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Chapter 12 Lecture Notes ● 7
• Skip the apologies.
• Slow down and know when to pause.
D. After Your Presentation
• Distribute handouts.
• Encourage questions.
Critical Thinking Discussion Guide
11. Most people never address large audiences and live in fear of public speaking. Why
then should you hone your presentation skills? (Obj. 1)
At some point all businesspeople have to inform others or sell an idea. Such informative
12. Communication expert Dianna Booher claims that enthusiasm is infectious and
“boredom is contagious.” What does this mean for you as a presenter? How can you
avoid being a boring speaker? (Objs. 2, 4, and 5)
If you wish to stay in control during the talk, build credibility, and engage the audience,
you must try to move naturally, use visual aids effectively, and radiate enthusiasm. Dianna
13. Why do many communication consultants encourage businesspeople to move beyond
bullet points? What do they recommend instead and why? (Obj. 3)
PowerPoint is omnipresent in business. Millions of poorly designed and poorly delivered
presentations have tarnished PowerPoint’s reputation as an effective communication tool.
Chapter 12 Lecture Notes ● 8
14. How can you prevent multimedia presentation software from stealing your thunder?
(Obj. 4)
You can avoid being upstaged by not relying totally on your slides or canvas. Help the
audience visualize your points by using other techniques. For example, drawing a diagram
15. U.S. senator from New Jersey, Cory A. Booker, himself a popular and gifted orator,
related his father’s philosophy on public speaking as follows: “My dad worked for
IBM. He said, ‘Look, I can’t sell products I don’t believe in. People will see right
through me. But if I’m passionate and have a deep conviction about what I’m doing,
I’m the greatest salesman there is.’” What qualities is Senator Booker describing,
and why are they important in business? (Objs. 2, 5)
Former Newark mayor, Cory A. Booker, is illustrating the need for enthusiasm and
authenticity if a speaker wishes to be taken seriously. Enthusiasm and authenticity are
Communication Workshop Discussion Guide (p. 422)
Effective and Professional Team Presentations
Techniques for Taking Part in Effective and Professional Team Presentations
1. Prepare to work together: Compare schedules to set meeting times, and discuss
how you will deal with team members who are not contributing.
Chapter 12 Lecture Notes ● 9
2. Plan the presentation. Agree on the specific purpose of the presentation, who
your audience is, how long the presentation will be, what types of visuals to
include, and the basic structure and content of the presentation.
3. Make assignments. Give each team member a written assignment that details his
or her responsibilities for researching content, producing visuals, developing
Career Application Students are asked to discuss the following questions:
1. How can one contribute positively to a team?
3. How should teams deal with members who aren’t contributing or who have negative
attitudes?
In school situations, team members who are not contributing should be “fired” from the
4. What should team members do to ensure that the final presentation is professional,
well-coordinated, and effective?
Teams giving presentations should schedule several rehearsals. They should consider
Chapter 12 Lecture Notes ● 10
Workplace in Focus
Page 407
The cure for stage fright involves recasting anxiety as excitement – and embracing it. This
chapter includes several recommendations for overcoming stage fright. This tips includes the
following:
1. Breathe deeply.
2. Convert your fear into exuberance and excitement.
3. Know your topic and come prepared.
Chapter 12 Lecture Notes ● 11
Supplementary Lecture
Eight Serious Speech Blunders
1. Being dull. Speakers who rely on only one or two illustrations to make their points risk
being dull. Strive to use salient statistics, timely quotations, appropriate industry examples,
and personal stories to help your listeners visualize your message and remember it.
4. Burying your point. You can lose your audience, even if you have something that they
want to hear, unless you point out the most vital sections for them, in advance. Use signal
phrases (like “What’s important here,” or “This can’t be overemphasized”) to focus
people’s attention on the most important parts of your message.
5. Neglecting to practice (and time) your speech out loud. This little item can cause major
embarrassment on stage. A short spoken rehearsal will eliminate tongue twisters, make
sure the speech’s spoken length is appropriate, ensure that your opener is no more than the
recommended three minutes long, and guarantee that you close snappily, say in 30 seconds
or less.
7. Answering hypothetical questions after the speech. You can get into real hot water on
this one because these questions have no boundaries, no budget or time constraints, and
can pin you down to a future you’d rather not have. Turn the question, instead, back to
reality by saying, “Based on these facts and the existing situation, this is how I would
handle the situation.”
8. Getting distracted before you speak. Very few speakers can answer a phone call or deal
