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FEATURED ASSIGNMENTS
1. Analyzing Speech Transcripts: It is not hard to locate transcripts of popular speeches
online, particularly around national election times. Find a speech delivered by a prominent
figure, and instead of listening to it first, read it first. Then listen to it and compare the
delivery with the printed version.
Engaging the Audience: Write an elevator speech that explains what you have to offer a
prospective employer. An elevator speech encapsulates what a person does in only 30
seconds, or the length of an elevator ride. Check out www.elevatorspeech.com to see good
and poor examples of elevator speeches.
Students should be evaluated on brevity, inclusion of specific skills and originality.
Video Presentation: Use the elevator speech you created above as the basis for a video
presentation you can send electronically to pitch your qualifications to potential employers. If
video production software is unavailable, download a demo copy of Camtasia Studio from
http://techsmith.com.
Student videos should be evaluated on originality, vivacity, inclusion of specific skills, and
brevity.
Evaluating Actual Professional Speakers: Locate a web or podcast of your most admired
CEO or company spokesperson at the company website or at the Wall Street Journal Online
or BusinessWeek Online. What are the strengths? weaknesses? Refer to the “Check Your
Communication” check list on your Chapter in Review Card for the various components of
effective speaking. Then draft a proposal offering suggestions for improving the person’s
spoken communication skills, including paying special attention to vocal qualities, audience
eye contact, audience rapport, and organization.
Student responses will vary but discussion should focus on how the speech uses any of the
Giving a Persuasive Presentation: In groups of three or four students, prepare a
presentation soliciting local individuals to invest in a franchise restaurant. The presentation
will be delivered at an invitation-only dinner of 200 prominent business executives. Each
group should:
• select a franchise restaurant not currently located in your city.
• propose a location for the restaurant, supporting your decision with traffic data.
• develop a five-year financial budget, including the rate of return to be earned by the
investors.
ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
1. Selecting Appropriate Presentation Visuals: A speaker must select the appropriate medium
or combination of media to accomplish the speech’s purpose and to meet the needs of a
specific audience. Develop a standard slide layout for a slide that (a) displays the advantages
and disadvantages of each type of presentation visual and a slide that (b) provides tips for
using each type of presentation visual effectively. For easier comparison, collapse the
information into four categories: (a) electronic presentations, (b) boards and flipcharts, (c)
still projection objects (overheads), and (d) hard copy visuals (handouts). Be prepared to
present in a presentation to the class.
Divide the class into four small groups and have each group research one of the indicated types of
visuals. Have each group create two slides for their type, one showing advantages and
disadvantages and one showing tips for using the type effectively.
Student responses will vary.
Creating On-Demand Presentations: Delivering Crucial Information to Vast Numbers:
Presentations incorporating video focus attention, convey information, increase retention,
and compel action better than static web pages or PowerPoint slides. Now, easy-to-use
software allows users with no video training to produce professional presentations at a
reasonable cost. The corporate communication applications for this rich communication
medium are endless with powerful messages being delivered on-demand via a website, email,
PowerPoint show, or DVD or CD. View demos and download trial versions of one of the
following video production software programs: Camtasia Studio (http://techsmith.com) or
Visual Communicator (http:// www.seriousmagic.com). Read users’ success stories and view
dramatic video samples from training presentations to video scrapbooks and birthday cards.
Then write a memo to your instructor summarizing the benefits of video presentations in
enhancing business communications.
Student responses will vary but might focus on the software providing (1) a way to deliver key
Adapting Presentations for International Audiences: Locate an article that offers
suggestions for developing business presentations for an international audience from a
database available from your campus library. Then prepare a grid that compares cultural
groups detailing differences in presentation preferences; research further as necessary to
complete your informational comparison.
A sample grid that compares cultural groups follows:
Japanese
British/Other
Europeans
South Americans
Americans
Do not like gestures
Prefer slower paced
delivery
Like fast-paced
delivery
Like fast-paced
delivery
Do not like close
Like detail and
Are comfortable with
Prefer interaction
Evaluating a Podcast: Visit the BusinessWeek Online website at www.businessweek.com to
search for and listen to the podcast entitled “Peter Drucker: The Man Who Invented
Management.” Then read the related article.
After reading the article, write a critique that includes:
• a summary of the overall effectiveness of the podcast as compared to reading the related
article
• your impression of the effectiveness of the delivery
• suggestions for improving the overall impact of the podcast
Student responses should focus on the conversational tone of the podcast versus the more
Developing Vocal Power: Effective communication relies on body language and tone of
voice consistent with powerful, precise words. Inarticulate, sloppy vocal patterns are put-offs
and may make understanding the message impossible in the case of mumbling or regional
accent. Strong vocal skills are especially critical when you consider that much of the time
today’s employees are communicating with a phone, computer, or fax, rather than face-to-
face with the customer/client. Complete the activities a through c to begin your vocal
makeover.
a. Prepare a recording of your voice for analysis using an article from a newspaper or
magazine. Listen to your recording and seek constructive feedback from friends or
classmates, especially those from other regions or cultures who can help you identify
speech problems affecting understandability and impression.
b. Write a memo to your instructor that includes an honest critique of your voice and a
description of the modifications you believe are needed to develop a voice that projects
your professional image and truly means business. Use the following questions as a guide
for your analysis.
• What words describe your overall perception of your voice?
• Do you use clear, articulate speech, and proper pronunciation that is easily
understood and conveys a positive impression? List specific problem areas such as
dropping word endings, adding, omitting, or substituting sounds, placing the accent
on the incorrect syllable, or using incorrect pronunciation.
• Do you emphasize ideas, create meaning, and add energy and dynamics to your
presentation? Do you speak loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear you
easily?
• Do you include irritating fillers and other annoying speech habits?
• Is your regional dialect an asset or a liability to your career advancement? What
deviations from General American standard dialect can you detect?
c. Record an outgoing voice mail message for a home business you operate that sounds
professional, enthusiastic, and articulates the services you provide. Now leave a voice
mail message on a prospective customer/ client’s phone that you’re confident will be
returned.
Student responses will vary but should focus on pitch, volume, rate, breathing, verbal fillers,
Evaluating Your Speaking Style: Record your delivery of a presentation on a topic of your
choice. Complete the following activities; be prepared to discuss with your instructor and to
incorporate changes in preparation for your next presentation.
• What was your overall impression of your performance after you completed the
presentation?
• List at least three strengths and three weaknesses in your delivery style.
• Ask two other people in your class to view the videotape and critique your
performance; they should provide at least two strengths and two suggestions for
improvement.
• What is your overall impression of your performance after you analyzed the videotape
and received feedback from class members? Does this impression differ from your
impression before viewing the videotape? Explain.
This exercise will help students assess their own speaking skills and develop strategies for
Critiquing an Electronic Slide Show: Find and view an electronic slideshow or watch one
provided by your instructor. Assume this presentation is a part of a professional development
seminar. Critique the content and design of this presentation using the “Check Your
Communication” checklist on your Chapter in Review Card for this chapter. Revise the slide
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show incorporating your changes. Be prepared to show your revised slide show to the class
with justification for the changes you made.
Embracing a Presenter’s Code of Conduct: Locate and read the following professional
codes of ethics for professional communicators by searching “code of ethics” from the
homepage:
National Speakers Association: http://www. nsaspeaker.org
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC):
http://www.iabc.com
Consider the ethical challenges presenters face and the behavioral guideposts presented in
these readings. Write your own presenter’s pledge to ensure honesty and integrity in your
professional presentations. Be prepared to explain to the class your rationale for the actions
included.
Student responses will vary but should focus on (1) showing honesty and integrity by not
Organizing and Researching a Presentation Topic: Visit one of the following Internet sites
that provide guidelines for organizing and developing business presentations and using
presentation technology effectively. Using these resources, develop an outline for a short
(two- to three-minute) presentation on an aspect of presentation skill development. Send your
instructor an email message containing (a) the purpose statement, (b) audience analysis, (c)
the outline, and (d) a list of the sources including a quotation or anecdote you intend to use to
support your topic. The outline should indicate the introduction, major points (body), and the
summary. If required by your instructor, prepare two to three presentation visuals and
deliver the presentation to the class or post the presentation to the course website for other
students to view. Bookmark these sites for your own professional development.
http://www.presentations.com
http://www.presentersonline.com
http://www.quotationspage.com
The student’s outline should include an introduction, body with appropriate main points
Preparing an Extemporaneous In-House Presentation: Your instructor has provided
specific instructions for presenting a proposal to management. Select a topic from the
following list of suggested topics or use them as a springboard for other in-house
presentations. Obtain your instructor’s approval for your topic before beginning work.
a. Proposal for implementing a relaxed dress policy.
b. Proposal for opening an on-site childcare center or long-term care plan for parents of
employees (or another employee benefit of your choice).
c. Proposal to a local business to increase sales to college students.
d. Proposal to the board of directors to forge a strategic alliance with another company.
Choose two likely companies and present the concept and the benefits that could be
derived for each company.
e. Proposal to management for creating a joint venture with another company to offer a
business-to-business (B2B) exchange for online commerce and supply chain services.
Choose two feasible companies that could take advantage of the benefits of supply chain
management (e.g., HomebuildersXchange links suppliers, distributors, and trade
contractors and builders to bring efficiencies to every participant in the construction
process).
f. Proposal to extend your company’s domestic retail market into an international market
of your choice.
Preparing an Extemporaneous Presentation on a Chosen Topic: Your instructor has
provided specific instructions for preparing a presentation of approximately five to ten
minutes. Select a topic from the following list or use them as a springboard for other
appropriate topics that will provide timely, relevant information to your class. Obtain your
instructor’s approval for your topic before beginning work.
a. Discuss a timely issue related to communication effectiveness in your field (may have
been addressed recently in a business-related magazine or practitioner journal).
b. Discuss key issues leading companies to redesign work spaces for today’s mobile
workers and solutions some companies have adopted.
c. How have preferences for communication channels changed over the past five years,
especially in the younger generation? What effect, if any, will this shift have on the
workplace?
d. What effect has increased exposure to profanity in current society had on the workplace
and professional settings? What are the legal implications of using unacceptable
language in the workplace? What steps are companies taking to deal with this issue?
e. What can corporate leaders do to increase employees’ sensitivity toward diversity
(cultures, genders, ages of coworkers, and potential markets)?
f. What adjustments would be required for a presentation given to an audience from
(supply a culture)? as a team presentation? as a videoconference? as a seated
presentation? (choose one)
g. How can presentation slides weaken a presentation? What strategies can ensure the
effective use of presentation support?
h. What are the major differences in the management styles of men and women?
i. What are major differences in the speaking styles of men and women? How do these
differences affect speaking effectiveness?
j. What challenges has the aging population presented in the workplace? What can
companies do to face these challenges?
k. What are common examples of computer abuse in today’s companies and what can be
done to combat it?
l. What are common uses of videoconferencing and live web presentations in today’s
companies? What benefits are being realized through the use of this technology?
m. How has the electronic revolution changed the way a person seeks a job?
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n. What effect has technology had on presenters’ and trainers’ compliance with copyright
law? What challenges must be addressed if the copyright law is to work in an electronic
environment?
o. Discuss several business applications for multimedia. What benefits do they provide?
p. Does an employer have the right to read an employee’s email (or conduct other forms of
electronic surveillance)? What laws govern this issue?
q. How can business professionals manage their time (or stress) more effectively?
r. What benefits are realized by working cooperatively in diverse work groups?
s. What are characteristics of effective and non-effective team members (choose one)?
t. Explain the use of the Internet, an intranet, and an extranet to improve a company’s
effectiveness.
Yoplait Appeals to Health, Convenience, and Great Taste: Read the following scenario and
then, in groups of three, complete activities a and b below.
As the top-selling yogurt maker in the United States, Yoplait is committed to making
products that consumers love. Designed to maximize health and nutritional benefits, Yoplait’s
product innovations are aimed at increasing the percentage of households eating yogurt,
attracting a wider mix of yogurt lovers (kids and males), and increasing the shelf space
allotted to yogurt. Yoplait Healthy Heart, a yogurt containing plant sterols that are clinically
proven to reduce cholesterol, is leading a proactive health market segment; consumers are
enticed to eat two servings of yogurt each day to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol by an
average of 6 percent. New products include a variety of convenient tasty treats for kids, fat-
free yogurt as a vital part of a weight-loss plan, and Chocolate Mousse Style, a new
a. As members of the Yoplait management team, present a five-minute presentation
outlining key issues facing the company, an overview of strategies the company has
adopted to address them, and projections for the company’s future direction. Using the
information you developed for the speech, prepare a 1- to 2-minute speech promoting
additional shelf space for Yoplait products in a leading retail chain. You may choose to
produce your presentation as a podcast to be distributed on the company’s website or
intranet.
Student speeches should focus on Yoplait’s product innovation, promotion of dairy products as
b. As members of a marketing team for Yoplait, brainstorm various strategies for
addressing the disparity of yogurt consumption between male and female consumers.
Develop a print advertisement and a 30-second commercial to attract male consumers. If
software is not available for producing the commercial, write the script and describe the
video shots needed to complete the commercial. Based on your interactions with your
team, write a brief report summarizing what your team learned about differences in
communication preferences of men and women—thinking, organizing ideas, persuasive
appeals, etc.).
Student responses will vary.
Developing a Presentation Plan: The foundation of an effective presentation is selecting an
appropriate topic, one that is narrow in scope, fits the time slot, appeals to the speaker’s
interests, and meets audience needs. Following the process outlined in the Presentation Skills
Checklist will direct you in planning an effective presentation.
In preparation for a ten-minute presentation, select a topic from this list or one approved by
your instructor:
✓ How to cope with an ethical dilemma in your profession.
✓ How Web 2.0 (wikis and mash-ups) is changing business.
✓ Lessons learned from corporate scandals.
✓ Salary inequities of average workers versus high-level executives.
✓ Attracting and retaining talented employees.
✓ Communication and the generation gap.
✓ Communication and career success.
✓ The CEO I admire most and why.
✓ The “coolest” digital business tool.
Next, develop a purpose statement and preview statement of points to be covered in the
presentation, similar to the example below. In groups of two or three, critique each member’s
topic and preview statements; revise your own work, and submit the original and revised
statements to your instructor. Be prepared to discuss your improvements in an informal
presentation to the class.
Example:
Subject: Identity Theft
Topic: Prevent Identity Theft
General Purpose: Inform audience members of danger of identity theft and strategies for
safeguarding against it.
15. Preparing a Team Presentation: Select one of the topics in the previous assignment and
develop it into a team presentation for delivery to the class. To ensure the quality and
efficiency of the presentation, first outline a detailed action plan for the preparation and
delivery of the team presentation following the guidelines for team presentations in your
textbook. Make your own assumptions about the audience and logistics or follow those
assigned by your instructor. To support your ideas, use at least two periodicals, a newspaper,
a book, an electronic source, and a government publication. List the sources in a references
page formatted in APA style. Following the team presentation, prepare a debriefing memo to
your instructor outlining the strengths of the team’s work and planned improvements for
future presentations.
Student responses will vary.
Preparing an Oral Briefing: In small groups assigned by your instructor, give a one- to
three-minute oral briefing regarding progress completed on an assigned team project.
Alternately, each member may present a one- to two-minute presentation explaining a key
concept or new development in his or her career field. A brief preparation time will be
provided; however, the purpose of the activity is to prepare for impromptu spoken
presentations. After all presentations are given, the group will briefly discuss the strengths
and weaknesses of each presentation and provide each member with a few specific
suggestions for improvement in delivering an impromptu presentation.
CASE ASSIGNMENT
NOW ABOUT THAT ACCENT . . .
Most individuals “pick up” the accent spoken in the region in which they live, and those
who learn English as a second language typically retain some elements of pronunciation that are
indicative of their first language. When you leave your native area, your accent may be a subject
of interest, humor, or even ridicule.
Studies have indicated that salespersons with a standard accent or dialect are often
perceived more favorably by customers than foreign-accented salespersons.35 The U.S. media
promotes the acceptance of “general American standard dialect,” and the seeming lack of accent
among public broadcasters is often the result of extensive retraining in vocal delivery.
Corporations often also desire to enhance universal acceptance by cultivating “standard English”
among their management. Corporate accent-reduction speech clients have included executives
from Beech Aircraft, Mitsubishi Bank, NCR Corporation, Union Carbide, and Wells Fargo Bank.
Not everyone, however, feels that accents are detrimental. A countering opinion is that an accent
may, at times, serve as an asset to the speaker. It reflects personhood and adds dimension and
interest to the individual. Furthermore, the “best English” is often dictated by audience
expectation and the circumstances in which a speaker functions. Regardless of the charm value of
an accent, your audience must be able to understand you. The following guidelines are suggested
when the speaker’s dialect is different from that of the audience:
• Speak more slowly and distinctly than usual during the opening minutes of your
presentations, to allow the audience to adjust to your speech patterns and style.
• Do not apologize for your accent. The audience will likely not find it offensive once they
Activities
1. Locate at least one additional website on the subject of accents that you found interesting.
What was the URL of the site? Summarize the important aspects of the information in outline
form.
Analyze your own accent, responding to the following questions: Of what region is it typical?
What distinguishes it from others? Is your accent stronger at certain times? If so, why? Email
your instructor with your self-analysis.
How are accent and dialect different yet related? Prepare a chart that illustrates the
relationship.
While some people use the terms accent and dialect interchangeably, experts make a
differentiation. Accent is concerned with the way language is pronounced; it includes the
variation in stress and intonation. Dialect reflects differences in grammar and in word choice.
Accent and Dialect Compared
Speech Factor
Accent
Dialect
Pronunciation of Words
X
Choice of Words
X
Stress and Intonation
X
Rhythm
X
Grammar
X
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a regional accent? How can an accent work
either to enhance or worsen a businessperson’s communication? Write a one- to two-page
summary of your position on the issue.
Student summaries may include some of the following ideas. Language is something common to
Advantages of a regional accent and dialect:
• They are a part of one’s personality; they add variety to our communication.
