CHAPTER 14
Zooming In Critical Thinking Answers
Why is the “so what” of a presentation so important?
Audiences are focused on what’s in it for them, so presentations that focus on
audience benefits are more effective. Analyzing your audience and
Why does Jean-luc Doumont say, “Do your slides right . . . or don’t do them at all”?
When delivering a presentation, you want the audience to focus on you, not your slides. Poorly
designed slides that are difficult to read or that distract the audience are counterproductive. When
How can you build rapport with your audience?
Even before giving your presentation, you can get things off to a good start by greeting audience
members as you enter the room. When you are presenting, make eye contact with people in all parts
of the room so audience members feel as though you are talking to them, including those seated in
Ethics Check Answers
The Robot Presenter
This sensitive subject should lead to a lively discussion. Perhaps not surprisingly, students struggling
with English hate public speaking even more than many U.S.-born students do. As a result, they
sometimes resort to memorization in the hope of receiving a better presentation grade. In the
absence of accent-reduction classes in most colleges and universities, and because of the stubborn
Telling White Lies
Answers will vary because students may perceive the exact boundaries of propriety and impropriety
differently. They may suggest that it depends on the relationship between the caller and the person
he or she is trying to reach. They may be more forthcoming toward friends and family, perhaps.
Sometimes workers may be avoiding clients if they are behind with their work or if they must disclose
something unpleasant. Most would probably agree that covering for a colleague who takes the
afternoon off pretending to be sick would be too much of a lie to shoulder.
Critical Thinking Answers
1. Most people never address large audiences and live in fear of public speaking. Why then
should you hone your presentation skills?
At some point all businesspeople have to inform others or sell an idea. Such informative and
persuasive presentations are often conveyed in person and involve audiences of various sizes.
2. 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?
If you want 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. According to Dianna Booher,
3. Why do many communication consultants encourage businesspeople to move beyond bullet
points? What do they recommend instead, and why?
PowerPoint is omnipresent in business. Millions of poorly designed and poorly delivered
4. How can speakers prevent multimedia presentation software from stealing their thunder?
You can avoid being upstaged by not relying totally on your slides or canvases. Help the audience
visualize your points by using other techniques. For example, drawing a diagram on a whiteboard or
5. Discuss effective techniques for reducing stage fright.
a. Breathe deeply.
b. Convert your fear.
c. Know your topic and come prepared.
6. Ethical Issue: How should a chief executive respond to such a scandal? What could Barra say
to restore trust in the company?
Mary Barra was largely praised for her handling of the ignition switch scandal. After many years of
secrecy and obfuscation at GM, Barra knew she had to embrace transparency and deal with the
scandal head on. Even before her public appearance at the town hall meeting in Warren, Michigan,
Zooming In
Your Turn: Applying Your Skills
Video-loving millennials will be eager to watch Doumont in action, and his easy-to-navigate website
will provide the facts they need to create the slides. You might ask students to give their
presentations using some of Doumont’s advice.
Activities Solutions
14.1 Learning From the Best: Analyzing a Famous Speech
14.2 Sizing Up Your Audience
Be prepared to set your parameters for defining recent issue and also for limiting or not limiting the
14.3 Hiring a Famous Motivational Speaker
In teams or individually, students will have the opportunity to practice some of the insights they
gained in this chapter—for instance, how to analyze an audience and identify desirable
14.4 Follow Your Favorite Business Personality on Twitter
Students who don’t yet have a Twitter account must create a profile to be able to follow a
businessperson of their choice. Twitter is still not as popular among typical student groups as
Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites. However, signing up is easy, and instructions
14.5 Taming Stage Fright
This activity could help students come to grips with their fears. After completing this discussion
and/or writing memos or e-mails, students will realize that they share many of the same anxieties.
14.6 How Much Speaking Can You Expect in Your Field?
You may want students to discuss this activity in groups of three or four and then have one individual
14.7 Creating an Outline for an Oral Presentation
14.8 Critiquing a Satirical Clip Lampooning PowerPoint
Electrical engineer turned comedian Don McMillan is famous for his humorous critique of PowerPoint
14.9 Observing and Outlining a TED Talk
Answers will vary. TED talks are consistent in their quality because the organizers invite only the
most accomplished personalities from the fields of technology, entertainment, and design (TED) who
also happen to be captivating speakers. TED conference participation is by invitation only, and the
annual membership fee is $6,000. Following are two authentic samples of tweets about TED.
TED Talks @TEDTalks
14.10 Talking About Your Job
Students should present a three- to five-minute talk about the duties of a current or a past job,
volunteer activity, or internship. Following is a model of a typical professor’s job duties. This
PowerPoint presentation is available at the Instructor Companion Website.
…
14.11 Perfecting the Art of the Elevator Pitch This activity works best if you reveal the particulars of
14.12 Improving Telephone Skills by Role-Playing
14.13 Presenting Yourself Professionally on the Telephone and in Voice Mail
14.14 Presenting Yourself Professionally When Texting
Other typical scenarios could be used—for example, students could request callback on an important
decision or excuse themselves from an after-work visit to the local bar. You may be more comfortable
14.15 Something to Talk About: Topics for an Oral Presentation