SPEECH 361 STUDY GUIDE
Chapter 8:
*Productivity: One of the advantages of working in a well conceived and
managed group, which produces more and better solutions to problems ortasks.
*Definition and Characteristics of Groups: Group usually refers to any assembly of people, but for this text I think it should be inferred that it refers to an assembly of people who have come together to achieve a common goal (you should also see the definition of work group in the text: a small interdependent collection of people with a common identity who interact with one another, usually face-to-face over time, in order to reach a goal). The characteristics of a group include:
1. Size
2. Interaction
3. Interdependence
4. Duration
5. Identity
*Team: A team has all the attributes of a group and other qualities thatdistinguish it from a group. These qualities include:
1. Clear and inspiring shared goals
2. A results driven structure
3. Competent members
4. Unified commitment
5. Collaborative climate
6. External support and recognition
7. Principled leadership
*Types of Groups/Teams: The text describes two types of groups/teams:
1. Face to Face Teams: Teams that work together in person, which helps provide rich feedback. The advantages of this type of group team are obvious, and the disadvantages are limited to logistics (getting everyone together at the same place at the same time, etc.) and time lost due to socializing.
2. Virtual Teams: Teams the transcend boundaries of location and time, with members often interacting in other ways. The advantages of this type of team include getting people to work together who might not be able to, and leveling of status (providing a more everyone is equal type feeling). The disadvantages include figuring out how to deal with people over some type of medium, and maintaining morale.
*Trait Style
Leadership: One of the Centralized Leadership approaches, which is based on the belief that all leaders possess common traits that lead to their effectiveness.
*Contingency Style
Leadership: Another of the Centralized Leadership style which isbased on the belief that the best leadership style is flexible, orchanges from one situation to the next.
*Style Leadership: The leader adopts one of three managerial styles. Authoritarian, leader uses legitimate, coercive, and reward power to control members. Democratic, leader invites members to help makedecisions. Laissez-faire, leader gives up the power of his/her positionand transforms the group in to a collection of equals.
*Leadership
Emergence: The opposite of an appointed leader, an emergentLeader may be chosen by the members of a group either officially or informally.
*Designated
Leader: The type of leader that most people think of when they think of leadership. Designated leaders may be appointed by someHigher authority, chosen by the group, or may earn the title by being the one to create the group.
*Self-directed
Work Teams: Groups who are responsible for managing their own behavior in order to get a task done. Can be made up of people who all perform the same type of job, or can be formed ad hoc, working together to solve a problem or accomplish a task. This type of team work best forrelatively complex jobs that require a variety of perspectives.
Characteristics include:
1. Technical or functional expertise
2. Problem solving and decision making skills
3. Interpersonal skills
*Shared Power in Groups: Power comes in many forms, and in most groups each member possesses one or more types. These forms include:
1. Position power: The ability to influence that comes from the position one holds.
2. Coercive power: The power to punish.
3. Reward power: The opposite of coercive power.
4. Referent power: The power to influence members due to the way others in the group feel about them.
5. Information power: The ability of some members influence a group because of the information they possess.
6. Connection power: Power that comes from a members connections with influential or important people.
*Systematic
Problem Solving: The best known approach is the reflective thinkingsequence, which comes in seven steps:
1. Define the problem
2. Analyze the problem
3. Establish criteria for a solution
4. Consider possible solutions to the problem
5. Decide on a solution
6. Implement the solution
7. Follow up on the solution
*Phases in Group
Problem Solving: There are four recognized stages in group problem solving:
1. Orientation phase: The time where members are still feeling each other out, trying to get a feel for each other and the group in general. During this phase members aren't likely to take strong
positions, but don't confuse the lack of conflict on the part of the
members as agreement. It is also important to note that the norms thatgovern the groups communication throughout its life are often formedduring this phase.
2. Conflict phase: The time when members take strong stands on theissue at hand and defend their positions against others. This is thetime of the greatest disagreement between members.
3. Emergence phase: The point at which the membersfinish their arguments and a final decision is supported by every member. It should be noted that not every member may be enthusiastic about the final decision, but they have gotten to the pointwhere they can at least say let's give it a try, and give up the position they fought so and for in the last stage.
4. Reinforcement phase: The point where members not only supportthe decision, but actively endorse it. Members who found argumentsagainst the decision during the conflict phase will find arguments tosupport it in this phase.
*Group Decision
Making Methods: Consensus: A collective group decision that every member is willing to support.
Majority Vote: (Self-explanatory)
Minority Decision: When a few members make a decision affecting the entire group. Usually happens in business situations.
Expert Opinion: When the members of a group will defer to an individual who is recognized as having the knowledge or skill to makean informed decision.
Authority Rule: The designated leader makes the final decision.
*Norms: Informal, often unstated rules about what behavior is appropriate in a group. Some norms govern the way tasks are handled, while others shape the social interaction of the group. There are two ways in which an understanding of norms can help you to function more effectively in a group:
1. Create desirable norms early.
2. Comply with established norms whenever possible.
*Cohesiveness: The degree to which members feel themselves part of a group and want to remain with that group. Seven factors that promote an optimal level of cohesiveness:
1. Shared or compatible goals.
2. Progress toward goals.
3. Shared norms or values.
4. Minimal feelings of threat among members.
5. Interdependence among members.
6. Competition from outside the group.
7. Shared group experiences.
*Hidden Agendas: Personal goals that are not made public. Chapter 9:
*Meetings: The types of meetings described in the text are:
1. Information Sharing: Meetings designed to do just
what the name indicates, getting people together with the express purpose of sharing information.
2. Problem Solving or Decision Making: The most common type of meeting, where a group tries to decide what sort of action to take.
3. Ritual Activities: Meetings where the social function is more important than any specific task.
4. Virtual Meetings: Meetings where the participants aren't face to face. There are several forms of virtual meetings:
a. Teleconferences
b. Online Meetings
c. Videoconferences
*Agenda: A list of topics to be covered in a meeting. To avoid problems
you should include the time, length, and location of the meeting on theagenda. For an effective agenda you should also include the participants of the meeting, background information, items and goals, and any pre-meeting work that should be done. Also, you should organize your agenda so that the difficulty of the items to be covered follows a bell shaped curve.
*Beginning the Meeting: When opening a meeting the leader should:
1. Identify the goals of the meeting.
2. Provide necessary background information.
3. Show how the group can help.
4. Preview the meeting.
5. Identify time constraints.
*Conduction the Meeting: While conducting the meeting the leader should:
1. Encourage participation by using one of the following techniques:
a. Nominal Group Technique [NGT](people write down their ideas anonymously, then it is posted for everyone to see. Members rank ideas form most to least promising. Greatest promising ideas get the most attention. This way criticism is done on an idea-based and not personal based)
b. Turn Based Discussions (everyone gets a turn to speak)
c. Using Questions (overhead {entire group may respond}, direct {aimed at someone}, reverse {answer the question with another question}, and relay {leader refers a question from one member to the entire group)
2. Keep the discussion on track by using the following techniques:
a. Reminding members of time constraints.
b. Summarizing and redirecting the discussion.
c. Using relevancy challenges.
d. Promise to deal with good ideas later.
3. Keep a positive tone by:
a. Asking questions and paraphrasing to clarify understanding.
b. Enhancing the value of members comments.
c. Paying attention to cultural factors.
*Concluding the Meeting: There are three time when a meeting should be closed:
1. When the scheduled closing time has arrived.
2. When the group lacks the resources to continue.
3. When the agenda has been covered.
When concluding the meeting the leader should:
1. Signal to members when time is (or almost) up.
2. Summarize the meeting=92s accomplishments and future actions.
3. Thank the group.
*Following up the
Meeting: This is mainly to ensure that the meeting has obtained the desired results, and it involves three steps.
1. Build an agenda for the next meeting.
2. Follow up on other members.
3. Take care of your own assignments.
Chapter 10:
*Purpose: Establishing this is the first step in planning a presentation.
There are two types of purposes, general and specific. A general purpose is a broad indication of what you are trying to accomplish.
There are 3 types of general purposes.
1. To inform
2. To persuade
3. To entertain
A specific purpose will tell what you will have accomplishwhen you have finished. A good specific purpose statement will usually answer 3 questions:
1. Whom do I want to influence?
2. What do I want them to do?
3. How, when, and where do I want them to do it?
When developing a specific purpose statement you should follow these guidelines:
1. Describe the reaction you are seeking.
2. Be as specific as possible.
3. Make you goal realistic.
*Thesis Statement: A single sentence that summarizes your message.
*Analyzing the Speaker: When developing a presentation there are a few factors that you should consider.
1. Your purpose: Make sure you know why you are speaking.
2. Your knowledge: It's always best to speak on a subject about which you have considerable knowledge.
3. Your feelings about the topic: One of the greatest assets a speaker has is his/her sincerity about the topic on which he/she is speaking.
*Analyzing the
Occasion: To make your presentation more effective, one should
consider these factors regarding the occasion.
1. Facilities, the size, acoustics, lighting, etc. . . of the room.
2. Time, both the time of day, and length of the presentation.
3. Context, effect previous speakers may have had on the audience, current events, etc. . .
*Analyzing the Audience: There are many factors to consider when gauging your audience. The text lists the following:
1. The positions of its members
2. Personal preferences of its members
3. Significant demographic characteristics
4. Size of the group
5. Reason for their attendance
6. What they may already know
7. Attitudes of the members
Chapter 11:
*Good Organization: Good organization will help make your message moreunderstandable, keep your audience happy, and boost your image. Thereare several ways that speakers make mistakes when organizing theirpresentations, such as:
1. Taking too long to get to the point
2. Including irrelevant material
3. Leaving out necessary information
4. Getting ideas mixed up
*Research: (See Book. Very short section, not sure what was important)Some research is always necessary. Consider several sources: company files (paper and computerized), interviews with knowledgeable people, libraries, internet, surveys (both informal {like the one Taiga did for his presentation} and formal. Once all info is assembled, ready to organized.
*Methods of Organization: The text gave 5 patterns that you could use to organize your presentation:
1. Chronological: Arranges points according to their sequence in time. Good for explaining a process or giving instructions.
2. Spatial: Arranges material according to how it is put together or where it is located physically. Can be used to show the parts in a model for a new product, the location of departments, or the safety requirements of a piece of equipment.
3. Topical: Arranges ideas around some logical themes or divisions in your subject. Basically this pattern organizes your presentation around the points you want to make. Usually good for persuasive presentations where you may have to sway the audience to your point of view.
4. Cause-Effect: Arranges information to show what has been causes by certain events, or what certain events will cause it to happen.
5. Problem-Solution: Usually used to propose some typeof change. Information is arranged so that you show the problem, then your proposed solution.
*Introductions: The introduction should have 3 part; an attention getter, a thesis statement, and a preview. It should help to accomplish these 5 things:
1. Capture the listeners attention
2. Give your audience a reason to listen
3. Set the proper tone for the topic and setting
4. Establish your qualifications
5. Introduce your thesis and preview your presentation
*Conclusions: The conclusions should have 2 parts, a review and a closing, and take roughly 5% of the time of your total speakingtime.
The review should contain a restatement of your thesis and a summaryOf your main points. The closing statement will help your listeners to remember you, and create a favorable impression. Types of closing statements include:
1. Return to the theme of your opening statement
2. Appeal for action
3. End with a challenge to the audience
*Transitions: Words or sentences that connect the segments of apresentation, and serve 3 purposes:
1. They promote clarity
2. They emphasize important ideas
3. They keep listeners interested
Good transitions refer to both preceding and upcoming ideas, and they call attention to themselves, so that the audience is aware that a change in topic is occurring.
(You may want to take a look at the section in this chapter that discusses some ways of making effective conclusions and introductions. It's pretty much common sense and a speech refresher, but it might be worth the look.)
Chapter 12
Supporting Material - anything that backs up the claims in a presentation. (see examples in book, page 334)
Should make things clearer, spark interest, and provide proof.
Verbal support - used to help fortify your point (look at table 12-1).
Examples - brief illustrations backing up or explaining a point (s).
Used to clarify and add interest. Best in groups of two or more.
Statistics - numbers used to represent an idea. Most are collections of examples reduced to numerical form for clarity. Used to clarify, prove (factual only), add interest. Mainly for supplemental, use sparingly.
Stories - illustrate a point by describing an incident in some detail. Relatively brief. Two types
Comparison - make a point by showing how one idea resembles another.
Can help audience with understanding hard concepts.
Some are called analogies (which are figurative). Compare ideas from an unfamiliar area with items from a familiar one. By linking the familiar with the unfamiliar, figurative analogies can help listeners .
Citations - ways to let others know who are authoritative or articulate when it comes to the matter. Some citations add clarity and impact, and persuasive.
To use citations:
1. Cite the source that adds credibility of your presentation
2. Cite sources that have credibility with your audience
3. Paraphrase lengthy or confusing citations
4. Restate the point of citation
Visual aids - Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. Makes a presentation more effective, makes people more impressed, understands easier, boost your image. Visual aids show:
1. shows things look.
2. how things work
3. how things relater to another
4. emphasize important points
Types of visual aids
-Object and models: hands on experience , realistic model
-Photographs: illustrates a variety of image that needs literal representation. Provide proof.
-Diagrams: they are abstract, two dimensional drawings that show the important properties you might use in presentations. Excelled for conveying information about size, shape, and structures.
-List and tables: effective means of highlighting key facts and figures. Can show dis/advantage, current/past info, your product vs. the competition's, etc.
Guidelines for use of Visual aids:
- keep visual aid simple: list only highlights
- use numbered and/or bulleted lists to emphasize key points
- use text sparingly
- use large type
- enhance the list/table's readability: layout with lots of space
Pie Charts- normally used to show much of one thing (resource, money, etc) is used. Illustrates the allocation of resources.
Guidelines for Pie Chart:
- place segments you want to emphasize at top center (12 O'clock position
- label each segment
- list percentage for each segment
Bars and Columns (I know there's a lot)_
Compares/shows values over time, space, or in competition.
Guidelines:
- always represent time on the horizontal axis (X axis)
- arrange bars that best suits your purpose
-numerical values represented clearly
Pictograms - artistic variations of bar, column, or pie charts. More interesting than ordinary bars (see book for an example)
Flip charts and poster boards - a large pad or paper attached to an easel and you just flip as you go along. Maybe be too small for the people in the back to see.
Transparencies - clear sheets for an overhead projector.
-show them only when discussing them
-never remove /replace images while the projector is on
-face the audience as you speak
Slides- used to show an actual image/photo. Can be expensive
-keep show brief
-use remote control/long card to control
-talk to your listeners not the screen
Handouts - self-explanatory
Computerized display - also self-explanatory.
Rules for visual aids:
Make sure you have a reason for using them
-match with your audience
-large enough to see
-keep design simple
-keep to few words
-use horizontal wording
-label all items clearly
-don’t display till your ready
-remove aid after discussing it
-make sure it will work (and you have all equip in the room.)
-practice using it
Chapter 13 – Delivering the
Presentation
Speaking
with Confidence
o Rehearse on your feet,
before an audience
o Expect your talk to run 20%
longer
o Rehearse three to six times
o Pay special attention to
your introduction and conclusion
o Rehearse in a real setting
o Myth: A presentation must be perfect
o Myth: It is possible to persuade the entire
audience
o
Myth: The worse will probably happen
Informative Presentations
Strategies for Effective Informative
Speaking
Organizing Informative Messages
Group Presentations
Special Occasion Speeches
Chapter
15 – Persuasive Presentations
Ethical Persuasion Defined = understand the
difference between coercion, persuasion, and manipulation
Types of Persuasive Presentations
Persuasive Strategies
Maximizing Speaker Credibility
Organizing Persuasive Messages
Motivated sequence = five-step scheme designed to boost the involvement and interest of the audience