Oral Communication in Context-Dulla

Oral
Communication in
Context
Grade 11 Senior High School

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Table of Contents
Most Essential Learning Competencies ...............................................................4

Digital Learning Resource Course Titles ..............................................................6
The Art and Science of Communication ...............................................................7
Reflection................................................................................................................... 12
Self-Check for Reflections....................................................................................13
Choosing the Right Interpersonal Communication
Method to Make Your Point.......................................................................13
Reflection................................................................................................................... 19
Do we have a failure to Communicate?.....................................................20
Reflection................................................................................................................... 26
Interacting with Customers.......................................................................27
Reflection................................................................................................................... 34
Choosing the Right Interpersonal Communication
Method to Make Your Point.......................................................................35
Reflection................................................................................................................... 41
Proven Techniques for Technical Communication..................................43
Reflection................................................................................................................ 49
Acting with Diplomacy and Tact................................................................50
Reflection................................................................................................................... 59
Expert Insights on Presentation Skills......................................................60
Reflection................................................................................................................... 78
2
Planning an Effective Presentation...........................................................79
Reflection................................................................................................................... 91
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Oral Communication in Context
Most Essential Learning Competencies*
Grading Most Essential Learning Competencies Learning

Period Resources
S1 Q1 Explains the functions, nature and process of

communication
S1 Q1 Differentiates the various models of

communication
S1 Q1 Uses various strategies in order to avoid

communication breakdown
S1 Q1 Examines sample oral communication activities
S1 Q1 Identifies the various types of speech context.
S1 Q1 Distinguishes types of speeches and speech style
S1 Q1 Responds appropriately and effectively to a speech act
4
S1 Q1 Employs various communicative strategies in different
situations
Explains that a shift in speech context, speech style, speech

act and communicative strategy affects the following:
Language form
Duration of interaction
Relationship of speaker
S1 Q2 Role and responsibilities of the speaker
Message Delivery
Uses principles of effective speech writing focusing on:
Audience profile
Logical organization
Duration
Word choice
Grammatical correctness and Articulation Modulation
Stage Presence
S1 Q2 Facial Expressions, Gestures and Movements Rapport
with the audience
*Based on the Department of Education’s Most Essential Learning Competencies

(MELC) Matrix, May 2020
5
Digital Learning Resource Course Titles
Grading Most Essential Learning Course Title

Period Competencies (www.info.percipio.com)
S1 Q1 Explains the functions, nature and process The Art and Science of
of communication Communication
S1 Q1 Differentiates the various models of Choosing the Right
communication Interpersonal
Communication Method to
Make Your Point
S1 Q1 Uses various strategies in order to Do We Have A Failure to
avoid communication breakdown Communicate?
S1 Q1 Examines sample oral communication Interacting with Customers
activities
S1 Q1 Identifies the various types of speech Choosing the Right
context. Interpersonal
Communication Method to
Make Your Point
S1 Q1 Distinguishes types of speeches and Proven Techniques for
speech style Technical Communication
S1 Q1 Responds appropriately and effectively to Acting with Diplomacy and
a speech act Tact
S1 Q1 Employs various communicative
strategies in different situations
S1 Q2 Explains that a shift in speech context,
speech style, speech act and communicative Expert Insights on
strategy affects the following: Presentation Skills
Language form
Duration of interaction
Relationship of speaker
Role and responsibilities of the speaker
Message Delivery
S1 Q2 Uses principles of effective speech writing
focusing on: Audience profile
Logical organization
Duration Planning an Effective
Word choice Presentation
Grammatical correctness and Articulation
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Modulation
Stage Presence
Facial Expressions, Gestures and
Movements Rapport with the audience
Lesson 1. The Art and Science of Communication
What you can learn and do in this lesson:
1. Explore techniques for connecting with your audience and building trust
with them
2. Communicate your intention clearly and easily understood
3. Practice the basic principles of assertive communication that is positive
and not aggressive
There is a science behind communication, including how we react neuro-

physiologically to others – through verbal communication such as their words
and tone, as well as the non-verbal communication of their actions and body
language. There's also an art to communication, allowing your authentic self to
shine through and allowing the exchange with another person to unfold naturally.
Communication doesn't always come easy – it's both art and science. In this
course, you'll learn how to develop the skills you need to connect with others so
your communication intention is clear and understood. You'll also learn about the
shared responsibility of communication, how to demonstrate interest when
communicating, and how to strengthen a connection by asking questions. And
you'll get an introduction to the basic principles of communicating assertively,
without being aggressive.
A. Sharing the Responsibility of Communication
Sofia is standing with her hands clasped and is anxious.]

JACK: [off screen] Sent you a text, Sofia.
SOFIA: Not sure I understand, Jack.
SULYN: [off screen] I need more time on that report.
SOFIA: Oh. Well, I…I can…
SULYN: [off screen] More time. More time…
JASON: [off screen] We really need to talk about those new hires. I'm so going to
need your help.
SOFIA: Sure, Jason, what do you need? [Sofia is flustered.] Jason? Jason?
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Communication in the workplace should be a two-way street. It's give-and-take.
There are times, however, when one-way communication is fine – simply

answering a question, or confirming facts that are already known. Or keeping
quiet when someone asks for your input. Because where there's zero connection,
there's just a gaping hole where mutual understanding could have been.
It's also not just about what you say. What you do has just as much of an impact.
We think of communication as two-way, but in many ways it's actually four-way!
Intentionally or not, your body language changes what you're saying and how it
comes across. And what you're thinking impacts meaning too. Are you looking
away when you speak? Do you fidget? Are you typing when you're supposed to be
listening? Then there's also what the other person is thinking. And what they're
saying.
Interpersonal communication is complicated like that. But with practice, you

can get better at using your actions, words, tone, and body language to enhance
the way you communicate. Communication is a shared responsibility. Without it,
understanding turns into misunderstanding. But it doesn't have to be that way.
[Sofia and Jason are in a meeting.]

JASON: Are we working together on this?
SOFIA: We're working together on this. [Sofia is pleased.]
JASON: Have I told you how great you are?
B. Making Connections by Communicating from the Brain
How we act toward others – how approachable, authentic, and interested we are
– makes a huge difference when we communicate.
[Sofia and Jack are in a meeting.]
SOFIA: It's about inclusion. It's about approachability.

JACK: All right.
SOFIA: Let's role play. Say we've never met. We're at a…oh, I don't know…a trade
show. You're a big presenter and I'm a client. Everyone knows you and I should
be trying to impress you.
JACK: Okay. [Jack is listening closely to what Sofia is saying.]
SOFIA: Hi, I'm Sofia.
JACK: Jack Doyle, [Sofia and Jack shake hands.] happy to…
(EXCITEDLY) SOFIA: Check it out…isn't that the keynote guy?
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JACK: …meet you. [Jack is confused.]
(OFFHANDEDLY) SOFIA: And you're here because…
JACK: I'm presenting. In the main tent.
SOFIA: Oh…right. [Sofia is unimpressed.] Not good, right?
JACK: Hey. I get it.
We're social beings, right? We like to get along. To be included. It's actually how
brains are wired. Not to oversimplify, but the human brain is essentially split into
two parts – a "new" brain and an "old" brain. The "old" brain is what's left over
from before we were as highly evolved as we are now – or as evolved as we think
we are. But when someone ignores us, talks over us, appears angry, or shouts at
us…you know that knee-jerk response you get that you can't control? That's the
"old" brain, or amygdala, being triggered. When it's in charge, we typically don't
communicate well. We're disorganized, we're acting on impulse.
Then there's the "newer" part of our brain. This part, technically called the
prefrontal cortex, is activated when someone is friendly towards us, when we
pick up on positivity, when someone makes us feel liked, or that we can trust
them. When this part of the brain is in charge, we want to engage with others,
connect, discover. And we're able to do so using what scientists call our
"executive" communication skills – organizing our thoughts, waiting our turn to
talk, retaining information, and regulating our emotions.
So when we communicate, there's a lot going on behind the scenes. And if you
want to be liked, to get along, to make yourself understood, you need to behave in
a way that stimulates the "new" brain, not the old. us feel we belong.
[Back to Sofia and Jack.] (ENTHUSIASTICALLY)

SOFIA: Hey, Jack – great presentation.
JACK: Glad you liked it! [Jack is pleased.]
C. Enhance a Connection by Showing Interest
Interesting people. We're drawn to them. They're curious. Outgoing. Passionate.

Of course, people are also interesting when they are close to us – our children,
say, or our friends. We have a stake in them. Being interested in others more than
yourself, you actually become a better communicator. Being interested in others
helps to build a rapport. Immediately.
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[Sulyn and Jason are drinking coffee together.] (EXCITEDLY)
SULYN: You did what?
JASON: Ran up Mount Washington.
SULYN: Ran.
JASON: Yep. [Jason smiles.]
SULYN: I've heard of driving up. Or hiking, maybe. But how long have we been
working together and you never told me?
JASON: You never asked.
Pay attention to what little details someone may reveal to you. So the next time
you talk to them – instead of the usual, "How are you?" – maybe you can now ask,
"How's the running going?"
D. Strengthen a Connection by Asking Questions
What's the best way of showing interest in people and building rapport? Of
connecting and clarifying? What am I doing right now? That's right – asking
questions!
[Sofia, Jack, Sulyn, and Jason are in a meeting.]

JACK: How are the sessions going, Sofia?
SOFIA: Great!
SULYN: [Sulyn looks up from her paperwork.] Think the team will go for it?
SOFIA: They'll love it.
JASON: If you wanted to change the whole project, what would you do?
SOFIA: Let me think about that.
JACK: How do you take your coffee?
SOFIA: Triple, tall, half sweet, non-fat, caramel macchiato…I think. [Sofia laughs.]
When people ask questions, usually they just want to know more, or they're
looking for clarification on something specific. So think of questions as either
connecting questions or clarifying questions.
So you'd start by asking an easy question as an "opener" like Jack did with Sofia.
But remember – what you ask should be relevant. And remember to clarify. A
good way of doing this is paraphrasing some of what you've been told up to that
point. You could say, "It sounds like you're confident this will work?" But pause
occasionally or wait for an invitation to engage further – you don't want to seem
as if you're cross-examining!
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[Sulyn and Sofia are in a meeting.]
SULYN: So what you're pointing out, Sofia…I'm guessing you don't like the logo?
SOFIA: I don't dislike it…it just could be better.
SULYN: How would you suggest we change it?
SOFIA: I've got a few ideas.
SULYN: Great. I really want to be clear about what needs to be done.
Clarifying questions are crucial in a business environment, because they reinforce

understanding.
E. Communicate Assertively without Being Aggressive
We don't always agree, do we? Not at home, not with our friends, not at work.
And when we have difficult challenges at work, such as giving tough feedback or
managing a conflict, the best way to deal with them is by being assertive. But
assertive communication should be a feature of our everyday behavior – don't
wait for a crisis to be assertive!
[Sofia and Jason are in a meeting.]

JASON: Hey, thanks for trusting me on this one. [Jason smiles.]
SOFIA: You're the right person for it.
JASON: It will be a week before I can get to it.
(DISAPPOINTEDLY) SOFIA: Oh. Really?
(REASSURINGLY) JASON: But if you can wait, I'd be happy to do it.
Notice how Jason made a "no sandwich." He told Sofia he couldn't do the task
until next week, but he "sandwiched" his refusal between positive comments. He
was assertive, but not negative.
So what does assertive behavior look like? Well like Jason, you need to clearly
state what you want or don't want.
Oh, and no matter how difficult – never blame. Part of being assertive means
being accountable. So if there's someone specific whom you need to deal with –
don't back down, chicken out, or ignore the issue.
[Sofia, Sulyn, Jack, and Jason are in a meeting.]

SOFIA: You guys did a great job on the project.
SULYN: Thanks.
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SOFIA: But next time, we're going to need to be faster. [Sofia makes eye contact
with Sulyn, Jack, and Jason in turn.] The customer didn't appreciate it being a
week late.
JACK: We couldn't ship it as it was, Sofia. [Jack is concerned.]
SOFIA: You're right.
JASON: And it was within budget.
SOFIA: Absolutely. So let's build on that and get even better next time. I know we
can do it. [Jason and Sulyn nod approvingly.]
Suffering in silence or agreeing to go along with ideas you can't stomach is

stressful and unproductive. So speak up – assertively, with clarity and sensitivity
– but watch your body language for signs of aggression. When done right,
assertiveness is in everyone's best interest.
Let's review what you learned in this lesson.
1. To connect with others so that your communication intention is clear,

understand that communication is a two-way street and that you share for
responsibility for it;
2. Make connections by showing that you’re friendly and approachable;
3. Enhance connections by demonstrating interest and curiosity;
4. Strengthen rapport by asking relevant questions; and
5. Communicate assertively without being aggressive by clearly stating what

you want and not getting overly emotional.
© Copyright 2020 Skillsoft Ireland Limited - All rights reserved.
Reflection:
Based on the lesson, what did I learn were my strengths in connecting with
others? What are my biggest areas for improvement?
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Self-Check for Reflections
Above Expectations Meets Approaching Below

Expectations Expectations Expectations
4 3 2 1
Your reflection explains The reflection The reflection The reflection
your own thinking and explains your attempts to show does not
learning processes, as thinking about thinking about address your
Reflective well as implications for your own learning learning but is thinking and/
Thinking your future learning. processes. unclear about your or learning.
personal learning
process.
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The reflection The reflection The reflection The reflection
articulates multiple articulates a attempts to articulate does not
connections between connection connections between articulate any
this learning experience between this this learning connection to
and content from other learning experience experience and other learning
courses, past learning, and content from content from other or experiences.
Making another course, courses, past
life experiences and/
Connections past learning
or future goals. learning
experiences, and/ experiences, or
or future goals. personal goals, but
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Lesson 2. Choosing the Right Interpersonal

Communication Method to Make Your Point
Are poor verbal communication skills holding you back? Choosing the right
communication method for the situation has a huge impact on how your message
is received.
When people communicate well, they make it look easy. But it isn't always.
1. Reflect on the importance of letting your intent dictate the

communication method you choose, and how audience characteristics
inform on that decision
2. Make a great face-to-face impression
3. Deliver feedback the right way
A. Let Your Intention Choose Your Communication Method
Think about how you communicate with friends – social media, texting, video
chat, e-mail. From one device or a bunch of them. Does anybody just make a
phone call anymore?
In the workplace we have the same communication options. But in the workplace
we have to be careful about what methods we use. Because choosing the right –
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or wrong – way of communicating can have a huge impact.
[Jack, Sofia, Jason, and Sulyn are in a meeting.]

JACK: Still a problem. [Jack speaks to Sofia.]
SOFIA: How so?
JACK: Changed the font but kept the boring graphics. Didn't go with the new
analytics like I… [Jack looks at Sulyn.]
SULYN: ...like I suggested.
JASON: Hey, I gave them the feedback. [Jason looks at Sofia.]
SOFIA: How?
JASON: How?
SOFIA: Yes, how?
JASON: Uh…a text. [Jason is hesitant. Sofia is annoyed and stares at Jason.]
Choosing the right communication method starts with knowing your intention.
Are you simply informing? Or, like Jason, are you giving feedback – feedback
that, in this case, is critical to a project's success?
In addition to informing or giving feedback, the other main intent of

communication is to influence.
When you're informing, you want a straightforward method that provides the
information in writing, so people can refer to it at their own pace. So text-based
methods – text messages or e-mail – are best. Face-to-face or over the phone?
Less ideal.
Now say you're giving feedback. In that case, you want something that conveys
your tone and feeling. You definitely don't want anything one-sided. Discussion
gives you a better idea of the impact of the message on your audience. So here,
face-to-face is best. If face-to-face isn't possible, you can use the phone as a last
resort. But forget about using a text message – like Jason did – for feedback. Don't
use e-mail. And posting to social media is definitely not appropriate.
Then there's persuading or influencing your audience. For this, you want a
method that lets you use body language and visuals as much as possible. You also
want to invite reactions and responses to your message. So dynamic, visual
methods are ideal here – face-to-face, video conferencing, or a presentation –
though e-mail and social media help you influence your audience too. And again,
you could use the phone if you've no other choice, because it's at least less
impersonal than e-mail. But text messages are a no-no.
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[Sofia and Sulyn are sitting at a table.]
SULYN: Does he get it?
SOFIA: Oh, he gets it now. The thing about Jason is, he doesn't think he's good at
face to face.
SULYN: But he's learning. [Sofia smiles and nods in agreement.]
When communicating, ensure you choose the right tools for the job. Feedback is
best given face to face, whereas information can be conveyed in writing. But
persuasion calls for something highly visual.
B. Your Audience Affects Your Method of Communication
Sulyn and Jason are sitting at a table, drinking coffee.]

SULYN: Think about your audience.
JASON: Sofia? [Jason is confused.]
SULYN: No, not Sofia – the Marketing Department!
JASON: Oh, right.
SULYN: What do they need to know?
JASON: Well, the graphics change…the analytics.
SULYN: Yeah…not "meet you at the restaurant at seven o'clock." [Sulyn is
annoyed.]
JASON: …smiley face.
SULYN: …smiley face?
JASON: I know…needs explanation right?
SULYN: Right. So…
JASON: So…I'll meet them and explain.
SULYN: There you go. [Jason smiles.]
Sulyn knows – and Jason now understands – your audience affects how you
communicate.
You have to know your primary intent when communicating, but there are other
factors to consider. Think about what's best for your audience.
You have to think about emotion. Will your message create an emotionally-
charged situation? Is the person likely to be upset? Angry? Sometimes this may be
obvious, like when you have to break bad news.
But think about it – delivering bad news via text message isn't only a cop-out, it's
also unprofessional.
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[Jack and Jason are sitting at a table.]
JASON: Like a dream
JACK: Yeah?
JASON: Like Sofia said, it's complex stuff. So I set up a meeting. Brought Sulyn in
to facilitate.
JACK: Smart.
Motivating people is a challenge! A lot of motivation comes from the tone and
nuances of speech, body language, and action. Meetings where face-to-face
interaction, dialog, and body language combine with video or graphic
presentations, can motivate in more ways than written communications alone.
And if you want someone to remember something – steps, guidelines, or

instructions – you'll have to describe that info, give your audience something they
can take away and refer back to. People don't always have time to commit
something to memory on the first try.
So consider your audience when deciding how to communicate with them. People
have different needs, and ignoring that can be a mistake you can't afford to make.
C. Make Great Face to Face Communication Connections
When you need to make the biggest impact, nothing beats face-to-face
communication. And the more important the meeting, the greater the stress. So
make sure you go into any face-to-face meeting well prepared, which starts with
knowing how to connect with your audience.

JACK: The whole department's going to be there.
JASON: So don't sweat it. Do what I did with Marketing.
JACK: Which was?
JASON: Well, for one, I practiced.
JACK: In front of a mirror, right?
JASON: No…but that's not a bad idea. And another thing, when we started, I
plunged right in. Told them that they got it wrong…but it was my fault we didn't
meet sooner. [Jack nods in agreement.]
Jason's giving Jack good advice. Face-to-face meetings start with context. Why are
you meeting? What's the main point? And how can you establish your credibility?
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How? When delivering your message, you want to demonstrate credibility and
authenticity – this helps build trust. But…get to the point. Set the context of the
meeting early on.
Stay focused on your intention. Don't ramble or deviate from your message. It's
okay to acknowledge off-topic comments from your audience, but take them up
later.
Your nonverbal message – your body language and tone – needs to match your
verbal one too. Also look at your audience – eye contact equals sincerity. Your
face tells a story – so let people see you smile to make everyone warm to you.
Gestures can also help support a message, but keep them professional.
So you've got the audience's attention, now it's time to connect with them. You
can actually get a connection going even before you're face to face. Perhaps reach
out via e-mail or text. Or add a question to your invite; it's a way to get people
thinking.
[Sofia and Jason are sitting at a table.]

SOFIA: I heard you told Jack he doesn't look in the mirror often enough.
(LAUGHING)JASON: Hasn't done me any harm!
D. Start Off on the Right Foot When Delivering Feedback
We can all do things a little better, but we can all be sensitive when someone else
tells us so. Giving feedback to a co-worker, a classmate or a friend can be tricky.
[Sulyn is sitting at a desk while on the phone.]

SULYN: I did? And why, is that a problem? No, Jack I don't understand…oh, okay,
you'll tell me later, is that what you're saying? No, never mind. [Sulyn is baffled.]
Looks like Jack didn't do a great job of giving Sulyn feedback. Let's consider why.
First of all, Jack picked up the phone when he should've given Sulyn feedback
face to face – in person. Remember, feedback can be a touchy subject. You need
to be sensitive to the other person's feelings. Jack could have used a video call
to keep the personal aspect. But a phone call should definitely be a last resort. It's
too impersonal.
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Jack could have gauged that conversation better if he had met Sulyn face to face.
And given a specific business reason for the feedback.
Once you sit down together to talk, relate the conversation to a specific business
reason. Explain why you want to have this particular talk.
By sticking to the basics of face-to-face feedback, you ensure that you're both
clear on the reason for the feedback, and what needs to change.
E. Deliver Feedback without Creating Drama
Poor feedback can be more than just a misunderstanding. It can lead to drama.
And drama is great in the movies, but not in the workplace.
[Sofia and Jack are having a meeting.]

SOFIA: You didn't follow up, you didn't finish the report, and you didn't tell me
why. [Sofia is irritated.]
JACK: Anything else?
SOFIA: Like that isn't enough?
JACK: What about taking over Jason's team when he was sick? [Jack is
disappointed.]
SOFIA: We're not talking about Jason's team.
JACK: Oh, right. We're not talking about what I do right – just what I do
wrong. [Jack is angry.]
Jack and Sofia's exchange was not good. But why? Well, for one thing, Sofia
apparently forgot that feedback is meant to be supportive. She was dismissive.
She let her own emotions cloud her judgment.
If emotion gets the better of someone, like in Jack's case, showing empathy can
help reassure the person you're still on their side. Acknowledge whatever they
may be feeling, but don't take back the feedback or apologize for giving it.
And before the conversation ends, make sure you're both clear on what the issue
is and what needs to change.
So let's see how Sofia could have done a better job giving feedback to Jack.
SOFIA: The report is late, Jack. But if you can get it done by Friday, I can work
with sales to make it okay.
JACK: Friday…how can I get it done by Friday? [Jack is concerned.]
SOFIA: Hey, we can make this work. How about…skipping the status meeting?
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JACK: I could do that…
SOFIA: That'll give you most of Thursday morning. And I can fill you in
afterwards.
JACK: Okay. [Sofia and Jack nod in agreement.]
A better outcome, right?
So when delivering feedback, remember you're talking to a person with feelings,

but don't let it distract you from your goal. By sticking to the facts with empathy
and respect, you can ensure everyone walks away from the conversation with
clarity on what needs to happen. That way, the problem won't stand a chance
next time.
When communicating with others:
1. Let your intention influence your communication method;

2. Think about how your audience affects how you communicate;
3. Connect with your audience when communicating face-to-face by
demonstrating authenticity; and
4. Be sensitive and empathetic when giving feedback.
Reflection:
In making interpersonal communication with others, how will I use what I've
learned in the future?
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4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Lesson 3. Do We Have A Failure to Communicate?

Communicating effectively can be challenging when having difficult
conversations. Because these challenges typically involve emotions such as hurt,
anger, or confusion, it's not uncommon for people to avoid one another or shut
down, preventing what could be a productive exchange at many levels.
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1. Examine some common communication challenges and how you can
successfully navigate them
2. By showing patience, perseverance, and accountability, you can:
a. effectively deal with tough conversations,
b. communicate your message, and
c. reach mutual understanding and agreement
A. Telltale Signs of a Miscommunication
Delivering a difficult message is never easy. Communication can be challenging

enough when everything is going well. But when there is a problem, or a crisis, or
even just an issue between two people…well, the risk of miscommunication really
increases.
And the first step in avoiding miscommunication is to recognize its signs.
[Sofia, Jack, Sulyn, and Jason are seated at the conference table.]
SOFIA: ...and hey, I'm sorry for going on so long about this, but I love this project.
And I love what we're going to do together. So what do you think?
[Jack, Sulyn, and Jason are listen, but not registering.] Any questions? Nothing?
Let's explore some of those signs:

1. The first sign of trouble is if you aren't getting a response. Did they
even hear you?
2. If they're quiet, check their body language and tone of voice for clues
that indicate confusion. A frown, one eyebrow raised in question, or head
tilted to the side – these are some typical indicators of confusion.
Check whether your message was clear. If it wasn't – that's likely the reason for
the confusion. Ask your audience if they have any questions, or what their
opinion is on what you spoke about. Once you've finished talking, check again.
Good questions to ask are, "What are your thoughts?" and "Need me to
clarify?"
And if there's confusion, respond to it – don't just leave it and hope for the best.
The point is – if there's been a miscommunication, get the other person involved.
Instead of it being just your problem, you can deal with together.
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By following these guidelines, you should be able to detect and clear up a
miscommunication in no time. Let's have Sofia try it again.
[Sofia and Sulyn are seated at the conference table.]

SOFIA: Hey, I covered a lot of ground, Sulyn. I'm sensing you're not following. Is
there anything you'd like me to clarify?
SULYN: Uh…yeah, actually. I've a number of questions…
Once you've recognized miscommunication, address it to get the conversation

back on track.
B. Resolving Miscommunications without Pain
Miscommunications happen. But when it does, you have to know how to handle
it. Balance a negative with a positive – miscommunication is best solved by
communication.
[Sofia and Jack are seated at Sofia's desk.]

SOFIA: Jack, what I wanted to say is that we need better processes…is that how
you understood me?
[Jack looks confused.] JACK: Not really.
SOFIA: Ah.
JACK: I had a different interpretation. I thought you were saying we messed up
last time.
SOFIA: Well, we could have done a better job, agreed?
JACK: I guess.
SOFIA: So my feeling is, let's learn from what went wrong in January.
JACK: Am I being seen as what went wrong?
SOFIA: Not at all…you're leading the team this time, right?
JACK: Yeah…
SOFIA: So we know what we're doing here.
JACK: Yeah, we do. We do.
Let's examine how Sofia resolved a misunderstanding:
1. She does a bit of a "fact check" – she shares what she intended; then she
asks the other person to share how they interpreted it.
2. Start by explaining what you wanted to say, like Sofia did with Jack, to
figure out exactly where the misunderstanding happened.
3. Sofia asks Jack if he understood what she wanted to say.
23
4. Sofia asks him for his input. She also explains what she means. "Let's
learn from what went wrong…"
5. Get agreement on the way forward. Sofia confirms with Jack that he's in
charge with the team, so he knows what to do. And he agrees.
Interpersonal communication is a shared responsibility, after all.
By using problem-solving, you can resolve any misunderstandings. It can also

help to ask questions like, "What do you suggest?" or "What if we did this
instead?"
Agreement on the communication and clarity on the plan of action is what we

want to achieve when working with and working as a team.
C. Preparing to Deliver Bad News
There are times – in life, at work – when we have to deliver bad news. A project
gets suspended…a new hire doesn't work out…funding gets pulled – when these
things happen your team members and coworkers get a shock. After all, they're
passionate about their work. So when tough things happen, it's really important
to know how to communicate the news…
[Jason is working on his laptop. Sulyn walks in and sits at his desk. She looks
upset.] SULYN: You heard?
JASON: Heard what?
SULYN: Sofia told me I'm off the project.
JASON: What? Sofia's here in the office?
SULYN: No…she e-mailed me. And when I asked her why, she just said it was an
executive decision.
JASON: Whoa. [He looks incredulous.]
SULYN: What about you? Any news?
JASON: Not a word. [Sulyn sighs downheartedly.]
Communicating difficult news isn't easy – to begin with, it can be very emotional.
Sulyn's upset because of how Sofia broke the news.
If you're ever in this situation:
24
1. Prime the conversation shortly beforehand.
2. Send an e-mail to schedule a meeting so the other person has fair

warning.
3. Choose the e-mail subject line wisely! Avoid a line like "Update on cut-
backs" and rather say something like "Review of company financials."
4. Deliver the news with authenticity.
5. Focus on being empathetic. Think carefully about what to emphasize and

what to avoid.
6. Keep your body language in check.
Let's turn back the clock and see how Sofia should have handled the
communication.
[Sofia is at her desk rehearsing her chat to Sulyn.]

SOFIA: So, Sulyn…I have some news.
[Sofia and Sulyn are seated at the conference table.]
SOFIA: So, Sulyn…I have some news.
Sofia controlled her emotions this time. She practiced what she meant to say, and
set the stage – it promises to be a much better conversation this time 'round.
Breaking bad news is tough. But preparing, managing your emotions, and priming
the conversation can make it easier.
D. Delivering Bad News with Confidence and Empathy
[Sofia and Sulyn are seated at Sofia's desk.]

SOFIA: So it's not that you haven't been doing a good job, it's just the project has
changed.
SULYN: But this was my project.
SOFIA: First of all, Sulyn, I'm sorry you're moving off the project. You've been
great.
SULYN: Thanks.
SOFIA: I know this is tough for you.
SULYN: I'm OK. [She looks down and is clearly upset.]
25
SOFIA: I know you've been on this team for a long time. Of course you're upset. So
why don't you take the rest of the day off and we can get caught back up on
Monday and talk about what's next for you.
How to deliver a bad news:
1. Get right to the point, but didn't dwell on the details.

2. Follow your initial lead-in message or statement with a statement of
empathy to show understanding, and respect.
3. Don't discuss finer points immediately after delivering bad news – the
other person may be upset or unable to fully process information.
4. Put time boundaries in place so people can process their emotions
without drawing out the discussion unnecessarily.
5. Allow people the time they need to digest the news, but be accessible and
check in later to keep tabs on how people are coping.
6. Expect some bargaining. People may try and reason with you. Delivering
bad news puts you in a position where you may hear, "What if we do
this?" or "Can't we try that?" But even with legitimate ideas, don't take
back the bad news.
7. If someone makes a point that's reasonable and could alter the news, say
you'll take it under advisement and get back to them.
8. Don’t delegate the delivery of bad news to someone else! It's your
responsibility to communicate it clearly and confidently and in a way that
respects other peoples' feelings.
E. Making Amends When Communication Shuts Down
[ Jack and Jason are seated at a desk.]

JASON: I don't want to talk about it.
JACK: Forget about it, it's over.
JASON: It's over, all right.
JACK: Did you say something?
JASON: There's nothing more to say.
JACK: Well for someone with nothing to say, you're sure saying a lot.
Sometimes, in spite of everyone's efforts, communication breaks down

completely.
How can you "turn on" communication that has been "turned off?"
26
1. Jack and Jason need to get past their hurt feelings and resentment, to get
back to business.
2. Don't wait for the other person to be the first to make amends. Swallow
your pride, and apologize. The only way to move forward is to move on.
3. But be honest, and name the issue. "I realize we disagree on this…but I
want to keep the lines of communication open between us."
4. When trying to make amends, be willing to share the blame for what
went wrong.
5. Ask questions! As many as possible, about how you can both move
forward. "How do you think we could resolve our differences?"
6. Don't point the finger of blame. Rather address the issue directly
yourself, or with help from a mediator.
7. Don't pretend everything is fine. Doing this only delays the inevitable.
When miscommunication happens, use the tools you have – identify what
went wrong, work on not making the same mistake again, and make
amends to restore the peace.
1. To resolve a communication failure, you must first recognize the tell-tale

signs of a problem;
2. Ask others for their interpretation, identify the cause, and agree on a plan
of action;
3. Prepare before giving bad news, and manage your emotions and
empathize when delivering it; and
4. If communication breaks down, acknowledge the situation, ask
questions, and make amends.
Reflection:
Cite an experience in miscommunication among your classmates, group of friends

or family members. How will you correct communication breakdown given the
solutions presented in this lesson?
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______________________________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________________________
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4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Lesson 4. Interacting with Customers
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1. Improve client service (CS) by building customer relationships with
better customer conversations.
2. Carry conversations with customers by:
a. speaking effectively,
b. using vocal cues,
c. listening actively, and
d. using paraphrasing to convey your understanding of the customer's
needs.
When you're working in customer service, even minor interactions can have
major consequences – you're the face of the company. Exceptional customer
service promotes customer loyalty and boosts revenue. But improper handling of
queries or complaints can result in lost sales, and damage to the company's
reputation.
Providing effective and efficient service requires excellent communication skills.

In this course, you'll learn about different styles of communication, techniques for
improving your listening and speaking skills, and ways to overcome
communication barriers.
A. Formal and Informal Communication
Whenever there's talking, there's always a message, which goes from the sender
to the receiver, and back. This is true, regardless of whether you communicate
verbally or nonverbally.
Smiling can send a positive message, and be endearing. But not when you want to
express sympathy, or concern. So to avoid mixed messages, you have to adapt the
way you communicate to match the customer and the situation.
Normally, you want to use formal communication in some of these interactions,

and be informal in others.
Take note of the discussion below:
JENNA: It depends who I'm talking to. Like, I used to call everyone Mr. and Ms. –
just to be safe.
HOST: But being formal doesn't just mean using titles like Mr. and Ms. The
terminology you use should also be business oriented.
29
KRISTEN: When I first called about renewing my software subscription, Jen…uh…
Jenna…she was all business. I appreciate that. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I
don't like being on a first-name basis right off the bat.
HOST: When communicating formally, you should use unemotional language and

only discuss what's directly relevant. Professionalism is key. But that doesn't
mean there's no room for more informal calls. It's okay to communicate
somewhat informally with regular customers, when it's appropriate. And you
don't have to only talk business – some social discussion is fine. But you should
only cover topics the customer's comfortable with. The same goes for humor. The
longer you've known a customer, the better.
KRISTEN: After a while, I asked Jen to call me Kristen. She's a Lakers fan…so,

yeah, we have a laugh when her team loses. But it's not like I call her up just to
chat. We still talk business. She's my go-to contact for anything subscription
related.
JENNA: I guess I just follow the customer's lead. I mean, I didn't call Kristen by
her first name until she asked me to. And she was first to crack a joke or bring up
sports. And now she calls me Jen. But we still get down to business. After all,
that's why she calls.
HOST: So by mastering the art of formal and informal communication, you can
provide excellent service, and strengthen professional relationships while you're
at it.
B. Overcoming Barriers to Communication
As a customer service representative’s main business is helping customers – it's

what they do.
CSRs face many barriers to effective communication. So when solving a

customer's problem, don't just assess the problem, also assess the customer.
Where are they coming from? Try and tailor your responses to their needs. And
try not to let customers' emotions get in the way.
[Jenna talks to a customer using her headset.] JENNA: Mr. Parsons? Mr. P…Yes, I

understand how frustrating that must... [Jenna listens to the customer.] Okay, I'm
sure we can figure it out, sir, if you'll let me assist you. I just need to ask you a few
questions.
30
When handling customers:
a. Keep your own emotions and biases in check. Customers can tell if you're
irritated or distracted, and your interaction will suffer.
b. Try and stay objective, and listen carefully. If messages get lost or
distorted, this prevents you from doing your job.
c. Some customers may be intimidated by technology, so keep technical
terms, or jargon, to a minimum. A
d. Adjust your message to fit the customers' vocabulary, interests, and
values.
e. Use simple, direct, and clear language, but don't overdo it.
f. Rather than assume, ask the customer what their level of technical
expertise is.
[Jenna talks to a customer.] JENNA: Let's see…you open the executable – that's the
file ending in .exe – to get to the install wizard, which is just a step-by-step
guide… [The customer interrupts Jenna.] Oh, sorry, I was unaware you've done
this before… [Jenna listens to the customer.] Yes, sir, I apologize. It wasn't my
intention to patronize you…
g. If a customer has some familiarity with acronyms, technical terms, or
jargon, you can reinforce their understanding, and gain their support, by
using some of the terminology they're used to.
h. Reinforce key points.
i. Ask for feedback to check if the customer understands.
JENNA: Okay, so the installation proceeds fine for you sir, until you're asked to
provide the license key, is that right? [Jenna nods as she listens to the
customer.] Uh-huh, right…and you've obviously checked that Caps Lock isn't
on? [Jenna listens attentively to the customer's response.] Hmm…weird…I think
I've narrowed the problem down. But if you wouldn't mind reading out your
license key to me, sir? That'd be great. I'd like to enter it into the system here on
my end.
j. Carefully choose your words to suit the possible solution or outcome.
C. Implementing Effective Speaking Skills
The most effective speakers don't rely on words alone to get their point across –
they use tone and attitude too.
31
KRISTEN: Don't know about you, but I've got no time for rudeness. I'm a paying
customer, not some nobody! If a CSR gives me attitude, I just hang up.
What to do when on the phone:
1. It helps to imagine you're talking face-to-face.
2. Smiling will come more naturally and you'll convey a pleasant attitude.
3. Remember your posture, body language, and facial expression. Although

a customer can't see you, these reflect in the tone of your voice.
4. Be polite, too.
"Thank you," "please," and "I'm happy to help" actually make an impact.
5. Remember, don't use customers' first names until they invite you to do
so.
6. Try to "mirror" the way your customer talks.
7. Use similar vocabulary and speed up, or slow down, to match their rate
of speech.
D. Using Vocal Cues
Communication patterns are often second nature. Without thinking about it, you
use vocal cues like an upbeat tone when delivering good news. The fact is, vocal
cues are part of the message.
Vocal cues can make or break a customer call. They help communicate both
positive and negative feelings and intentions. When dealing with customers,
you're generally aiming to create positivity through your vocal behavior.
Speaking in a high-pitched tone can come across as dramatic or stressed out. This
can make your customers anxious. So watch your pitch. CSRs should generally
stick to a lower pitch. It's more positive and professional.
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Inflection is equally important. It's how you verbally punctuate a sentence. You
can use it to emphasize points, pause, ask questions, or make a statement.
A rising inflection – that little lilt at the end of a question is a positive vocal cue
that can help you get a question across. Combined with a relatively low pitch, this
ensures she sounds calm, and in control, but interested in what the customer's
saying.
Using little or no inflection is a negative vocal cue.
Your rate of speech is another vocal cue to monitor. Speaking at a slow or

unsteady rate is a negative vocal cue. It can make you seem depressed, hesitant,
or pessimistic.
Try and settle on an upbeat tone, using a moderately fast rate of speech. When
interacting with customers, your tone can be an asset – or a liability. Use vocal
cues to create a positive and professional conversation.
E. Effective Listening Skills
No matter how experienced you are, it's impossible to predict what customers
might say. And if you don't listen carefully, you could miss something.
JENNA: I used to think listening was a no-brainer, but it's actually a complex skill.
Something I'm still working on.
When you pay close attention, you can pick up on subtle clues that can be useful
to keep a conversation on track. Paying attention also helps build rapport with
customers, because it makes them feel heard and understood.
How effective listening helps in communication and customer service:
1. Listening effectively helps you identify the main points a customer is

making, without getting distracted by quirks, like thick accents.
2. Taking notes is a fantastic tool for CSRs. It helps you stay focused,
especially if the customer tends to ramble…
3. Attending to the customers' tone of voice, rate of speech, and even the
words they use can help you assess their emotional state.
4. Be on the lookout for subtle service requests. As a CSR, you might find
that customers are subtly signaling the need for some additional services
while describing an issue. But don't assume.
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F. Being an Active Listener
JENNA: We have a problem with new CSRs who jump right into solving the
problem…start tapping away at their keyboards without saying anything.
Meanwhile the customer is like: "Hello? Hello?"
Whether you're communicating face-to-face or over the phone, customers need to

know you're listening. It's about more than just hearing, it's also about
understanding the meaning and context of what's being said.
Customers don't feel heard if they have to repeat themselves.
Being an active listener helps avoid these issues. It involves actively extracting
meaning from what's said by interpreting their tone of voice, their use of words,
and language.
Active listening reinforces your respect for the customer, and shows you're 100%
focused on what they're saying. So to prove that you're listening, you can mirror
or reflect back what the customer is saying.
Empathy goes a long way. In fact, empathizing is one of the most powerful active
listening tools. It demonstrates all the elements of good listening: attention,
hearing, understanding, and remembering. By empathizing, you're illustrating
that you hear not only what the customer is saying, but the underlying emotions
too.
Paraphrasing – or restating essential points – is another active listening strategy

you can use. It helps demonstrate effective listening, and also helps you confirm
you're on the right track.
By using behaviors that demonstrate your concentration and focus on resolving

the problem, your interactions with customers are sure to benefit.
G. Paraphrasing
KRISTEN: I tried running it on my laptop and tablet but this new software – it's
just not working!
34
JENNA: You're saying you've tried the application on several devices, so you're
certain that it's the software that's faulty. Is that correct?
KRISTEN: Yes, that's why I'm calling.
Jenna used the active listening technique of paraphrasing to respond to Kristen.
How to paraphrase:
1. Paraphrasing involves listening carefully to what a customer’s saying,

and then restating, in your own words, your understanding of what has
been said.
2. Paraphrasing demonstrates all the elements of effective listening:
attention, hearing, understanding, and remembering.
3. After paraphrasing, you should follow up with a closed-ended question to
ensure you've interpreted correctly. Like Jenna did when she asked "Is
that correct?"
4. But do not repeat back what the customer says word for word.
5. Always use different words, while keeping the same meaning. Parroting
back exactly what's been said can irritate a customer, and may seem
condescending.
6. Ask questions to check your understanding and paraphrase to confirm all
the information you have. That's how you solve a problem. Perfecting
your paraphrasing skills will take your listening to the next level.
Advantages of paraphrasing:
1. Besides offering customers the opportunity to correct, clarify, or confirm

your understanding; paraphrasing helps you act as a verbal sounding
board. Sometimes, when customers hear their own problems
paraphrased, it sparks new insights.
2. Rephrasing the message allows you to clarify, without showing any
approval or disapproval of what the customer has said.
3. Paraphrasing keeps things neutral.
4. It also has the benefit of reassuring customers you've given their
problems some thought, and you remember what they've said.
What to avoid when paraphrasing:
1. Never interrupt – especially when you're dealing with irate customers.

Sometimes it's tempting to cut in or jump ahead. You think it'll help solve
the problem faster, but it just makes things worse.
35
2. Don’t finish a customer's sentence for her/him. You could be drawing on
your experience to anticipate what a customer's about to say. If you're
doing that, you're not listening. Always let them finish speaking.
When interacting with customers:
1. Know the difference between formal and informal communication, and

adjust your tone and language accordingly;
2. Assess the customer and tailor your responses to their needs;
3. Use effective vocal cues to convey a positive, professional demeanor;
4. Pay attention to, identify, and remember customers’ concerns;
5. Paraphrase to show you understand their problem.
Reflection:
Cite an incident where you asked for assistance from a customer service
representative (CSR) or a services officer (SO). How did the CSR or SO assist you
in your concern? Please, discuss the good practices shown in the lesson that were
used by the CSR or SO.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
36

4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Lesson 5. Choosing the Right Interpersonal

Communication Method to Make Your Point
Are poor verbal communication skills holding you back? Choosing the right
communication method for the situation has a huge impact on how your message
is received.
1. Explore the importance of choosing the right communication method to

best convey your message.
2. Select the proper methods for building trust, conveying your ideas, and
targeting your method to your intended audience.
37
3. Improve the odds of getting your point across and communicating
effectively, leaving your audience informed, enlightened, and engaged
A. Let Your Intention Choose Your Communication Method
Think about how you communicate with friends – social media, texting, video
chat, e-mail. From one device or a bunch of them. Does anybody just make a
phone call anymore?
In the workplace we have the same communication options. But in the workplace
we have to be careful about what methods we use. Because choosing the right –
or wrong – way of communicating can have a huge impact.
[Jack, Sofia, Jason, and Sulyn are in a meeting.]

JACK: Still a problem. [Jack speaks to Sofia.]
SOFIA: How so?
JACK: Changed the font but kept the boring graphics. Didn't go with the new
analytics like I… [Jack looks at Sulyn.]
SULYN: ...like I suggested.
JASON: Hey, I gave them the feedback. [Jason looks at Sofia.]
SOFIA: How?
JASON: How?
SOFIA: Yes, how?
JASON: Uh…a text. [Jason is hesitant. Sofia is annoyed and stares at Jason.]
Why do we communicate?
Choosing the right communication method starts with knowing your intention:
1. Are you simply informing?

2. Are you giving feedback – feedback that, in this case, is critical to a
project's success?
3. Do you want to influence?
How do we communicate our intention?
When you're informing, you want a straightforward method that provides the
information in writing, so people can refer to it at their own pace. So text-based
methods – text messages or e-mail – are best. Face-to-face or over the phone?
Less ideal.
38
Now say you're giving feedback. In that case, you want something that conveys
your tone and feeling. Discussion gives you a better idea of the impact of the
message on your audience. So here, face-to-face is best. If face-to-face isn't
possible, you can use the phone as a last resort. But forget about using a text
message – like Jason did – for feedback. Don't use e-mail. And posting to social
media is definitely not appropriate.
Then there's persuading or influencing your audience. For this, you want a
method that lets you use body language and visuals as much as possible. You also
want to invite reactions and responses to your message. So dynamic, visual
methods are ideal here – face-to-face, video conferencing, or a presentation –
though e-mail and social media help you influence your audience too. And again,
you could use the phone if you've no other choice, because it's at least less
impersonal than e-mail. But text messages are a no-no.
B. Your Audience Affects Your Method of Communication
Sulyn and Jason are sitting at a table, drinking coffee.]

SULYN: Think about your audience.
JASON: Sofia? [Jason is confused.]
SULYN: No, not Sofia – the Marketing Department!
JASON: Oh, right.
SULYN: What do they need to know?
JASON: Well, the graphics change…the analytics.
SULYN: Yeah…not "meet you at the restaurant at seven o'clock." [Sulyn is
annoyed.]
JASON: …smiley face.
SULYN: …smiley face?
JASON: I know…needs explanation right?
SULYN: Right. So…
JASON: So…I'll meet them and explain.
SULYN: There you go. [Jason smiles.]
You have to know your primary intent when communicating, but there are other
factors to consider. Think about what's best for your audience.
You have to think about emotion. Will your message create an emotionally-
charged situation? As a general rule – if odds are good that the person may get
emotional, you need to convey your message face to face. Fact. Or you can use
39
another method that's still personal, such as over the phone or via video call. It
gives you the chance to discuss the situation and come to an immediate
understanding.
But think about it – delivering bad news via text message isn't only a cop-out, it's
also unprofessional.
Then you also need to consider privacy. If what you're communicating isn't for
public viewing, or you don't want news of it to get around – avoid texts, e-mails,
or social media. Even if your settings are tightly managed, privacy is easily
violated. You don't want to be the cause of a nasty rumor, or an information leak!
Motivating people is a challenge! A lot of motivation comes from the tone and
nuances of speech, body language, and action. Meetings where face-to-face
interaction, dialog, and body language combine with video or graphic
presentations, can motivate in more ways than written communications alone.
And if you want someone to remember something – steps, guidelines, or

instructions: – you'll have to describe that info, give your audience something
they can take away and refer back to.
So consider your audience when deciding how to communicate with them. People
have different needs, and ignoring that can be a mistake you can't afford to make.
C. Make Great Face to Face Communication Connections
When you need to make the biggest impact, nothing beats face-to-face
communication. And the more important the meeting, the greater the stress. So
make sure you go into any face-to-face meeting well prepared, which starts with
knowing how to connect with your audience.

JACK: The whole department's going to be there.
JASON: So don't sweat it. Do what I did with Marketing.
JACK: Which was?
JASON: Well, for one, I practiced.
JACK: In front of a mirror, right?
JASON: No…but that's not a bad idea. And another thing, when we started, I
plunged right in. Told them that they got it wrong…but it was my fault we didn't
40
meet sooner. [Jack nods in agreement.]
Face-to-face meetings start with context. Why are you meeting? What's the
main point? And how can you establish your credibility?
A face-to-face is an opportunity to grab people's attention, and engage them in the

information and ideas you're presenting and sharing. As well as in-person
meetings, face-to-face also covers video calls, virtual meetings, and video
conferencing.
How? When delivering your message, you want to demonstrate credibility and
authenticity – this helps build trust. But get to the point. Set the context of the
meeting early on.
And whatever your main focus is, stay focused on that – on your intention. Don't
ramble or deviate from your message.
Your nonverbal message – your body language and tone – needs to match your
verbal one too. So use your tone of voice to convey a positive attitude, and change
your inflection to emphasize key points. Also look at your audience – eye contact
equals sincerity. Your face tells a story – so let people see you smile to make
everyone warm to you. Gestures can also help support a message, but keep them
professional.
So you've got the audience's attention, now it's time to connect with them.
But say you're standing there, doing your thing, and it's getting a little noisy. Uh-
oh. You're losing people. What to do? Well…you can shake them up by asking
some open-ended questions. Nothing like a little pop quiz to perk up an audience.
Or weave in some relevant examples or an anecdote that people can relate to.
Another good idea is to engage the audience with activities or challenges. But
keep it relevant to what you're talking about. You don't want it to be yet another
distraction.
D. Start Off on the Right Foot When Delivering Feedback
We can all do things a little better, but we can all be sensitive when someone else
tells us so. Especially in the workplace. Giving feedback to a coworker can be
tricky.
41
Remember, feedback can be a touchy subject. You need to be sensitive to the
other person's feelings. Use a video call to keep the personal aspect. But a phone
call should definitely be a last resort. It's too impersonal.
It's also important to use friendly body language and a relaxed tone of voice. This
way the interaction gets off on the right foot. You want the whole thing to be a
positive experience, after all. So…maybe invite the person to have a conversation,
even if you make it clear that the point is to give them some feedback.
Once you sit down together to talk, relate the conversation to a specific business
reason. Explain why you want to have this particular talk. You need to make it
clear, using examples and emotional intelligence, what the issue is and why it's a
problem. And it can't be anything personal – whatever issue you have, has to have
a work context.
By sticking to the basics of face-to-face feedback, you ensure that you're both
clear on the reason for the feedback, and what needs to change.
E. Deliver Feedback without Creating Drama
Poor feedback can be more than just a misunderstanding. It can lead to drama.
And drama is great in the movies, but not in the workplace.
[Sofia and Jack are having a meeting.]

SOFIA: You didn't follow up, you didn't finish the report, and you didn't tell me
why. [Sofia is irritated.]
JACK: Anything else?
SOFIA: Like that isn't enough?
JACK: What about taking over Jason's team when he was sick? [Jack is
disappointed.]
SOFIA: We're not talking about Jason's team.
JACK: Oh, right. We're not talking about what I do right – just what I do
wrong. [Jack is angry.]
Jack and Sofia's exchange was not good. Sofia apparently forgot that feedback is
meant to be supportive. She was dismissive. She let her own emotions cloud her
judgment.
Unless you're calmly supportive, whatever feedback you give won't be

constructive.
42
To improve behavior and get business results when giving feedback:
1. Treat the recipient of your feedback with respect and sensitivity.

2. Involve them in the conversation, making it clear that it's a two-way
conversation.
3. If emotion gets the better of someone, show empathy to help reassure
the person you're still on their side.
4. Acknowledge whatever they may be feeling, but don't take back the
feedback or apologize for giving it.
5. Stay true to your original reason for wanting to give the feedback.
6. Before the conversation ends, make sure you're both clear on what the
issue is and what needs to change.
So let's see how Sofia could have done a better job giving feedback to Jack.
SOFIA: The report is late, Jack. But if you can get it done by Friday, I can work
with sales to make it okay.
JACK: Friday…how can I get it done by Friday? [Jack is concerned.]
SOFIA: Hey, we can make this work. How about…skipping the status meeting?
JACK: I could do that…
SOFIA: That'll give you most of Thursday morning. And I can fill you in
afterwards.
JACK: Okay. [Sofia and Jack nod in agreement.]
When delivering feedback, remember you're talking to a person with feelings, but
don't let it distract you from your goal. By sticking to the facts with empathy and
respect, you can ensure everyone walks away from the conversation with clarity
on what needs to happen. That way, the problem won't stand a chance next time.
When communicating with others:
1. Let your intention influence your communication method;

2. Think about how your audience affects how you communicate;
demonstrating authenticity; and
4. Be sensitive and empathetic when giving feedback.
43
Reflection:
Recall a past incident in the past where you gave a feedback to a friend who was
offended by it. Why do you think the friend was offended? What would you have
done differently based on what you have learned in this lesson?
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4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
44
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Lesson 6. Proven Techniques for Technical

Communication
Communicating technical information can be a challenging task. Whether you’re a
technical guru or someone less experienced, and whether your audience is made
up of experts or novices, you need proven strategies to succeed.
1. Conveying technical information in an easy-to-understand manner for a

variety of audiences using proven techniques.
2. Get to know your audience by analyzing them, and learning about their
backgrounds.
3. Explore the uses of subject matter knowledge, and how to gain it
4. Create clear, and effective technical communications.
45
A. Considerations for Creating Technical Communications
People use technology at work for getting to work, ordering food, paying bills,
socializing, for education, and even for entertainment. We live in a world where
it's nearly impossible to escape technology.
Ways People Use Technology Every Day
1. Think about it, even to plan a getaway on a secluded beach. The first
thing most people do now is pull up a web browser and start researching
world's most secluded beaches.
2. Then they would use a technologically advanced mode of transportation.

An airplane, or mega ship, or even a car, to get to that secluded paradise.
It’s clear that technology continues to expand into all facets of our lives, and
seemingly faster than ever. And that’s why effective communication of technical
content is critical.
In today’s business, everyone in the company has a role in effective technical

communication, not just technology professionals. No matter your role, there
may be times when it's necessary to communicate with others around technical
topics. And despite being surrounded by and immersed in the digital world, many
still struggle with technical language and concepts.
To begin creating information about technical topics, there are a few things
to consider:
1. First, determine what type of technical communication is needed.
a. Will the information be delivered in the here and now? That is, will it
be given to an audience in a face-to-face setting?
b. In a video recording, using web conferencing or other online forms?
c. Do you plan to deliver the information in a written format to be used

at any time and over any distance? This can include informal
communications like e-mail, Internet posts, or even an online blog.
46
d. Or, maybe it's to be presented more formally, such as any report,
policy document and procedures manual, guides and handbooks or
business plans.
2. Determine the purpose of the communication.
a. Narrow down to what you want the audience to gain from the
information that you present to them. What do you need them to
know? Is it something they'll learn how to do? Something you want
them to believe? Or is it just an informative heads up? All of that
needs to be kept in mind during the creation process.
3. Another consideration is, what will happen if the audience doesn't know,
believe or do what you want, or need them to? Understanding that too
can help you address any learning gaps that otherwise may have been
overlooked. It's possible that your chosen method of communication
doesn't support the purpose of the communication. In that case, consider
what delivery format might be a better choice.
4. Determine your goals for the communication. What result do you want?
After your audience has been presented with the technical information,
what do you want to happen next? You may want them to know how to
use a new software application. Or maybe you're trying to make a sale or
secure resources for an investment in new hardware.
You'll want to choose a communication method that will best deliver the
information to your target audience that has the best chance of achieving your
desired results.
Whether a regular part of your job or a once in a while project, always be mindful
to match the type of technical communication to the audience. What you want the
audience to know, do, or believe and the end results you want your
communication to achieve.
B. Know Your Audience
“It's not rocket science.” When someone uses that phrase, what they mean is they
think they've explained something clearly and it should be easy to understand.
47
With that in mind, it doesn't matter if it is something overly technical or complex
like rocket science, but all effective communication relies on knowing the
audience.
 Knowing the audience and adapting to it ensures that the way the
material presented is effective for that particular group of people.
 Knowing whether you'll be teaching the basics of rocket science to a

group of physics students at a prestigious university, or to
kindergarteners, will determine the most effective way to communicate
with each audience.
 Audience analysis, that is knowing your audience, is what you will

identify who your audience is and what they already know. There are
some effective ways to get to know the audience. With enough lead time,
you can find out who the audience is by conducting surveys or passing
out questionnaires. You can arrange to meet your audience members
ahead of time, or ask those who might be familiar with the audience for
their insights.
 While you're analyzing, consider the demographics of the audience. If

perhaps you're training employees on a new web-based purchasing
system, then you would want to know the role and titles of those
employees. Perhaps how long they've been with the company, and any
experience they may have using applications such as the one you're
introducing.
 Avoid biased or stereotypical thinking about any specific demographic.

Don't use the information from years of service and fall prey to
misconceptions such as older people don't know anything about
technology. It can certainly give you something to keep in mind, but you
don't want to use that information in a way that stereotypes the audience
as being unknowledgeable, or conversely, assuming a young audience is
fluent in tech speak.
 Knowledge of the audience's level of technical skills though, is vital to the

success of technical communication.
Basic questions to ask to get a better understanding of your audience:
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a. Does the audience already have knowledge on the subject?
b. If so, how much do they know? Earlier, we made inferences about

possible skills based on years in the industry. But this question
specifically asked what knowledge the audience actually has.
c. Do I need to give background information or can we jump right into the

topic? When presenting the material, is technical jargon appropriate, or
will it leave the audience confused?
d. In what way will the communication impact their work? Think about
what the technical communication will be used for. The information that
you're providing is a solution to a problem. Tell the benefits of what
you're presenting and describe how they'll use it on the job.
C. Acquiring Subject Matter Knowledge
There may be a time when you're called upon to communicate technical

information on topics that you know little or nothing about. The key to doing this
successfully is to develop enough expertise in the subject for the given situation.
To be able to discuss and present it intelligibly.
1. In order to start, it's important to adapt a growth mindset. Carol S.

Dweck, a pioneer in growth mindset states, in a growth mindset, people
believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through
dedication and hard work. This means believing that anything can be
learned by acquiring knowledge and developing the skills needed on
your own.
2. Becoming comfortable with the topic is key. The more you understand
and know about the subject, the more comfortable you'll be. To gain this
knowledge:
 Conduct in-depth research with a high-level overview then drill
down into the details.
 Find materials on the subject you need to communicate by searching
for websites and articles or papers on your subject.
 Check out how those in the industry you're researching talk about
the subject and what topics are currently trending. Online forums,
webinars, and newsletters are a good way to access the new world
you need to gain insight into.
3. Take your newly acquired wealth of information and deconstruct each
concept. Then break it down into smaller chunks and try explaining it in
49
your own words. Remember that if you can't make sense of it, neither
will your audience.
4. Go straight to the source and consult with the experts in the field. There
may be someone within the organization you can speak with that
specializes in the subject. Try repeating it back to them in your own
words to make sure you fully understand the concept. Take note of any
terms you and others are unfamiliar with. Then research those terms so
you can explain them later.
D. Creating Clear and Effective Technical Communications
Communicating technical information effectively, requires using techniques that

keep the writing clear and concise.
1. Simplify jargon and trimming non essential details will translate more
clearly with any audience.
2. Use simplified technical English STE for guidance. STE is a specific set of
writing rules and a dedicated dictionary to help technical communicators
prepare reader-friendly documents. You don't need to adhere to all the
rules of STE, but you can purchase the STE dictionary or put your
document through an online subscription STE service, like Congri or the
Boeing Simplified English Checker.
3. Avoid the use of slang and jargon, applying approved technical terms
instead.
4. STE only recognizes a particular meaning to avoid confusion and
translation. This greatly improve safety procedures and even technical
communication and mechanical risks. Further, it encourages the use of
clear and concise sentences and syntax. If an explanation is lengthy and
over complicated, edit down to only the words that are most meaningful
to create a shortened alternative.
5. With technical communication, you want the audience to feel as if you're
speaking directly to them. To accomplish this, use an active voice. It's
more conversational than the vague or even authoritative tone of a
passive voice. For instance, instead of using a passive voice and saying,
the total will be calculated by the system, use an active voice and say, the
system calculates the total.
6. Don’t underestimate the power of visual appeal, even in writing, to
clarify and streamline. Format using bulleted or numbered lists,
especially for procedural steps:
50
a. Bulleted lists stand out on a page of text and draw the reader's
attention. The reader will feel less overwhelmed because they are
able to scan and quickly locate information.
b. Each bullet point should be no longer than one sentence, and take up
no more than a line or two at maximum.
c. Make sure the bullets appear as uniform as possible in terms of
parallel construction, verb tense, and so on. Again, the visual appeal
is that it is presented as a list to easily find and consume information.
E. Using Visual and Graphic Aids to Enhance a Technical Communication
Technical communication is not only about the words, visual and graphic aids can
be just as important as what's being said. Visual and graphic aids allow for
condensing and presenting complex information in an accessible manner in
addition to helping clarify the information for the audience.
Rules on what type of visual or graphic aid to use in technical communication:

1. Use grid and bar graphs or bar charts when you want to show
relationships between data, time, and other factors. They work well for
showing comparisons between categories or for a specific category as it
changes over time. Bar graphs have been proven to be the easiest to
understand for those not as knowledgeable in the subject. But while
graphs are more dramatic, they are often less precise than tables.
2. Tables are another way to show a comparison of data or data elements.
Tables are made up of rows and columns. Note that tables can be harder
for those not as knowledgeable in the subject to understand. So only use
them when communicating with an audience of professionals or those
with more advanced knowledge of the subject matter. Always name the
table and give it a reference number and refer to it by such. Be sure to
point out exactly what you want the audience to notice in the table.
3. Use flowcharts when you want to give a visual explanation of a process to
follow. This can be used for mechanical processes, business mapping,
data flow, and even mental processes. Flow charts are a good way to give
a glimpse of many steps as one visual. They are also useful to set
standards and make processes more efficient. They have the benefits of
being easily understood visually and effective for analyzing problems.
4. When you need to explain how proportions compare to a whole, use pie
charts. Usually this information is shown in percentages. It helps the
audience to see just how much or how little a given category is when
compared with the big picture.
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5. When you are explaining a concept, use a photograph, picture, or
sketches to illustrate or illuminate your main point or explanation. They
can also be used as analogies or metaphors. For instance, using the image
of an actual funnel can help illustrate how funneling analysis works
showing the steps a user must go through to get to a particular outcome
on a web site.
When the topic of the communication is technical:
1. Keep your audience engaged.

2. Enhance the material visually and images to convey complex ideas.
Because the end goal is to communicate clearly and effectively. To do so
requires utilizing all of the tools at your disposal.
Reflection:
Look back at the time when you had to explain to someone a new gadget you
acquired, a new game you got interested in or a social media app you discovered.
How did share knowledge about it? Can you identify some of the techniques in
this lesson that you also used?
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4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Long Quiz
Oral Communication
Topic Coverage
Lesson 1-6: 40/40
True or False
53
1. There is a science behind communication, including how we react neuro-
physiologically to others – through verbal communication such as their words and
tone, as well as the non-verbal communication of their actions and body language.
2. Communication doesn't always come easy – it's both art and science.
3. Communication in the workplace should be a two-way street. It's give-
and-take.
4. Communication is a shared responsibility. Without it, understanding
turns into misunderstanding.
5. You can strengthen a connection by asking questions.
6. Clarifying questions are crucial in a business environment because they
reinforce understanding.
7. You can enhance connections by demonstrating interest and curiosity.
8. You can make connections by showing that you’re friendly and
approachable.
9. To connect with others so that your communication intention is clear,
understand that communication is a two-way street and that you share for
responsibility for it.
10. Communicate assertively without being aggressive by clearly stating
what you want and not getting overly emotional.
11. Choosing the right communication method for the situation has a huge
impact on how your message is received.
12. When communicating with others, let your intention influence your
communication method.
13. When communicating with others, you will not think about how your
audience affects how you communicate.
14. Connect with your audience when communicating face-to-face by not
demonstrating authenticity.
15. Avoid being sensitive and empathetic when giving feedback.
54
16. To resolve a communication failure, you must first recognize the tell-tale
signs of a problem.
17. Ask others for their interpretation, identify the cause, and agree on a plan
of action.
18. Prepare before giving bad news, and manage your emotions and
empathize when delivering it.
19. If communication breaks down, never acknowledge the situation, do not
ask questions, and never make amends.
20. Know the difference between formal and informal communication, and
adjust your tone and language accordingly.
21. Assess the customer and tailor your responses to their needs.
22. Use ineffective vocal cues to convey a positive, professional demeanor.
23. Pay attention to, identify, and remember customers’ concerns.
24. Paraphrase to show you understand their problem.
25. Do not let your intention influence your communication method.
26. Think about how your audience affects how you communicate.
demonstrating authenticity.
28. When you are explaining a concept, use a photograph, picture, or
sketches to illustrate or illuminate your main point or explanation.
29. When you need to explain how proportions compare to a whole, use pie
charts.
30. Use flowcharts when you do not want to give a visual explanation of a
process to follow.
31. Flowcharts are another way to show a comparison of data or data
elements.
32. Flowcharts are made up of rows and columns.
55
33. Use tables when you want to show relationships between data, time, and
other factors.
34. Visual and graphic aids allow for condensing and presenting complex
information in an accessible manner in addition to helping clarify the information
for the audience.
35. When the topic of the communication is technical, keep your audience
engaged.
36. Simplify jargon and trimming non-essential details will translate more
clearly with any audience.
37. Avoid the use of slang and jargon, applying approved technical terms
instead.
38. With technical communication, you want the audience to feel as if you're
speaking directly to them.
39. Don’t underestimate the power of visual appeal, even in writing, to clarify
and streamline. Format using bulleted or numbered lists, especially for
procedural steps.
40. Enhance the material visually and images to convey complex ideas.
Because the end goal is to communicate clearly and effectively. To do so requires
utilizing all of the tools at your disposal.
Lesson 7. Acting with Diplomacy and Tact
People who communicate with diplomacy and tact are able to inspire confidence.
Communicating a difficult message can be very challenging, so preparation is key
to a successful outcome.
1. Enhance your skills in diplomacy and tactful communications.
56
2. Avoid emotional overreactions, apologize appropriately when needed
and truly engage with others.
3. Overcome personal biases that stand in the way of effective diplomatic
communication.
The best communicators tailor what they say based on other people's
perspectives, goals and feelings.
Communicating with diplomacy and tact allows you to be more persuasive and
build stronger relationships.
A. Tact Is Not Lying and Diplomacy Is Not Sucking Up
Effective communication is more than just telling it like it is. It's also about
shaping what you say based on other people's reactions and opinions about using
tact and diplomacy.
Luke is showing his boss, Ron, the logos his team has developed for a client.
LUKE: I showed this to Julia and she gave me the go-ahead to bring them to you.
So here is a logo that tests the best, this waves of green theme.
RON: I like that one. It makes a real impact. Have you shown anything to the
client yet?
LUKE: No.
RON: Great. Then just given them this one. It’s excellent.
LUKE: That would be a mistake, Ron. If you looked at the focus group data you
know that this logo is more likely to create a PR nightmare than to sell anything.
Luke might be right, but he didn't handle that well. Other counterproductive ways
of reacting well.
LUKE: You've got great taste. You clearly know what you want. I like that one too.
Tact isn't about flattery or a line.
LUKE: Sure, what have you like, Ron?
It's also not about passively giving away, instead tact is the ability to identify and
react sensitively to potentially awkward or emotionally loaded situations.
Diplomacy is how you negotiate these situations for the skillful use of language
57
that includes verbal and body language. Consider how Luke could have
responded.
LUKE: I see why that one appeals to and you're right, it’s a bold image. . But I’d
like to go over the focus group data and explain why we don't think is the best
solution. I want you to have all the information.
Communicating with tact and diplomacy involves mastering some key skills:
1. Situational awareness that needs being aware of what's going on around

you and of the workplace culture you’re in. You can develop it by being
alert to the ways people behave and getting to know how your co-
workers think and react.
2. Active listening. Focus your attention on the speaker. Maintain eye

contact and pick up on verbal cues.
3. Show empathy. Put yourself in the other person's shoes and work to
understand their point of view.
4. Work to build rapport. Listening well and showing empathy will help you
with this. Communicate in a non-judgmental, genuine, relaxed and
friendly way.
B. Developing Situational Awareness
To successfully employ tact and diplomacy you have to understand the situation
you're in. What's really happening? What do people expect and what are they
feeling?
Situational awareness is knowing what's going on around you:
1. Being aware of your organization’s workplace culture, not just the

official values and mission statement posted on the office walls but the
unwritten rules too.
2. How do people behave?
3. How are you expected to address superiors?
4. How do co-workers relate and communicate with each other?
58
5. Situational awareness is also being aware of your co-worker’s
responsibilities, challenges and individual characteristics.
Three steps to take to develop situational awareness
1. Don’t sleepwalk through your day. Strive to be fully aware and engaged
in where you are and what you're doing. Engage in your environment.
2. Be an observer. Be alert to what's occurring in your work environment

and make a point of getting to know your co-workers. Who are they?
What are they like? Talk to them. You can learn a lot from a simple
conversation.
3. Acquaint yourself with the normal day-to-day patterns in the office. What
happens on a typical day and when. Be attuned to the rhythms at work.
C. Choosing Words to Avoid a Meltdown
Using poorly chosen words at work can lead to negative emotional reactions from
anger to embarrassment to stubborn defensiveness. Apply the right
communication skills though and you can avoid the kinds of reactions that hurt
work relationships and morale. Consider what goes wrong in this conversation.
[Luke shows Ron a set of logos.]

LUKE: This logo tested okay. A strong second place and -
RON: I like that one.
LUKE: Seriously? That went bonding customer testing.
RON: It makes an impact.
LUKE: We don't want that kind of impact.
RON: Have you shown anything to the client yet?
LUKE: No.
RON: Then, this one. Just give them this one.
LUKE: If you pick a controversial logo like this one, we risk of losing the client.
RON: Well, this is controversial in a good way. It's excellent.
LUKE: You’re killing me here, Ron.
RON: Well, what's killing me is that my staff can't seem to get me any credit or to
just do what I asked him to do.
There was a point when Luke should've had the awareness to sense Ron's rising
irritation then he could have used tact and diplomacy to avoid the angry outburst.
59
There are some basic strategies for avoiding these types of meltdowns:
1. Avoid starting sentences with the word YOU, which can trigger a
defensive reaction. Instead, use I and WE statements. Use a cushion or
connecting statement before you disagree.
LUKE: I hear you and I understand the appeal. This is strong visual but I’m
surprised we consider overruling the results of our customer testing.
2. Avoid counterproductive expressions of emotion like Luke's you're

killing me here Ron. This makes a negative emotional response from the
other person more likely.
3. Use the passive voice. This helps shift the tension away from the person
making what you say, less threatening. Instead of, if you pick a
controversial logo, Luke might say.
LUKE: If a controversial logo is chosen I’m concerned we risk losing the client.
4. Be specific. Vague non-actionable statements can be confusing and

frustrating, contributing to an outburst.
5. Be concise. It's natural to keep talking when you feel nervous. But the
more you argue the greater the chance you'll provoke irritation and
anger. Be honest and say what you need to say but no more.
6. Be aware of your body language. Avoid pointing, standing too close,
leaning in or waving your hands. Consider how to put these strategies
into practice.
LUKE: But I’m surprised we consider overruling the results of our customer

testing. I can show you how we do our survey research, which in this case skews
heavily towards the first logo.
RON: I still like this one, but okay let's take a look at the research.
When you communicate with tact and diplomacy, you're more likely to avoid
emotional situations that can sour professional relationships, cause tension and a
road team spirit.
D. Apologizing with Grace
None of us is perfect. We all say or do something unfortunate now and then.

When you slip up at work it's important to apologize graciously. Why apologize?
60
In the aftermath of causing offense an apology reestablishes lines of
communication, which you need in order to do your job. Done diplomatically,
you'll establish yourself as someone who takes responsibility for their actions and
earn the trust and respect of the people you work with. If you're from that never
apologize, never explain school it's likely you'll damage your relationships with
colleagues and clients. No one wants to work for or with someone who can't own
up to their mistakes. It creates tension, animosity and a toxic work environment.
Luke is 10 minutes late for a meeting he called. Let's consider some guidelines he
should keep in mind. First, use two words.
[Luke enters the meeting room. His colleagues are seated and look unimpressed.]
LUKE: My bad.
1. There are no substitutes for I’m sorry or I apologize. These are magic
words and often just saying them will go a long way to smoothing over
hurt feelings and misunderstandings. Next, name it, what are you sorry
for.
LUKE: I apologize for being late.
2. Don't use the passive voice.
LUKE: It’s not right to be late to your own meeting.
3. Use the active voice instead to make it clear you're taking responsibility
for your actions.
LUKE: I'm sorry I was late to my own meeting.
4. No explanations, no excuses. It can be tempting to explain why you

behaved inappropriately.
LUKE: I was having a terrible day and Jenny dropped receipts in an incomplete
expense report on my desk so.
5. Don't dilute your apology. Don't defend your actions or try to explain
them away. Next, acknowledge others points of view. This shows
empathy and understanding. When you say for example.
LUKE: I know when I keep you waiting it's time away from your deadlines and is
annoying.
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6. Indicate that you understand the impact of your behavior on the
individuals and your organization. The final step and a proper apology
make it right. To do this first offer your solution.
LUKE: I'm going to set my calendar reminders earlier from now on.
7. Make sure your solution is proportionate to the offense and don't say it if
you don't mean to follow through.
8. Finally, make a change. Let people know that there won't be a repeat
performance. If there are other issues that need to be addressed make
assurances that you'll be taking the necessary steps to do so.
Apologizing with tact and diplomacy when you're in the wrong earns you a
reputation as someone with integrity who considers others and can be trusted to
do what's right.
E. Focusing on Others and Not Yourself
Genuine engagement with other people imagining how they feel, think and
experience the world is the key to communicating with tact and diplomacy.
It's Friday afternoon at the end of a big presentation. Lauren has a question for
her boss.
LAUREN: So, how did I do?

JULIA: Excellent. The client loves your work. Ron tells me he is very impressed
and to keep an eye on you.
LAUREN: Good because I need a pay raise. In fact I need another 20%. I’m
performing way above my pay grade and it’s time to recognize that. [Julia thinks
to herself.]
JULIA: Oh, here we go, how so. [Julia addresses Lauren.] LAUREN: I handle three
clients and they're all coming back for more work. I know the value I add to what
we do here.
JULIA: Sorry, this is the performance we expect at your level of compensation.
How to engage properly with someone:
1. Start by putting yourself in their shoes. How is Lauren seeing the

situation? What's driving her?
62
2. Use your imagination to get inside the mind of the other person and
understand where they're coming from.
3. Put your active listening skills to use.
4. Pay attention not just to what the person says, but also their tone and
body language. How are they feeling? Is something important being left
unsaid? Let the communicating become a shared experience.
5. Create a bond with them then let the other person know you understand
where they're coming from. This doesn't mean you have to agree just
that you recognize their point of view.
6. Frame yourself properly. This means that you aren’t putting yourself in
the center of the picture.
If you're too focused on how you come across and what people think of you you'll
struggle to engage with others. Once you take yourself out of the center of the
picture your interactions will likely improve, your status within your team will
likely be strengthened.
When you emphasize the importance of the messages you're receiving you're
better able to communicate with others. Putting the focus on your co-workers,
your direct reports or your boss will win you recognition as reasonable and fair.
Someone who is good to work for and work with. Reconsider the earlier
conversation.
LAUREN: I need a raise, in fact, I need another 20%. I’m performing way above
my pay grade and it's time to recognize that.
[Julia thinks to herself.] JULIA: Here we go. Well, guess I've been there, not feeling
recognized, how so.
[Julia addresses Lauren.] LAUREN: I handle three clients and they’re all coming
back for more work. I know the value I add to what we do here.
[Julia thinks to herself.] JULIA: Yeah, I can see often where she stands. She feels
she has earned a raise.
Because Julia has put herself in Lauren’s shoes she is able to respond to what her
team member is really after recognition and acknowledgment.
JULIA: Lauren, I agree that you should be recognized for how well you've done.
For today, I will check with HR to see about giving you a small bonus now and
we’ll look into a raise in the next review cycle. Does that sound okay?
When you genuinely focus on and engage with others you'll automatically
improve your diplomatic skills and your interactions will lead to more positive
outcomes.
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F. Looking through a Different Lens
Even when you aren’t aware of them your personal biases can keep you from
engaging properly with others. They can hinder your ability to communicate with
tact and diplomacy. Everyone has biases and preconceptions, even you.
However, there are steps you can take to identify and overcome your biases.
You've probably seen this famous optical illusion you look and it's clearly the
profile of a stylish young woman. You look again your mind makeshifts and now
you see the image through a different lens. It's actually a much older woman.
You've experienced a shift in perception. But what if you hadn't looked again,
you’d naturally assume that everyone sees the same stylish young woman you
saw at first glance or vice versa. It's common to assume others see and think
exactly like you with the same knowledge and experiences. Just this comment is
stereotyping where you discount similarities and assume the other person
doesn't think like you at all. Either way, it's bias. Lauren is a relatively new
member of Ron's team. They’re working to get a product to alpha stage and
Lauren is representing Julia’s department on the product development team.
RON: So this is the first time the client sees the product with all the elements
incorporated, basically it’s the first draft. There will be future iterations based on
client feedback.
LAUREN: Yeah, okay.
Ron assumes Lauren knows everything he knows about what a first draft entails.
He didn’t pick up on Lauren’s hesitancy and doesn't put himself in her shoes. A
few weeks later.
RON: Lauren, we have to deliver this in less than a week and we need a much
more polished effort.
LAUREN: Polished? I thought you said this was just the first draft that we’d be
iterating.
RON: Right.
LAUREN: Well, I didn’t know that first draft meant polished.
Guidelines for overcoming the kinds of preconceptions that hamper

communication:
1. Be aware that you have biases just acknowledging that they exist is a
good step in the right direction.
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2. Question yourself. Ask yourself if you're making assumptions about the
other person. What are you taking for granted? What's the basis of your
assumptions?
3. Practice active listening, including paraphrasing what the other person
has said. This is an ideal way to identify differences in perspective before
they can derail an interaction. Make certain what you heard is what they
said and vice versa.
4. Check in with your colleagues. If other members of your team were in the
same meeting or presentation ask them if they heard what you heard and
how they interpreted it. Get confirmation.
RON: You know what I made a lot of assumptions instead of actually explaining

what we need. Let’s go back and let me clarify.
The goal is to truly engage with others and overcome the biases that lead to false
assumptions.
This is essential for communicating efficiently, effectively and with tact and
diplomacy.
Let's review what you've learned in this lesson.
1. Communicating with diplomacy and tact allows you to be more

persuasive and build stronger relationships at work.
2. Doing so successfully requires developing situational awareness of
others and your surroundings.
3. Choosing your words carefully to avoid triggering emotional
overreactions.
4. Apologizing gracefully when necessary.
5. Putting your focus on others rather than yourself and looking at things
through a different lens to minimize and overcome personal biases.
Reflection:
What are your personal realizations on tact and diplomacy? Why are tact and
diplomacy important in communication? How do you use them in everyday life?
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4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
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Lesson 8. Expert Insights on Presentation Skills
How many boring presentations have you suffered through? Is yours one of
them? Follow these simple, easy-to-implement ideas to make your presentations
more enjoyable and make sure your audience walks away with a message they
will remember.
A. Preparing for High Stakes Situations
Amy Cuddy.
So when you’re preparing for some kind of high stakes interaction, like a job
interview, giving a pitch, a negotiation, there are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Don’t keep studying till the last minute. So the content of what you’re
going to say is important, but you reach a point where you can’t keep
studying; you’ve got that figured out.
2. Focus on how you’re going to say things. So you’re focusing on how you
say it, and not what you say. But what that means is that you’re getting in
touch with what you believe, what do you feel the most strongly about.
3. Present with enthusiasm and confidence what you believe in. Figure out
what you believe in before you go in to sell it.
4. Do the power poses before you walk in, because it really configures your
brain to deal well in these challenging, stressful situations.
B. How to Give Charismatic Presentations
Nick Morgan
How to become more charismatic in a presentation:
1. Force yourself to be open. Your natural instinct when you’re speaking in

front of a large audience, people that you don’t know, is to defend
yourself—is to have your hands come together in front of your torso. In
some way, or form, or other, they’ll manage to bring their hands in front
of their torso. So instead, force yourself to be open.
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2. Connect. If you’re behind a podium that can be as simple as leaning into
the podium. But if you walk out from behind the podium, if you’re
wearing a wireless mic, then you can walk the stage. And you can go right
to the edge of the stage to get as close to the audience as possible. And in
fact, if you can make it look natural, and as an integral part of the speech,
you get might even get off the stage and walk into the audience, perhaps
during the Q&A. That kind of connection really raises the energy in the
room—makes the audience feel like you’re a charismatic person.
3. Allow your passion to come out in your voice, in raising it, in talking
about things in ways that show how much you care about them. We don’t
want to hear your passion unless we’re open and connected.
4. Listen. No communication is complete until the loop is closed. You need
to show that audience that you’re paying attention to them just as well as
they’re paying attention to you.
C. You Are the Presentation
Karen Hough
The presentation is you. The deck or the document should just be a backdrop, it
should be a support, because if we all need information, remember all we need to
do is send a memo or send the deck and nobody should have to stand up.
If you’re standing up giving a presentation, there’s a reason. It’s because you’re

an expert, it’s because you want to bring your passion, it’s because you want to
convince people of something.
So you are the reason that people are coming together. Make the most of that.
Practice, warm up your voice, try out different hooks, try out different ways of
closing with a bang. You are the reason that we’ve all come together. You are the
big show, you’re in the spotlight.
D. It's Not What You Say
Karen Hough.
What you want to focus on is how you say it.
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Of course content is important, of course you want to have all of your information
together, of course you want to be organized, but the way that you say it is going
to make people feel differently.
We have all of these tools available to us—how we use our voice, how we use our
body, how we use our face. It’s how you say it that really, really makes a
difference, that drives your content to be very effective.
A lot of people don’t realize how important their voice is. Your voice has the
ability to make people listen. You might slow down, lower your voice, say it a little
bit more quietly—that’s how you bring impact. Or maybe you want people to
really feel good or laugh at something, so you smile and you raise your voice and
you speed up a little bit, and then they can see what you’re saying.
There are all sorts of ways you can use your voice, your face, your eyes, and your
body to make a difference in how people connect with that amazing content that
you’re bringing.
E. Don't Just Inform
Karen Hough
One role that people often follow is to give informational presentations. Please,
break that rule. Don’t walk in to inform. If we want information, we can look on
the web, we can write a memo—there are many ways that we can share
information. If you’re giving presentations, you want to create impact, you want
to make a difference—you want to connect with your audience in a very specific
way.
An action is the emotional connection that we have with our audience. So please
don’t walk in to inform them, walk in to motivate them. Walk in to anger them.
Walk in to make them feel joy or to laugh.
You may have seen motivation, we see speakers do this all the time. They want to
motivate to change how you eat or how you live.
“Well, it’s the quarterly report. Why shouldn’t I just inform them and drop the
data?” Well, if you do that, you are wasting an opportunity to make a difference.
Even if it is just the quarterly update, there’s probably something that matters to
you about that quarterly update. Is there a chance that you could impress
someone and make them want to give you a raise? Is there a chance that you
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could convince the committee to change a way that you do business because you
know something different?
So walk in to motivate, walk in to impress, walk in to entertain if you have to, but
choose an action, don’t just inform.
F. Storytelling Improves Retention Rates
Nick Morgan
All the studies show people only remember 10 to 30% of what they hear in a
presentation or a speech.
Now that’s because we tend to present information as information, and so we

hear it as lists of things that we have to remember, we in the audience. And
unfortunately our brains are constructed only to remember five plus or minus
two things. So by the time you get to the seventh thing, we’re already forgetting
the first one.
How can you fix this problem? Well, the good news is by telling stories you can
increase people’s natural ability to retain information. And the way you do that is
by attaching emotion and storytelling to the facts, to the information that you
want to impart.
G. Connect with Data
Karen Hough
Data is important. We often have to present data. There is power in data and we
often forget that. We often don’t use the power that’s right at our fingertips. The
key, though, is that it’s your responsibility to tell the story that the data is telling,
to make it relevant for all of us.
You see, in the field of artificial intelligence they’ve been looking a lot at how we
remember things. And data can sometimes be hard to remember. However,
stories can be very easy to remember. We contextualize them, we remember
them. As a matter of fact a lot of people can tell me stories from childhood,
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although they can’t recall a PowerPoint they saw three days earlier. So it’s your
responsibility to kind of bring that story, that the data tells, to life.
I had someone who was talking about the importance of not raising the price of
hamburgers in a very large chain for which they worked, and why that would
affect the employees and the people. And I said, “You need to make this
personal, I don’t understand what you’re going to, what you’re getting at.” And
what he realized is that he wasn’t telling the story of why this was such important
data to him. He had found out that if this certain chain raised their hamburgers
the amount that they had intended to, the managers of those very stores would
not be able to afford to eat in their own restaurants. He changed around his whole
presentation; he used a story of a real manager that he talked to, his actual living
budget, what it cost him to live, and why if they raise those burgers such a
significant amount, that man couldn’t actually eat in his own restaurant, and
why it was so important to keep the cost down.
So tell the story that the data is trying to tell. Connect with it yourself so that your
audience can connect to it, too.
H. Involve Your Audience to Improve Presentations
Nick Morgan
When we give a speech or a presentation, we ask our audiences to be passive and

for a pretty long period of time. And that’s not natural. Most of us are naturally
active. We like to do things. We like to act on our wishes, and desires, and our
intents. And so one of the ways to really strengthen a good presentation, make it
much more memorable and powerful, is to give your audience a chance to be
active.
Give your audience something to do. Don’t make them be passive for the entire
speech. Allow them to be active, and they will thank you for it.
I. Don't Tell a Joke
Karen Hough
Telling a joke is some of the worst advice you can give to people during
presentation because then they think, “Oh,” unless they’re really good at jokes,
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“I’ve got to get a joke book and I’ll pick one out and then I’ll tell a joke and
everyone will laugh.” Well, telling a joke is actually kind of tough. You’ve got to
have timing. You’ve got to know if your audience is going to think it’s funny. And
by the way, humor is pretty specific. You’ve got to be very careful not to offend
someone. You’ve got to be really careful that it’s not going to be the wrong kind of
humor.
If the audience isn’t responding to sort of what you’re bringing, that’s the moment
to change gears. Maybe talk to them, maybe do a show of hands; have somebody
else talk a little bit, maybe they’ll be funny.
Humor is a great way to infuse your presentation with energy and interest. And if
you’ve got it, if you know how to do it and time it, that’s great. If you’re not that
comfortable with humor, I would say practice it a lot, get different people to
watch you, make sure your timing is on, maybe watch some people that are very
good at it. If you want to integrate it, that’s great. Do it where it’s not a really high-
risk situation.
So humor is great. Just remember that’s it something you’ve got make sure is your
style.
J. Tough Audience Tips
Karen Hough
I’ve had a lot of people come and ask me about dealing with an aggressive or a
problematic audience. Some people get in a situation where they’re being
peppered with very aggressive questions that they have to answer; they may be
in a situation where people are angry about something that they have to talk
about.
So this is a really stressful situation.
1. Think about yourself. How can you relax yourself? And that is all tied to
breathing. You need to have some kind of breathing technique, whether
it’s deep breathing or if you have some kind of yoga breathing that you
like, but have a way so that you keep breathing deeply. Because as you
get upset, your breathing is going to get faster and it’s going to get
shallower, and that’s going to mess with your head.
2. Try to offset the tone of the room. When people are upset or aggressive,
they often speak very loudly, very quickly, in a loud, loud tone. Calm
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down and respond with a quiet, low voice, and that would balance out
the energy in the room, and to feel more in control.
3. Make them feel that you understand what’s going on. When someone
comes at you, they’re upset or they have a question that really throws
you, you really need to sort of say, “Yeah, I hear you, and that must be
really difficult or really frustrating or you must be very upset about it.
Tell some more about the situation so I can answer it better.” Or, “Tell me
some more about how you feel.” Or, “Tell me some more about what you
need to know so that we can resolve this.”
K. Better Presentations Improve Audience Retention
Nick Morgan
Two steps to ensure that your audience will remember what you’re telling
them:
1. To understand the audience; to know what its worries are, its fears, its
interests, to know what matters to it. “What is the need, or the fear, or the
problem that the audience has for which my expertise is the solution?”
 If you don’t know the answer to that question, you’re not ready to
speak to them.
 If you do know the answer, then you can spend the first half of the
speech talking about that problem.
 Then the audience is prepared to hear your solution.
2. To focus on just one idea. Summarize in one sentence the point you want
the audience to take away from your presentation. And everything that
doesn’t fit underneath that one-sentence summary, throw it out.
L. Send 'Em Out Singing
Karen Hough
A hook is the beginning of your presentation and it’s important. But let’s also
remember the end, that’s where I see most people really fall apart. Send your
audience out singing.
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Send people out of your presentation with a song on their lips: send them with a
thought they can’t get out of their head or a question they have to answer or
something that’s really going to grab them.
Quick tip: don’t end on questions. You can control your end. Now of course it’s
always great to take questions from an audience; it gives you a chance to interact.
I prefer that you take questions throughout your presentation, but if it’s held till
the end, take questions, interact, talk to them, have a moderator do it—the key is
that when the questions are over, you want to finish with something really strong.
Often the end of questions looks like this. Again, it’s sort of the “Are there any
more questions? No more, questions? Okay, thank you.” Very weak.
Instead, do this, something like this. “Any more questions? No more questions?
Okay, great. Thank you so much for being here today, and remember, if you want
to make a difference in how you feel and you look, start eating breakfast
tomorrow. Thanks a lot.” Send them out singing.
M. Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking
Diane Darling.
How to get over the fear of public speaking:
1. Remember that speaking wasn’t about you; it was about the information
you are sharing with someone else.
2. Go into a corner by yourself and do some deep-breathing exercises.

Breathe until your belly button tries to go to the wall, and then come out.
Another exercise to do is some squats. Or do some arm stretches just to
be able to make yourself feel a little bit more comfortable.
3. Of course, you have to prepare your talk. Way too many people try and
wing this. Three things to think about: what you want to say, say it, and
what you said. Those three elements are absolutely essential for every
talk.
4. Do the concept called rehearsed spontaneity. Rehearsed spontaneity lets

you have that sense of feeling spontaneous, but it also means you’re
thoughtful about the audience.

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5. Think carefully about how you’re going to close your talk, what are some
different ways you’re going to do it, because that is what people are going
to remember.
M. Powerful Presentation Openings
Richard Goring.
How to open a presentation:
1. You should start off talking about things that your audience care
about. Take your presentation from a we-focus presentation, which is all
about you as the presenter or your organization, and switch it around so
that it’s about your audience.
2. Start talking about the challenges that your audience is facing. What
are the issues? What are the problems that they’ve got at the moment?
Now if you can build those up, those challenges can be something that
you’ve got from experience working with other organizations that are
similar to the people that you’re talking to.
3. Once you’ve set out those challenges, add an extra layer to it with some
key insights. This is where you can really show your expertise. Either
based on more experience working with other organizations, it could be
with different papers that are released, research, or anything that you’ve
done that provides that extra layer of detail to show why this is really
important.
4. And from there, then go onto the implication of this. What does all of it
mean? If you’ve got this challenge at the moment, why are you going to
change? What will happen if you don’t do something about it? This
means that you can create that kind of ticking time bomb idea, where it’s
really important that you do something and do something about it now,
before it’s too late.
The opening doesn’t need to last long; only a couple of minutes.
After the opening:

1. Come up with the solution that you have to enable them to solve those
different challenges. Just a brief, high-level overview for now.
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2. Launch into your value proposition: the key reasons why the audience
should be listening to you, and the benefits that they will get out of it.
That then forms the basis of your presentation, and allows you to
structure around key, positive messages.
N. Preparing for an Effective Presentation
Richard Goring.
When you’ve got your presentation sorted, you’ve thought about the story, the
structure, the visuals you’re going to use, it’s important to do some preparation.
Write a script. Lots of people try it, and it never works, because you can’t
remember all of the details of the script. It takes far too long to do. And
eventually, it’s going to throw you off because you know that you’ve written the
perfect script, but then you can't remember it. So the whole thing goes wrong.
The script:
1. Think about what your audience really cares about.

2. Think about the challenges their facing.
3. Think about the issues that they have. The problems that will be caused
by all of that, and the implications of it.
4. Think about the key ideas that they need to hear to overcome those
problems, and relate them back to your solution.
If you can come up with those three, four, five key messages, key ideas, then write
those down, and memorize them.

When you’re presenting:
1. Talk as you normally would, talk about the details of your solution,
what’s important to them,
2. Keep throwing those key ideas back to your audience whenever
possible. So that you’re always relating to your detail content, and your
key messages, so the audience picks it up and says, “Yes, this is absolutely
what I need.”
3. Once you’ve then got those key messages in place, it’s then important to
think about the language that you’re using. Do not use the term “we,” but
instead use the term “you.” And by talking to your audience directly, it
forces them to be involved.
4. Think about the benefits that your audience will get. So try to shift the
spotlight, if you like, away from you as a presenter, and more towards
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your audience. Again, a great way to engage them and keep them
involved.
When preparing for your presentation using visual sequences:
1. Make sure that they’re in full-screen show mode so all the animations
happen.
2. Just click through to get very quick idea of exactly what the order and the
sequence is. And that way you know what’s going to be coming up next.
Do this maybe two or three times, really very quickly.
3. And then do it again, a little bit more slowly, and just have a rough idea of
what you might say over each slide, or each graphic, or each click, or
visual. And in that way, you’re not writing a script as such, but you’re
preparing yourself, and you’re linking your ideas with the visuals that are
on the screen.
And that means that when you stand up to present, all you need to do is click,
have some kind of visual or graphic come up, and then explain to the audience
what that is.
Having lots of clicks, and lots of animations in your slides paces the flow of
information. So there’s a small chunk of information delivered with one click, and
a small chunk with another, and so on.
That’s also really useful because it encourages a process called “dual coding of
information,” where your audience is synchronized up in what they’re seeing on
the slides with the clicks, and then what they’re hearing from you as the
presenter.
It’s also really important, when you’ve got visual sequences, to point out the
relevant part of the visual. Now that might be in your language. So you might say,
“As you can see in the top left,” or, “As you can see with the red circle there.”
O. How to Communicate a Vision
Steve Radcliffe.
“Actually, you don’t.”
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People, today, want to be engaged. So the question for me is not about how do we
communicate the vision, the question is, how can we energize and engage
others in the vision of where we want to go?
People want to be engaged and engaged is a two-way interaction. It’s a dialogue.

It’s a sharing points of view. It’s raising questions. It’s creating a safe space so
new ideas can bubble. That is very different to “We will go communicate the
vision in the newsletter, with the DVD, and the company video,” and so on.
So do not raise the question, “How do we communicate the vision?” Rather, be

very thoughtful, perhaps more than you’ve been so far, on what’s involved in
engaging of the people. You’re doing it now already, but you may not be doing it
consciously. So think through, what are those ingredients, behaviors that help
engagement take place? Study it and then learn more about it by going out there
and practicing. Succeeding at times, failing at others. Learn again and get out
there and practice again.
P. Persuasive Presentations
Dorie Clark.
For those truly special, important occasions when something is at stake, when
you have to persuade people to say yes to something that matters, we need to
make sure, in our presentations, that we are answering a few very specific
questions for our audience. If we can do this, we are going to be far more
persuasive than other people might be, in the same circumstance.
1. First of all, you want to make sure that you’re answering the question,
“What is the problem you’re solving?” You have to set the context for
your audience.
2. You also want to make sure that you’re answering “Why now?” If you’re
trying to persuade someone of something, usually it’s to take some form
of action—to approve a new initiative.
3. You want to talk about how the idea has been vetted. Now, you may have
spent months or years diving into researching and promoting this idea.
But the truth is, other people are probably not going to be aware of that
process; they may be hearing about it for the first time. Consequently,
they may be a little skeptical and want to make sure you’ve done your
due diligence. You have to reassure people of that.
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4. Ask yourself if you have simplified the structure of your presentation as
much as you possibly can. It’s easy to overwhelm people with arcane
details.
5. You want to ask, “Have you included a story in your presentation?” Now,
there are plenty of disciplines—let’s say the accountants or the engineers
out there—that say, “We don’t need stories. We don’t do stories. We are
about the data.” And yes, that’s critical. You want to have great data in
there. But almost any persuasive presentation can benefit from having a
story that people can understand and relate to; that helps enhance the
emotional appeal of what you’re talking about, and hammers home why
it’s so important.
6. Finally, ask yourself, “Have you included a call to action?” Your audience
may not be clear on what precisely you’re asking them to do. Are you
asking them to consider an idea? To launch a pilot? To approve a
budgetary expenditure? It may be crystal clear to you, but you need to
make it explicit to your audience so that they understand what the next
step is that you desire.
Q. Presenting Ideas at Meetings
Carmen Medina.
Four pieces of advice to increase the chances to get someone at the meeting to say
yes to your idea:
1. Don’t prepare the perfect presentation. Don’t agonize over their slides
put too many words on each slide, and hide things, or don’t even mention
things that are problematic. What you want to do is appear normal and
natural in your presentation. It’s probably not a bad idea to have slight
imperfections in your presentation like saying that you don’t necessarily
know how this part of your proposal will work. What you’re doing is
giving people in the meeting an opportunity to contribute to your idea, to
participate. And every time someone contributes something to your idea,
you’re developing a potential ally.
2. Don’t act like you know it all. So I like to call this the “Athena complex.”
Athena, the daughter of Zeus, who jumps out fully formed from the head
of Zeus, wearing her battle armor. Well, that’s sometimes what rebels at
work feel they have to be: fully developed, not admit to any mistakes.
And that is a mistake. When people approach you at a meeting, and
someone says, “I’m not sure how this is going to work,” rather than say, “I
know exactly how to handle it,” say this: “I’m so glad, Bob, you mentioned
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that problem. I’ve been worrying about that problem too, and I’m really
glad you’ve mentioned it. Do you have any idea about how you might
handle it? How you would take care of this issue?” If that person bites,
and they offer you a suggestion, you have turned a potential opponent of
your idea into a potential supporter. And those are the most important
supporters of your idea, people who might otherwise have opposed it.
3. You notice that everyone in the room sort of has their elbows like this,
and they don’t really like your idea. Say to that person, “Barbara, I
understand that you don’t really like my idea, but is there any part of my
idea that you dislike least?” That will catch her by complete surprise, and
again, depending upon her answer, you’ll have something that you can
build on. And the reverse is also useful. Everybody in the room seems to
like the idea, so ask the people in that room, “I understand that you really
like the idea, but what part of my idea do you like the least?” Again,
you’re going to get important insight about the weak parts of your
proposal.
4. Take advantage of what I like to call the “apres-meeting.” So a meeting
breaks up, and there’s like conversations on the side, and people are
sharing their own reactions to the proposal that they might not have
shared openly in the meeting. Listen to that very carefully. And another
interesting dynamic that occurs during the apres-meeting is that’s when
the introverts in the room, who don’t want to speak up at all during the
public session, will come to you and perhaps offer their suggestions. So I
would suggest, end your part of the meeting five times before the
scheduled end of the meeting to give time for that kind of apres-meeting
dynamic to occur, and to have an opportunity to listen to the introverts.
R. How to Capture the Attention of Your Audience
Will you be able to make your audience care about what you have to say? Will
you be able to capture their attention? How do you know if you’re conveying an
air of confidence?
How to look confident while presenting:
1. Work on your tone. Research shows confident voices tend to be lower in

pitch, have a flatter intonation, and a faster speech rate. A non-confident
tone tends to be higher in pitch, slower speech, and rising towards the
end of the sentence like this. Confident speech also ends in a period,
never a question, when a question isn’t being stated.
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2. Stop with the disclaimers. Disclaimers are given to set the presenters off
the hook in case what they have to say isn’t received well. Phrases like,
“This might be stupid,” or “I’m probably wrong but…,” are one of the
quickest ways to be written off as insecure in the brains of your
audience. You’re not winning anyone over with your humility, and using
these kinds of disclaimers is doing yourself a huge disservice.
3. Make sure your body language matches what you’re saying. Don’t be
confusing. What are your shoulders doing? What is your stance? Are
your arms crossed or open? How do you stand when listening to
someone? None of it is inherently bad, but your body has to be putting
your best self forward, too. Your body language needs to match the
message you’re delivering.
4. Be a style flexer. Pay attention to your audience. One thing that takes a
speaker from good to great is being able to adapt to the reaction of their
audience. This is called “style flexing.” If you pick up on cues that
someone’s bored, skeptical, or closed off to your message, don’t be
offended. Just acknowledge it and adjust accordingly. Maybe you do this
internally and spend more time on ideas that are gaining more traction,
or maybe you can do it externally and say, “Hey, it seems like I might
have lost you with the last comment. Let me explain what I mean.”
In our modern world of almost infinite access to information, being able to catch
and keep someone’s attention is incredibly powerful. These few simple changes
to how you present yourself can make a huge difference.
S. The Four Minute Rule
Steve McDermott.
The four-minute rule means you've got four minutes, then it's game over. So for
example, those of you who've ever stayed in a hotel, maybe you've had a terrible
journey. It's been long and you're tired and you're really crumpled and it's late at
night and you just want to go to your room and take a shower and go to bed.
And you get to reception and there's nobody behind the reception desk to check
you in. That's getting it wrong in the first four minutes. But what the research
says, in your personal experience or support, this is this. If they do that kind of
thing to you in the first four minutes, even if you're on holiday and you were
staying at that hotel for two weeks, the bit you remember, the bit you tell your
friends about, is the first four minutes.
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So I think we have to get good at reengineering the first four minutes, and I would
suggest you want to practice this with your most important customers.
My most important customers are this high, this high, and this high. They're my
children. I don't know about you but when I'm out on business and I'm away
overnight especially when they're little, it's tempting, you get in the house, and
the kids are like, "Dad, dad!" it's really tempting to go, "Can I just get in the house,
can I just take my jacket off, put my case down?" But when it's done in the four-
minute rule now, I don't do that. Just before I get through the door, in my head I
say, how would the best dad in the world act when he walked in that door? And
that's how I act, because that's the bit they're going to remember. Here's the
really good news, though, parents, you only have to keep it up for four minutes.
T. The Two Most Important Things When Giving a Presentation
Nick Morgan.
Two essential things to think about to get a speech right:
1. Who is your audience? You’ve got to understand what’s on your

audience’s mind, what it’s afraid of, what it wants, what it’s
demographics are, how many there are going to be, what time of day it is.
Is it early in the morning when they’ve got lots of energy? Is it later in the
day when they’re tired? You’ve got to know everything about your
audience in order to address them effectively.
2. You’ve got to have only one major point to make because we simply can’t
remember anything else. So when you get ready to give a speech—and
this is the good news—create a one-sentence summary of what that
speech is about, and then everything you put in that speech, make it in
support of that one-sentence summary, or cut it out altogether.
Keep those things in mind—those two things—audience, and one idea, and
you’ll have a great speech.
U. The Impact Of Strategic Storytelling
Jay Conger.
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One of the most important mediums you and I have as a leader is to
communicating through stories. I like to call them strategic stories, because in
many ways they're stories with a strategic end in mind. They're a powerful tool,
which many managers and executives forget to deploy. And my point is that if you
want recall if you want your staff to remember the genuine priorities or
remember why we're going in a certain direction they need stories to help remind
them of that reason, or purpose, or type of decision they have to take.
Strategic stories with a story:
This is a story that Herb Kelleher one of the founders of Southwest Airlines in the
United States and the former CEO and Chairman used to tell as he traveled
around the United States, visiting his operations. And it was a story that in part
explained who the competitors to Southwest Airlines were, as well as a story to
illustrate why Southwest priced its tickets so low: because South West Airlines
was famous for its low-priced tickets. What he would do in meetings with people
from Southwest and even with customers –is say "It's funny; I get letters all the
time from shareholders, and they're often angry letters.
They say 'America West is flying between Los Angeles and Las Vegas' for $149
one way and you, Herb Kelleher at Southwest, are pricing $79 for that same one-
way ticket. Don't you have the decency to at least kick your price up to $129? Why
are you leaving so much on the table? Well, what I do is write back and I say
Thank you so much for your letter. But, you really don't understand who we are,
and you really don't understand who our competition is. It's the automobile;
it's not other airlines. And $79 is the price to drive, including maintenance,
insurance and gasoline, from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. And that's how we price
our tickets." He would use that simple story to drive home what in many ways
could be seen as the entire strategy of the organization, vis-à -vis its competition.
But it was done in such a way that everyone at Southwest, all the way down to
the baggage handler, knew who the competitors were and why that ticket
was priced the way it was.
The primary lesson learned is that stories have enormous power in terms of
recall. If you look at statistics, or at PowerPoint, or at documents, what you
discover from all the research is that there's almost no recall. So you can use all
the PowerPoints you want; you can use all the statistical presentations you want,
have all the handouts you want; but almost none of that is remembered. What
will be remembered are a few compelling stories that you share with your
organization and with your team.
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How do you craft a good strategic story?
1. They're short, very short. Anywhere from one-and-a-half to two-and-a-

half minutes roughly is about all anybody can retain as a listener: so keep
your stories short.
2. They shouldn't have more than two or three characters at most. The
more characters, the more difficult it is to remember the story.
3. Keep it simple. Build it around a singular message you wish to convey.
4. Tell it as if it's actually happening in the present tense. We know that
when you do that, it brings the listener into the story and they actually
participate in the story.
5. Make certain you've got a few visual images, because we store visual
images far more deeply; a picture is worth actually thousands of words.
But make sure the images you share in the story tie into the theme you
want everyone to remember.
6. Repeat a phrase or word that's the essence of your message.
V. Improv Tips for Better Presentations
Bring your personality to your presentations. So whether you’re talking about

dynamic presenters or engaging presenters, here’s a couple of tips from business
improv to help you with presentations:
1. Let’s go with knowledge and training, and everything’s about the

foundational blocks.
 You should know your audience.
 You should know your material inside and out. “You should
know your material so well that you could wash dishes while
reciting your material, or take a shower, do whatever other
mindless task, and go through your material inside and out.”
2. Adaptability is key to great presenting. Being flexible and nimble, if

you’re able to handle those unexpected questions from people. So
slowing the brain down then to listen to what the questions are,
understanding how to link it to your material, whether it’s directly or
indirectly.
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3. Engaging. Engagement is a huge part of being an improvisational
presenter. It’s not dismissal of material, once again. It’s how you engage
people, because if you’re engaged, you’re engaging to people. So you can
pull people in with your level of excitement, with your level of energy,
with your level of directness, by talking to them.
Reflection:
How do you feel about this course unit? What insights do you particularly
like? Dislike? Why?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
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the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
Lesson 9. Planning an Effective Presentation

Concern about the impact of a presentation can inspire presenters to improve
their verbal communication skills, enabling them to get the desired results. Public
speaking and business presentations can be immeasurably improved if the
presenter devotes sufficient time and attention to planning.
1. Plan an effective presentation.

2. Define and understand your audience's characteristics, knowledge,
needs, and responses.
3. Customize your message to suit your audience needs.
4. Organize your presentation's timing, purpose, key points, and approach
so that it is engaging, focused, and relevant.
5. Use effectively different presentation methods, such as PowerPoint
presentations.
A. Defining Your Presentation's Audience
[Ryan is addressing an audience.]

RYAN: Hi everybody…Ryan here…you all know me. I wanna run through the new
process for the tracking system that we're rolling out. (CONTINUES
TENTATIVELY) Uh…maybe you didn't get the e-mail. (CONTINUES
ANXIOUSLY) But it's like a four-phase approach starting with the installation of
the new sales app on your recommended device… (BEWILDERED BY AUDIENCE
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REACTION)
Know your audience:
Ever get that panicky feeling when you're giving a presentation? Like the
audience just isn't with you? Any good presentation starts with getting your
audience on board. And if you assess your audience ahead of time, you've made a
great start at knowing what information to present and how to present it.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) Welcome everyone. I'm Ryan Mahon, Divisional Manager.
I know you all received the process chart I sent yesterday? (RYAN NODS,
AUDIENCE IN AGREEMENT) Good. You guys are new to the company, so let's
break it down.
1. Analyze audience characteristics, take their age and gender into

consideration. Ryan’s audience is new to the company, and younger, so
he pitches his presentation differently than he would with an older
audience.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) I know you guys have done our orientation course and
that you have some management training under your belts, so let me show you
how we start the sales process here.
2. Consider audience's educational and cultural background as they can

influence one’s presentation style, the language used, and the examples
given. Knowing the job roles and positions of the audience can help to
identify their goals and concerns.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) I'm gonna do an overview with you now. Breakout
sessions are later this afternoon…there'll be time for questions then.
3. Take note of the audience size. In a smaller group a presenter can be

more relaxed and interact on an individual basis, but for larger groups,
he may need to limit the amount of individual interaction because of time
pressures. Pitching your message right is really important. If you make
the content too simple, your audience will get bored. If it's too complex,
they can get confused.

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RYAN: The system's technology optimizes data warehousing, improves
responsiveness… (CONTINUES TENTATIVELY) backup protocols are in
place… (DISCONCERTED BY AUDIENCE) Uh, moving on…
4. Make sure to find out what the audience already knows. If you assume
that they know more than they actually do, you won't get your message
across clearly.
5. Know what your audience attitudes are about your presentation subject.
What do they really think about it? And what information does your
audience need to know? People only want to listen to information that's
relevant to them.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) That's all for now. I'll e-mail the full data in case anybody
wants the full breakdown.
Remember it's important to factor in audience size and their characteristics. If

you do, you're on your way to giving a great presentation.
B. Understanding Your Presentation's Audience

RYAN: Hey, I'm Ryan. We've been looking through the sales trends for the last
couple of quarters. West Coast is looking great. (FRUSTRATED) OK, I know it's a
different market with different product lines, but we've realized…
(DESPERATELY) hey, can I have everyone's attention?
1. Audience needs
Ever realize that your audience is not that interested in what you're saying? If you
want to maintain your audience's interest, you should keep audience needs in
mind.
In a presentation, you usually have two types of audience needs:

a. business needs and
b. personal needs.
To be successful, make sure to address them.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) Hi, I'm Ryan Mahon, Sales Manager for the Eastern
Division. As you know, we've been analyzing the sales trends over the last couple
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of quarters. The good news is we've figured out a way to help you exceed the
company's targets, and increase your comp packages…
By outlining how he can help the sales team, Ryan is addressing his audience's
business and personal needs. Now he's got their attention.
Business needs relate to company performance, including how your proposals
will improve efficiency, increase profits, or enhance your company's reputation.
Personal needs relate to job satisfaction, personal attitudes, and values. For
example, if employees need to work overtime to meet an important deadline,
they're likely to be unhappy about it. But if you show that they'll receive a bonus
if that deadline is met, you have a better chance of holding their attention.
RYAN: (NERVOUSLY) Hey, I know this'll mean more work for you guys, but after
reviewing our quarterly sales results, we've just about hit our targets. So we're
gonna increase them for the last quarter. We know you guys can do
better. (STUNNED BY AUDIENCE REACTION)
2. Audience response
Audience response is important. If the audience disagrees with your basic

assumptions or analysis, or if you haven't made your message compelling enough,
you're more likely to get a negative – or at best neutral – response.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) OK, we know you're a new team. And you're concerned
about technical support. But don't worry. We're doubling the size of the technical
team right now, so you'll have all the support you need. And for anyone who
meets the new target, there'll be a significant increase in your comp packages
too...
Ryan's audience gives him a positive response. He's addressed their concerns, by
anticipating objections, and having responses ready for them. It's a good idea to
rank potential objections in order of importance and to have evidence to address
and overcome them during your presentation. You should always tailor your
message to your audience's particular concerns. Try to take their cultural and
generational backgrounds into account too. You'll give a better presentation if
you know what group influences are likely to affect them. If you don't, you'll find
it hard to win audience support.
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C. Determining Your Presentation's Timing and Purpose

RYAN: (DESPERATELY) Can…can you wait a minute? Guys? I have another couple
of points. I know we've run out of time…(TRIES TO BE FIRM) look, you really need
to hear this information…(FRUSTRATED AT AUDIENCE REACTION).
1. Timing
Have you ever run out of time? Couldn't get your whole message across? Planning
a presentation can be tricky. If you don't ensure the time is sufficient, your
message may be lost. You can't use up all of your presentation time just to make
your main points. The amount of detail you can go into depends on how much
time you have. Time will always be limited, so be realistic about how much you
can cover in the time you've been allocated.

RYAN: (CALMLY AND CONFIDENTLY) That about wraps my four main points. We
have about 10 minutes left for any questions. Anyone?...ah...yes?
This time, Ryan has planned his timing carefully. He's ensured there was enough
time to get his message across. In a forty-five-minute time slot, he allowed:
a. 5 minutes for people to settle in,
b. 5 for interruptions,
c. 5 for introductory and closing comments, and
d. 10 minutes for questions.
e. With 20 minutes left over, Ryan was able to give 5 minutes to each of
his 4 main points.
2. Purpose

RYAN: (INSECURELY) Hi. We're currently collating feedback on our gaming
products. We're still waiting on the Midwest data to come in...so it's not indicative
yet… (DISAPPOINTED AT AUDIENCE REACTION)
To give a great presentation, you need a clear central message. Know what you
want to achieve, and ensure that your purpose is interesting to your audience too.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) Hi, I'm Ryan Mahon, and I'm here to tell you that we've
integrated the latest 3D technology into all of our games. And we're ready to
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expand into new story lines and territories. Our games will transport you into
new worlds! You guys are gonna own the ultimate gaming
experience… (IMPRESSED BY AUDIENCE RESPONSE)
You want your audience to take a specific action as a result of your presentation.
S-V-O Format
To convey your purpose into one memorable headline, follow a "subject-verb-

object" format as Ryan has done with "Our games will transport you to new
worlds!"
Summarizing your presentation into one primary message on one of your

presentation slides, will help your audience remember it too.
To give a great presentation, remember to plan your timing carefully. And be

specific to keep your central message clear.
D. Identifying Your Presentation's Facts and Key Points
[Jane is addressing an audience.]

JANE: (NERVOUSLY) We're still waiting on financial analysis...so...um...haven't got
back-up yet...(UNCONVINCINGLY) but outsourcing should reduce our budgets. I...I
know you have concerns about ramp-up time but if we start hiring next week, it
just might work…
1. Present Facts
Jane isn't convincing her audience, because she hasn't presented facts to support
her message. Your presentation should have a clear purpose, and provide
evidence to support your point. Let's try it again…

JANE: (CONFIDENTLY) We've completed financial and operational analysis. By
outsourcing software development, we'll reduce operational budgets by 15%. If
training completes next month, production rates will remain level.
Jane's clear message has held her audience's support. She has convinced them, by
supporting her message with relevant facts and carefully selecting the
information she used to avoid losing their interest.
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Every fact you use should help illustrate, support, expand on, or back up
your presentation's purpose. Be selective, because too much information will
overwhelm your audience. Don't include irrelevant facts even if they're
interesting or amusing. And only use anecdotes if they’re relevant.

JANE: (CONFIDENTLY) Outsourcing software development is the only proposed
budgetary change. So I will go through these details now.
2. Present the benefits
Jane has also kept her audience in mind by anticipating what they want to know
about her topic. If you're going to persuade people to think in a new way or
convince them to take a new course of action, make the benefits clear. And you
should also anticipate any queries they may have.

JANE: (CONFIDENTLY) Operational costs increased 12% over the last two years
and are set to rise again. If we outsource, we'll save in the future and have an
opportunity for investment in R&D at this facility.
3. Include key point
a. Identify your primary objective which is what you want to achieve.

In Jane's case, her primary objective is to outsource software
development for an operational savings of 15%.
b. Determine your secondary objectives to support and justify your
primary one, enabling you to achieve your goal. Jane’s secondary
objectives are to save on operational costs in the future, and to give
her company an opportunity to invest in research and development.
A useful way to organize your ideas is to identify three key points that support
your presentation's purpose. Limiting your information to no more than three
key points makes it easier for your audience to follow your argument, and easier
for them to recall your presentation.
Remember, to give an effective presentation, always keep your audience in mind.

And be clear about your goals, providing evidence to support your message.
E. Determining Your Presentation's Approach
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JANE: (DETERMINED) I know this presentation is taking longer than scheduled,
but I've collected all of this marketing data. (DEFENSIVE) OK, I know it's
repetitive, but it's interesting. And if you turn to page 56 now, we should be done
in a couple more hours.
Even though Jane has spent hours preparing her presentation, her audience is
already bored, and she's lost their attention.
It's not enough to collect interesting and relevant information. You also have to
present it in an engaging way. If you merely list facts without an overall narrative
structure, your audience will quickly lose interest. So let's explore a number of
approaches to present your information in an engaging way, and examine the
benefits of each.
1. Time-scale approach
It's effective to take a time-scale approach if you want to show changes over
time. [A graph displays called Installing a New Software System which depicts the
comparative increase in sales for actual sales vs. projected sales over a six-month
period.] This approach also lets you point out any benefits that may have already
been achieved, such as how adapting a new selling technique resulted in
increasing sales over a six-month period.
2. Problem-solving approach
A problem-solving approach is useful if you are showing how your central

message could help overcome a particular obstacle or solve a specific problem
relevant to your audience. [A process diagram displays called Bug Fixing Proposal
which depicts the relationships among process activities, such as Organizing
Process, Action Team Meeting, and Software Production. ] For example, you might
want to show how to fix bugs in a software package.
3. Compare and contrast approach
If you want to highlight the difference between a good and a bad situation, you
could take a compare and contrast approach. [A slide displays with the heading,
Installing a New Software System, and two columns called Positives and Negatives,
with various items listed.] This is effective when you want to highlight the benefits
of using a new product or applying a new system.
4. Question and answer approach

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A question and answer approach is effective when you want to show how a
company could beat its competitors. You could start by posing a question, and
then spend the rest of the presentation answering that question. [A slide displays
with the heading, Growing Our Market Share, which is followed by certain key
questions, and below each question possible answers are listed.] You might also
present a series of questions with corresponding answers that you know the
audience wants to hear. This approach would also be effective if you wanted to
show why a company should switch to an outsourcing model, or show how a new
product range meets customer demands.
5. Story approach
All presentations should tell a story. You should structure them so that they have
a definite beginning, middle, and end leading to a clear change or benefit. It's also
effective to use a story approach when you're simplifying complex material. [A
slide displays with the heading, Rebranding Success, which is followed by the
leading statement, "Let me tell you a story…" and a list of subsidiary points, such as
"Last year, this company was almost bankrupt…", "Competitors had taken over our
space…", and "But our CEO came up with an idea…."] You might use a more
obvious story structure and begin with a phrase like, "Let me tell you a story,"
including key story elements such as a hero, a villain, a quest, and an obstacle. For
example, you could use the story approach to tell how a new business strategy
helped a company overcome its difficulties and successfully rebrand itself.
So you have many approaches to choose from when it comes to presenting your
message in an engaging way. Just take care that the one you choose is appropriate
for your message and your audience.
F. Presentation Methods: Speeches and Conversations

JANE: (FLUSTERED) Sorry, there's no time for questions. I don't know why we're
changing strategy. Can you just listen to the procedures?
1. Speech
Jane's presentation method clearly isn't working for her. She should communicate
with her audience in a more engaging and interactive way.

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JANE: (CONFIDENTLY)…and so the company has refocused its strategy and
increased market share. That about sums up everything you need know about the
new marketing strategy. Thanks for listening...any questions?
Jane has a large audience so a speech works well. Audience interaction is kept to a
minimum, which allowed her to complete her presentation on time. To include
some interaction, she has allowed time for questions at the end. Jane's speech was
an informal update on company strategy. But a speech can also be a formal
lecture, for instance, explaining a new technology to students. When using either
approach, you should support your presentation with appropriate visual aids, and
other media.
2. Informal talk

JANE: (CONSIDERATELY AND CONFIDENTLY) I know you have concerns about
the marketing strategy. That's why we're meeting our sales teams, starting right
here in New York with you today. We want to discuss them with you to see if
there's a better way.
Jane is holding an informal talk – the next presentation method you can use. It's
the best approach if your audience is more likely to engage with you through
discussion or argument. You can explain the reasoning behind decisions, or find
out what people really think. Informal talks work well with groups of up to 30
people, especially if you are familiar with the audience. And the loose structure
allows time for people to take part. You might use basic slides to give a skeleton
structure. And instead of taking notes, talk spontaneously and develop ideas as
the presentation progresses.
3. Conversation or facilitated discussion

JANE: (CONFIDENTLY) There's an increase in customer complaints with all
products. We'd like to discuss why these flaws exist, and how we can improve
customer relations.
Since Jane wants this presentation to stay on track, she has chosen to host a
facilitated discussion. It's a more structured approach, and useful if you want to
solve a particular problem, answer a particular question, or explore a specific
topic. Facilitated discussions work best with small- to medium-sized groups of 10
to 30 people, as larger groups make it difficult to complete on time. A facilitated
discussion can take many forms, such as a question and answer session, or a
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debate to explore an idea or problem. Audience members can discuss the issues
with you or in smaller groups. Or you might decide to hold a discussion with a
panel of experts. But to give the discussion focus, you should set clear objectives
from the start.
Consider your audience size and presentation objective and then make a decision
on the most appropriate presentation method to use.
G. Presentation Methods: Demonstrations and Classes

RYAN: (ANXIOUSLY) Uh...the...the screen-shots are difficult to see, but here's what
the system looks like. First, enter the Product ID...(CONFUSED) no, wait...that's the
next slide. Sorry…
1. Demonstration
Ryan's approach wasn't the best way to show a new product. Sometimes it's
better to show how something works, rather than explain how it works. In those
situations, it's best to choose a "hands-on" presentation method. A demonstration
method is very effective when you want to show tangible results, because your
audience is more likely to remember a product if they can see how effective it is.
Let's see how Ryan does this time.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) OK, everyone can see? Great. I've loaded the software.
Let's start at the beginning. First, enter your login details. Now we're at the data-
entry screen. Let me show you how it works.
Ryan's demonstration shows the new software product to its best advantage.
Whenever you want to show a new product or concept in action, it's the best
presentation method to use. You can also allow your audience to experiment with
the product if you have the facilities and equipment available. Demonstrations
work well with small or large groups, but to be effective, make sure all audience
members can clearly see your demonstration.
2. Class format

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY AND HELPFULLY) Now we're gonna practice. Has
everyone opened the application? Yeah? OK, we're gonna do a test run...anyone
has any problems, just raise your hand.
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Now Ryan is using a class presentation method, which gives the audience an
opportunity to practice their new knowledge. [A graphic displays the classroom-
style setup for a presentation. A few tables are set up in rows and all the chairs face
the presenter in front.] A class format is the most effective way to instruct when
you want to train people and have them apply their new knowledge. Classes
should ideally be no larger than 25 people. They often involve a lot of discussion,
questions, and reiteration, which is only possible when your audience is a
manageable size. During a class, Ryan can even choose to evaluate his audience to
affirm that they can apply their new skills.

RYAN: (CONFIDENTLY) Now that you've all practiced, here's a short test. I know, I
know…but we wanna make sure you've got it. You've got 20 minutes.
The simplest class involves a presentation with a quiz or test at the end. But most
classes also include discussion and collaborative group learning. You can even
assign tasks for the audience to complete in small groups. Keep in mind that it can
take a long time to prepare a class. Not only do you have to prepare the
presentation and any demonstrations, you also have to create a way to evaluate
your audience and provide feedback to them, to ensure that your class has been
successful.
A demonstration approach will give people practical experience, but a class is the
best way to teach your audience and evaluate their understanding.
To plan an effective presentation:
1. Define your presentation’s audience;

2. Understand your audience’s business and personal needs;
3. Determine your presentation’s timing and purpose;
4. Identify relevant facts and key points, ensuring that you’ve anticipated
any queries;
5. Determine the most effective approach to use to engage participants; and
6. Choose an appropriate method that aligns with your presentation’s
objective.
97
Reflection:
You are required to perform a 15-minute presentation on a particular topic

of your choice, how will you plan for this presentation? Please, state the
topic that you would like to present as you write your reflection.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

4 3 2 1
personal learning
process.
98
the connection is
unclear.
Total Score:
99

Oral Communication in Context-Dulla

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Oral Communication in Context-Dulla

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Oral

Grade 11 Senior High School

Most Essential Learning Competencies ...............................................................4

Grading Most Essential Learning Competencies Learning

S1 Q1 Explains the functions, nature and process of

S1 Q1 Differentiates the various models of

S1 Q1 Uses various strategies in order to avoid

S1 Q1 Examines sample oral communication activities

S1 Q1 Identifies the various types of speech context.

S1 Q1 Distinguishes types of speeches and speech style

S1 Q1 Responds appropriately and effectively to a speech act

Explains that a shift in speech context, speech style, speech

*Based on the Department of Education’s Most Essential Learning Competencies

Grading Most Essential Learning Course Title

Lesson 1. The Art and Science of Communication

What you can learn and do in this lesson:

There is a science behind communication, including how we react neuro-

A. Sharing the Responsibility of Communication

Sofia is standing with her hands clasped and is anxious.]

There are times, however, when one-way communication is fine – simply

Interpersonal communication is complicated like that. But with practice, you

[Sofia and Jason are in a meeting.]

B. Making Connections by Communicating from the Brain

[Sofia and Jack are in a meeting.]

SOFIA: It's about inclusion. It's about approachability.

[Back to Sofia and Jack.] (ENTHUSIASTICALLY)

C. Enhance a Connection by Showing Interest

Interesting people. We're drawn to them. They're curious. Outgoing. Passionate.

D. Strengthen a Connection by Asking Questions

[Sofia, Jack, Sulyn, and Jason are in a meeting.]

Clarifying questions are crucial in a business environment, because they reinforce

E. Communicate Assertively without Being Aggressive

[Sofia and Jason are in a meeting.]

[Sofia, Sulyn, Jack, and Jason are in a meeting.]

Suffering in silence or agreeing to go along with ideas you can't stomach is

Let's review what you learned in this lesson.

1. To connect with others so that your communication intention is clear,

2. Make connections by showing that you’re friendly and approachable;

3. Enhance connections by demonstrating interest and curiosity;

4. Strengthen rapport by asking relevant questions; and

5. Communicate assertively without being aggressive by clearly stating what

© Copyright 2020 Skillsoft Ireland Limited - All rights reserved.

Self-Check for Reflections

Above Expectations Meets Approaching Below

Lesson 2. Choosing the Right Interpersonal

What you can learn and do in this lesson:

1. Reflect on the importance of letting your intent dictate the

A. Let Your Intention Choose Your Communication Method

[Jack, Sofia, Jason, and Sulyn are in a meeting.]

In addition to informing or giving feedback, the other main intent of

B. Your Audience Affects Your Method of Communication

Sulyn and Jason are sitting at a table, drinking coffee.]

And if you want someone to remember something – steps, guidelines, or

C. Make Great Face to Face Communication Connections

[Jack and Jason are sitting at a table.]

[Sofia and Jason are sitting at a table.]

D. Start Off on the Right Foot When Delivering Feedback

[Sulyn is sitting at a desk while on the phone.]

E. Deliver Feedback without Creating Drama

[Sofia and Jack are having a meeting.]

A better outcome, right?

So when delivering feedback, remember you're talking to a person with feelings,

Let's review what you learned in this lesson.

When communicating with others: