speaker and outlining the structure of the speech. The body of the speech contains distinct main points or topics and provides evidence, statistics, testimony, examples and illustrations to support the main points. The purpose of the conclusion is to remind the audience what they have heard. The following information describes these parts of the presentation in more detail. In the listening and nonverbal module we discussed how easier it is for audience members to stop listening to a Speaker even before he or she begins speaking. The purpose of the introduction it is to give the audience a reason to listen to the speech in its entirety. The introduction has five parts. These parts are the attention-getting statement, the exigency of the topic, the Speakers ethos, the thesis statement, and a preview of the main point. And attention-getting statement is an initial statement that draws the audience’s attention to the topic. In doing this you may wish to use a rhetorical question, an interesting statistic, the humorous story or a quotation. The introduction should also provide the audience with a very specific reason to listen to the speech. In doing this you need to show that the topic is important and that it relates to the audience. This is the exigency of the topic. If the audience members sees no importance and does not understand how material relates to them then they will not listen. In addition the audience needs to see that the Speaker is knowledgeable about the topic. This is the ethos of the Speaker, which we have talked about in the module on argumentation and persuasion. In some instances the audience will already know that the Speaker is credible to speak on the topic. In situations such as this then it is not necessary to overtly state the Speaker’s credibility on the topic. In other situations the audience does not know if the Speaker is credible to speak on the topic. If this is the case, then it is incumbent upon the Speaker to explicitly state his/her ethos in order to establish his /her credibility. Finally, the introduction should state thesis and preview the main points that the Speaker will be covering in the body of the speech. At a minimum the body of the speech needs to contain three distinct main points, evidence, or illustrations of each of the main points and transition statements. The main points are specific explications of the thesis statement. The type of topic informs the structure of a speech. Speeches that inform or entertain are generally chronological, sequential, spatial or topical. Persuasive speaking often follows a problem solution structure, Monroe’s motivated sequence or a comparative advantage format. These formats are discussed in the following section. The Format of a Presentation There are two primary purposes for delivering a presentation--that is to inform and audience or to persuade an audience. The following information explores these to purposes. School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 8 Informative speaking Informative speeches tell an audience about a particular topic or subject. Please watch this video as it introduces you to informative speaking. The chronological format is a very common format for informative speeches. Here the information is presented based upon an order of events over time. For example past, present and future. Another informative format is the sequential format. This format should be used in talking about a series or order of events. This format is especially useful when explaining a process. For example, if you were explaining how to put something together then you would sequentially order the speech in terms of first thing to do, second thing to do, third thing to do forth thing to do. The spatial format presents the information with regard to arrangement in space. So, for example, you could use this format to describe where something is physically located. This format is especially useful if you need to describe how the parts fit within a whole. So if you were giving an informative speech about food production in Australia you could arrange your speech based upon the individual states and territories and the food produced in each. Lastly is the topical format. The topical format arranges information based upon themes or categories all logical breaks within the information and is probably the most common presentation format. The table below provides a brief outline of each format Chronological Format Spatial Format Topical Format Topic: CQU-Past Present and Future Introduction Body I. CQU in the beginning II. CQU now III. CQU in the future Conclusion Topic: Gourmet Food Products in Australia Introduction Body I. Queensland II. New South Wales III. Victoria IV. ACT V. Tasmania VI. South Australia Conclusion Topic: Australia a Tourist Destination of Choice Introduction Body I. The Beaches II. The Great Barrier Reef III. Shopping Opportunities IV. National Parks V. Sporting Events Conclusion Table 2.1 Informative Speaking https://www.youtube.com/v/AKuv8s00ApE#Informative%20Speeches:%20%20How%20to%20Wri te%20an%20Informative%20Speech School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 9 Persuasive speaking Persuasive speaking attempts to get the audience to behave or believe differently from that which they have though or behaved like in the past. Please watch this video on Persuasive speaking. There are three general persuasive structures. The easiest one to use is the problem solution format. If using this format the Speaker would first establish that the problem exists. Problems can be either qualitative or quantitative in nature or a combination of the two. A qualitative problem relates to the general well-being of affected individuals and groups. A quantitative problem pertains to the scope, that is to say how many people are affected by the problem. When discussing the problem it may be useful to talk about the causes of the problem unless they are obvious, recognised or accepted by the audience. The causes of the problems should not be the main focus of the speech. Instead the causes provide background information about the problem, which is the presentation’s focus. The solution part of the speech focuses upon solving the problem. In doing so it may be necessary to describe who implements the solution, the costs of the solution and the benefits and drawbacks. Another persuasive format is the comparative advantage structure. This format would only be used if the audience all agrees and accepts that the problem exists and the specifics of the problem. If this is the case, a Speaker would discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a number of solutions to the problem as a way of demonstrating how one particular solution is better or more advantageous than others. Table 2.2 provides a brief outline of these formats. Table 2.1 Problem-Solution Format Comparative-Advantage Format Topic: CEO are paid too much money Introduction Body I. The is a problem The qualitative significance of the problem The quantitative significance of the problem II. The problem is caused by III. There is a solution to the problem The solution can and will work The solution will not create new or additional problems Conclusion Topic: Your company should buy our brand X rather than the competitors brand Y Introduction Body I. Brand X is better than Brand Y because it is more reliable Evidence II. Brand X is better than Brand Y because it is better value Evidence III. Brand X is better than Brand Y because it ethically resourced Evidence Conclusion Persuasive Speaking https://www.youtube.com/v/9nSkYtKs9qc#How%20to%20Write%20a%20Persuasive%20Speech: %20%20Understanding%20Principles%20of%20Persuasion School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 10 The last common persuasive format is Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. This is a particularly useful persuasive format. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence has five parts: attention, need, satisfaction, visualisation, and action. This format is especially useful if you wish to persuade the audience to undertake a particular course of action. The attention part introduces the problem to the audience, while the need part of the speech is presented as the first main point in the body of the speech. Here, the Speaker talks about the problem in terms of the audience needs and interest. It is paramount to demonstrate the impact of the problem upon the audience and the serious and important nature of the problem. The satisfaction part of this format addresses the solution to the problem. In this regard, the Speaker should identify a solution that responds directly to the problem, and talk about the relevance and feasibility of the solution. If necessary the Speaker may want to talk about some of the ethical implications involved in the solution. The visualisation part of format shows the benefits or advantages of adopting the Speaker’s solution to the problem. The last part of this type of speech is the action part. In this part the Speaker outlines a particular course of action or behaviours that he or she wishes the audience to undertake or enact. Evidentiary Support All presentations irrespective of the adopted format need to include evidentiary support. Evidentiary or supporting materials take the form of examples, statistics, testimony and illustrations. Examples are designed to further clarify the Speaker’s point. It is important that examples are representative of a group, class or model. To give a simple example: if you were giving a speech on how to knit a blanket you wouldn’t use an example of a tapestry. While both a knitted blanket and a tapestry are made of wool there are other significant differences that render the tapestry as a poor example of how to knit a blanket. Statistics are numeric facts. It is important that your statistics are up-to-date and come from a credible source. Tables, graphs, or charts can visually communicate statistical information and are often easier for the audience to understand than just orally presenting statistical information. Testimony is a statement or account of an event that serves as evidentiary support. Testimony should be first-hand. This means that the person you are quoting has personally experienced or witnessed an event or is an expert in his or her field. Tes timony is particularly useful because it allows you to personalise the information. While it is one thing to talk about the hardship Australian farmers are currently experiencing, it is another thing to cite the words of a farmer who is personally experiencing these hardships. Lastly, illustrations are visual images of something in the form of pictures, drawings, or photographs. Like testimony, illustrations personalise your message. Generally speaking your speech will carry more weight if you use a variety of evidentiary support Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Attention-Gain the audience’s interest Need—Describe the problem Satisfaction—Show how the solution will solve or respond to the need Visualisation—Help the audience paint a visual ‘picture’ of the solution Action—Encourage the audience to act in a specific manner School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 11 Transitions In addition to the previously described elements, speeches should also include transitions. Transitions, or signposts as they are sometimes called, connect one point to another. When you write an essay the use of paragraphs is a signpost of changing topic. In a speech you do not have paragraphs so you need to signpost the changes in topic verbally. The transition needs to signal to the listener that the Speaker has finished talking about one point and is now moving on to discuss another. A transition may be as simple as: ‘the second point is’ or ‘moving on to my next point’. The Conclusion The last part of the speech is the conclusion. As we have already discussed people listening to an oral presentation notoriously bad for forgetting what they have heard. Although you have previewed your main points in the introduction and discussed in the body of the speech it is still wise to remind the audience members what they have listened to in the conclusion. In addition you need to restate your thesis. Often times the thesis is one of the few things that people remember after listening to a presentation. Lastly you need to conclude your speech. In this regard you need to develop a final statement that signals to the audience that you have finished speaking. Delivery and Visual Aids The last two aspects of public speaking and presentations are delivery and visual aids. The importance of delivery cannot be understated. While good delivery cannot save an absolutely hideous presentation but it does go a long way to enhance speeches of mediocre content and has the capacity to make speeches of an excellent content truly memorable. When thinking about your delivery you need to think about speaking clearly, speaking slowly and speaking at volume that allows all those present to hear what you are saying. If you are worried about volume, then you should look into getting a microphone for your presentation. Again, think back to the discussion of the speaking occasion or context. The statement ‘practice makes perfect’ definitely applies here. The more you practice your speech, the more comfortable you will be when you deliver it. Please watch this video on using non-verbal communication during presentations. Visual aids are also powerful parts of an oral presentation. Visual aids can demonstrate how something is done, what something looks like and in some cases the relationship between the topics. There are a number of types of visual aids. Photographs, as already noted, have the capacity to visually demonstrate the personal issue of the topic upon which you speak. In addition, visually demonstrating a process can be especially instructive. Furthermore, getting the audience to participate in the demonstration draws them in and explicitly shows them what to do. Diagrams are representations of objects, properties or processes, while lists and Nonverbal Communication and Delivery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFLjudWTuGQ School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 12 tables can be used summarise numeric information. You can make professional -looking tables, graphs, and charts using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. It is important if you are using tables cross and charts that the audience can easily understand what you are trying to communicate. It is also important that you explain this information to the audience. You do not want your audience sitting there trying to figure out what is contained in a preceding chart while you off talking about the next topic. PowerPoint and Prezi are common means of conveying information. Remember if you are using presentation software make sure that the slides do not contain too much or too little information. As a courtesy if you are using presentation software print out the slides for the audience. A Proposal A proposal is a presentation in which you ask the audience to take specific action. Introduce the problem and ddemonstrate the nature of the problem in terms that the audience will understand. Then you would show undesirable consequences of the problem. If necessary, highlight the ethical dimensions of the situation. Then provide causal analysis of the situation. Provide a solution. And describe the positive consequences of your proposal. Show how your proposal will avoid bad consequences. Lastly, address the feasibility of your proposal in terms of implementation and required resources (financial, technical, human). When presenting a proposal you could use the problem solution format or Monroe’s motivated sequence. A Sales Presentation A sales presentation endeavors to persuade another to purchase a product or service. A training presentation describes or instructs another about an object, process, skill or body of knowledge. Establish client relationships before your presentation. Put your clients’ needs first. Listen to your clients. Emphasize the benefits and not the features. Before you start your sales presentation you would need to create a brief which is responsive to the following questions:  Who is my specific customer?  What particular needs or problems does this customer have?  What are the strong points and the weak points of my product?  Who are my competitors?  What are the strong points and the weak points of the competitors’ products?  How does my product compare the competitors’ products?  How does my product benefit/solve the problem of the specific customer? Training Presentations and Adult Learning Training is a planned effort by an organisation to facilitate employees' knowledge of and ability to perform job-related competencies. The objective of a training presentation is for the participants to. Acquire more knowledge about their job. To gain new skills and/or increase their present skills. When you deliver vocational presentations you do so to an audience of adults. Adult learning differs from childhood learning in six specific ways (.Knowles, 1980; Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2005;. Ota, DiCarlo, Burts, Laird, & 1. Need to know 2. Self-concept 3. Experience 4. Readiness to learn 5. Orientation to learning 6. Motivation School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 13 Gioe, 2006). In the first place, adults have a need to know. This means that their learning needs to meet their specific needs. This means that adults will undertake learning because the need the information rather than wanting to know new information. So for example you take a training course about how to use specific software because you need to rather than you want to learn new information. In addition, adult learning is relevant to them. This means that the learning has some practical application. While it may be interesting to take a class in flower arranging, this information is probably not all that relevant to your life at the moment. Furthermore adult want to learning information that helps them achieve their goals. If you want to be a more effective manager then you would enroll in an MBA program because the courses offered will help you to achieve this goal. Secondly, adult learnings have a particular self-concept. Adult learners must be self-motivated. No one is going to make adults learn. Also, adult learners like to be self-directed. This means they would want more control over their learning process, than would say a high school student. Adult learners also like to have some discretion in making decisions about their learning. A third characteristic of adult learners is that the come to the learning process with prior knowledge and experiences. Tapping into this knowledge and experiences allows the instructor to engage with the adult learners. A fourth aspect of adult learners is that they become ready to learn when they have identified information or a topic that they want to know more able because it somehow connects with their life/work experiences. Therefore it becomes incumbent on the trainer to reinforce the applicability of the information to the audiences’ life/work experiences. The fifth aspect of adult learning is that adult learners want to learn by means of relevant problem- centered learning. Again, knowledge that is practical and useful to them will be more readily received than knowledge which is not. Lastly, while some adult learns are motivated by extrinsic rewards such as the potential for a higher salary or a better job; internal motivations such as self- esteem, job-satisfaction or personal development are the best forms of motivation. If you are giving a training presentation you will need to write a brief responding to the following questions:  What is the audience's current knowledge, skills-base and abilities?  What does the audience want to know?  What is the goals statement?  What are the learning objectives? Presenting a Report If you are orally presenting a report then you will not need to prepare a brief because you have all of the information in the form of the written report. Reports are important because organisations make decisions based upon the findings of reports. Oftentimes decision makers do not have the time to read an entire report and will make their decision based upon the presentation of the report findings. This means that the oral presentation of the report needs to be clear and accurate. When presenting the findings of a report you will probably use a topical format which is responsive to the following questions:  Who authorised the report:  What was the problem or issue addressed in the report?  What was the scope of the report?  What methodology was used to collect the data used in the report?  Who were the sources of the data?  How was the data analysed? (maybe not necessary it the audience is aware of the background and is able to understand the data ) School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 14  How have important definitions been defined (again, if the audience is knowledgably then this information will not need to be included)  What are the limitations of the study?  What are the findings/results of the study?  Recommendations for actions (if required) Impromptu Topics Impromptu speaking is a speech event in which you present your topic to an audience without much preparation. If you can’t think of a topic, please pick one of the following topics. You will be given 5-10 minutes to think about your presentation. You are welcome to jot down a few notes to help you with your presentation, using the sentence level speech outline provided below. Sports A pet A holiday A birthday Food A boss A job A teacher Family A movie A book Communication Managerial skills A product A problem School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 15 Speech Outline INTRODUCTION: Captures the audience’s attention_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Give the audience reasons to listen:________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Establishes the speaker’s qualifications (if necessary):___________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Introduces the thesis and previews the content: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ (TRANSITION) BODY: Main point 1:___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Evidence: School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 16 _____________________________________________________________________ (TRANSITION) Main point 2:___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Evidence: _____________________________________________________________________ (TRANSITION) Main point 3:___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Evidence: _____________________________________________________________________ (TRANSITION) CONCLUSION: Reviews thesis and main points:_______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Concludes with effective closing statement:____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ School of Business and Law CQUniversity Australia ǀ CRICOS Provider Code: 02219C MGTS20017 ǀ Module 1 ǀ Page | 17 You will need to hand in an outline of your training presentation. There is a copy of an outline in the ‘assessment book’. This video provides you with additional information on how and why to use a speech outline. Conclusion Giving a public speech or a presentation is hard, but it does involve a lot of work and practice and at some time you will be required to deliver a presentation. This module is designed to enhance your ability to deliver sophisticated and effective vocat ional presentations. Communicating to an audience can be a daunting task for some and understanding and controlling your communication apprehension is important. In addition, you need to prepare your presentation—very rarely will you be called to present impromptu. As you research the topic of your presentation, you need to think about developing a clear sense of your general and specific purpose. Furthermore, you will need to think about your main points and supporting evidence—remember as you prepare you presentation always keep the audience in mind. Depending upon your task you will have one of two purposes—to inform or to persuade. Informative and persuasive speaking have different formats and you will have to pick the one that is response to your specific rhetorical context. Having now decided what to say, you need to think about how to say it. By using excellent delivery you can make your presentation both effective and memorable. References Dwyer, J. (2012), The Business Communication Handbook. 9th Ed. Pearson Australia Knowles, M., Holton, E. F. III, & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier. Knowles, M. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. Wilton, Connecticut: Association Press. Ota, C., DiCarlo, C. F., Burts, D. C., Laird, R., & Gioe, C. (2006). Training and needs of the adult earner. Journal of Extension [Online], 44(6) Article 6TOT5. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2006december/tt5.php McCrosky, J. C. (1977). Oral communication apprehension. A summary of recent theory and research. Human Communication Research. 4, 78-96. Writing up an Outline https://www.youtube.com/v/vjAtJF24jqs#A%20Public%20Speaking%20Outline%20Example