Communication Skills

Planning & Delivering an

Oral Report
February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Learning Objectives
1. Plan an effective presentation
by:
o Analyzing the context
o Selecting a suitable delivery style
and formality level
o Outlining the presentation
o Preparing visuals
o Preparing audience handouts
February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Learning Objectives
2. Rehearse purposefully by
learning to manage:
o
o
o
o
o

Your notes
Symptoms of stage fright
Vocal and verbal aspects
Nonverbal aspects of presenting
Backchannel

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Learning Objectives
3. Manage a question-and-answer
session
4. Apply your presenting skills in a
team presentation
5. Conduct an online presentation
(webinar)

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Writing a Report is NOT the Final Task

PLANNING THE PRESENTATION

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Preparing for a Presentation

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Audience
Analysis for
Presentation
1. Ask these
questions
2. Write your
answers
3. Read them
often as you
plan/prepare
February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Select Delivery Style

Impromptu spontaneous, off
the cuff
Extemporaneous planned,
rehearsed, notes used
Scripted reading a paper
Memorized learned by rote
Combination variety of styles
February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Outline the Presentation

Opening that grabs audience
attention
Preview statement that identifies
topics you will cover
Well-developed main points

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Outline the Presentation

Memorable language
o Involve the audience
o Refer to people, not abstract ideas
o Use noteworthy facts, figures, and
quotes

Clear transitions from one main

point to next
Ending that calls for action now
February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Outline the Presentation

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Opening
Preview
Main points
Memorable language
Clear transitions
Conclusion (ending)

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Tell them what

you will
tell them

Tell them!

Tell them what

you told them

11

Audiences Want to See Information as Well as Hear It

PREPARING & USING

PRESENTATION AIDS
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Guides for Using Presentation Aids

stand 6 inches
from mic
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Guides for Using Presentation Aids

keep visuals
simple
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Guides for Using Presentation Aids

talk to audience,
not the aid
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Guides for Using Presentation Aids

hold handouts
until the end
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Time Your Talk as You Practice

REHEARSING THE PRESENTATION

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Manage Your Notes

Use large, legible letters you
can see from delivery position
Write only key points on a few
3x5 or 4x6 numbered cards or
one 5x8
In scripts, put signals for pause,
stress, speed up, gesture, smile-February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Manage Stage Fright

Stress
Reduction
Techniques

Pause before you speak

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Manage Your Voice

Inhalation
Phonation
Resonation
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Practice Breathing
1.Place hand on your diaphragm
(area between last rib and waist)
o Inhale gently; area moves outward
o Exhale; diaphragm moves inward

2.Inhale deeply
o Can you count to 50+ in one breath?
o Talk fast but e-nun-ci-ate each word
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Practice Pitch
1. Drop head forward; rotate to left; then,
backward; rotate to right
Repeat
2. Yawn
3. Let sound flow forward; dont force it
4. Say one in your lowest tone
o Move up scaletwo, three, fouruntil
you feel slight strain
o Move down scale as far as you can
without strain in voice
Repeat
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Make Rich Sounds

1. Swallow; flare nostrils; silently say
o
2. Imagine your voice is round
3. Relax lips and cheeks; keep teeth
covered
4. Keep throat and resonating
cavities open as you practice
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Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

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Manage Nonverbal Aspects

Appearance

Posture

Gestures
Facial
Expression
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Presentation Gestures: Possible

Cross-Cultural Meanings
Action
Point with index
finger

U.S. Use/
Meaning
?

Rude (many places,

esp. Asian cultures)

Obscene (Nigeria,
Austral., parts of
Mideast); no meaning (Southeast Asia)
Obscene (Asian
cultures)

Thumbs-up

Bent finger

February 15, 2014

Meaning in Another
Culture

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Presentation Gestures: Possible

Cross-Cultural Meanings
U.S. Use/
Meaning

Meaning in Another
Culture

Eye contact with

audience

Disrespect (many
Afr., Asian, Lat. Amer.
countries)

Presenters lack of
eye contact

Respect for
authority (many Afr.,
Asian, Lat. Amer.
cultures

Smiling

Sadness (Jap.);
triteness (Korea);
thanks (Puerto Rico)

February 15, 2014

Contemporary Business Reports, 5e

Action

26

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Backchannel

A texting discussion
started by audience members
with others in audience or outsiders
about a presentation/presenter

as the presenter speaks

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Manage the Backchannel

Use it to get input from people
who will attend your talk
Let users know up front that you
may read aloud what they write
Do not check it while presenting
Plan for a backchannel break
Use the stream of comments to
assess your talk
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MANAGING QUESTION-ANSWER
SESSIONS
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Q & A in

Informal Presentations
Remind audience of the topic
talked about before the question
Solicit other questions to show
that you welcome questions
Summarize discussion to this
point
Politely stop someone who tends
to take control of the session
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Q & A in

Formal Presentations
Try to foresee questions youll get
Plant a question in the audience
Ask a question if audience doesnt
Each time you take a question,
acknowledge it with a kind remark
Restate the question while looking
at person who asked it
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Q & A in

Formal Presentations
Face entire audience when you answer
Give direct answer; explain briefly
Ask questioner if s/he has more
When time is up, thank audience and
dismiss them
Dismiss them early if no more
questions

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Q & A in

Formal Presentations
What if you dont know answer?
o Give partial answer; say where to
look for more information
o Ask if someone else can answer
o Offer to send answer within a few
days
but only if you mean it
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Presenting a Webinar
more
visuals

extra
practice
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Presenting a Webinar
watch
the time

shorter
pauses
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