C132 Chapter 13

Speaking Impromptorally

*Having a solid grasp of the topic is your best chance for success ... in addition • Consider your audience. A quick mental check of who your audience members are and their interests, expectations, and knowledge can help ensure that your impromptu remarks are centered on them. • Be brief. One to three minutes is probably a realistic time frame for most impromptu presentations. As one leadership consultant points out, "You're merely expected to hit a theme, say a few nice words, and then depart."6 • Organize. Think quickly about an introduction, body, and conclusion. If you want to make more than one point, use a simple organizational strategy such as chronological order—past, present, and future. Or construct an alphabetical list in which your main ideas begin with the letters A, B, and C.7 • Draw on your personal experience and knowledge. Audiences almost always respond favorably to personal illustrations, so use any appropriate and relevant ones. • Use gestures and movement that arise naturally from what you are saying. • Be aware of the potential impact of your communication. If your subject is at all sensitive or your information is classified, be noncommittal in what you say.

Building your Speach

1. Use specific, concrete words to communicate clearly and specifically. 2. Use unbiased words to avoid offending people of either gender or from any racial, cultural, or religious group. 3. Use vivid words to add color and interest to your language. 4. Use simple words to be understood readily. 5. Use correct words to enhance your credibility.

Vivid Word

A Colorful Word ***Devour instead of Eat

Movement

A change of location during a presentation. ***should be purposeful and adapted to the audience's cultural expectations.

Drama

A characteristic of a speech created when something is phrased in a way that differs from the way the audience expects. ***created using such tools as Omission, Inversion & Suspension

Dialect

A consistent style of pronunciation and articulation that is common to an ethnic group or geographic region.

Pause

A few seconds of silence during a presentation, used both to slow a fast pace and to signal a key idea.

Physical Delivery

A person's gestures, movement, and posture, which influence how a message is interpreted.

Appearance

A speaker's dress and grooming. ***Should conform to what the audience expects

Posture

A speaker's stance. ***should feel natural and be appropriate to your topic, your audience, and the occasion.

Simple Word

A word known to most people who speak the language.

Unbiased Word

A word that does not stereotype, discriminate against, or insult either gender or any racial, cultural, or religious group.

Correct Word

A word that means what the speaker intends and is grammatically correct in the phrase or sentence in which it appears.

Concrete Word

A word that refers to an object or describes an action or characteristic in the most specific way possible.

Facial Expression

An arrangement of the facial muscles to communicate thoughts, emotions, and attitudes. ***should be alert, friendly, and appropriate to your message.

Megaphor

An implied comparison between two things.

Simile

An overt comparison between two things that uses the word like or as.

Presentation Aids

Any tangible item used to help communicate ideas to an audience.

Graphs

Bar graphs, Pie Graphs & LineGraphs • Keep your graphs simple and uncluttered. • Remember that many computer programs will generate graphs from statistics. You often don't need to find graphs already prepared or draw your own.

Antithesis

Contrasting the meanings of the two parts of a parallel structure.

Impromptu Speaking

Delivering a presentation without advance preparation. ***Known as speaking off the cuff

Memorized Speaking

Delivering a presentation word for word from memory without using notes. ***Still not ideal

Extemporaneous Speaking

Delivering a well-developed, well-organized, carefully rehearsed presentation without having memorized exact wording. *Most appropriate in most situations

Repetition

Emphasizing a key word or phrase by using it more than once.

Crafting Memorable Word Structures

Figurative Language: Metaphor, Simile & Personification Drama: Omission, Inversion & Suspension Cadence: Parallelism, Antithesis, Repetition &Alliteration

Rate

How fast or slowly a speaker speaks. ***should be neither too fast nor too slow and can be varied to add interest and emphasize key ideas.

Pitch

How high or low a speaker's voice is. ***should be varied so that the inflection in your voice helps sustain your audience's interest.

Model

If you use a model as a presentation aid, be sure that the model is large enough to be seen by all members of your audience.

Photographs

It is perhaps best to use digital photographs that you can show on a screen, otherwise photographs are too small.

Figurative Language

Language that deviates from the ordinary, expected meaning of words to make a description or comparison unique, vivid, and memorable. ***created using such tools as Metaphors, similes & Personification

Omission

Leaving out a word or phrase the audience expects to hear.

Thesaurus

List of synonyms

Eye Contact

Looking at an audience during a presentation. ***should be established before you say anything and sustained as much as possible throughout your presentation.

Gestures

Movements of the hands and arms to communicate ideas. ***should be relaxed, definite, varied, and appropriate to your audience and the speaking situation.

Vocal Delivery

Nonverbal voice cues, including volume, pitch, rate, and articulation.

Manuscript Reading

Reading a presentation from a written text. Not Ideal

Inversion

Reversing the normal word order of a phrase or sentence.

How to ... Presentation Aids

Select the right presentation aids Make your presentation aids easy to see Keep your presentation aids simple Use presentation aids thoughtfully Rehearse with your presentation aid Maintain eye contact with your audience, not with your presentation aid Explain your presentation aids Time the display of your presentation aids to coincide with your discussion of them. Do not pass presentation aids amongst the audience Use handouts effectively Use small animals and children with caution

Personification

The attribution of human qualities to inanimate things or ideas.

Articulation

The production of clear and distinct speech sounds. ***Should be clear and distinct

Alliteration

The repetition of a consonant sound (usually the first consonant) several times in a phrase, clause, or sentence.

Cadence

The rhythm of language. ***created using such tools as parallelism, antithesis, repetition and alliteration

Volume

The softness or loudness of a speaker's voice. ***should be loud enough that you can be easily heard and should be purposefully varied.

Parallelism

Using the same grammatical structure for two or more clauses or sentences.

Inflection

Variation in vocal pitch.

Suspension

Withholding a key word or phrase until the end of a sentence.

Specific Word

refers to an individual member of a general class Poodle (dog) Spatula (utensil) Mars (planet)

Posturing

• Avoid slouching, shifting from one foot to the other, or drooping your head. • Unless you have a disability, do not sit while delivering a presentation. An exception might be perching on or leaning against the edge of a desk or stool (which would still elevate you slightly above your audience) during a very informal presentation.

Audio/Visual

• Be certain that the equipment you need will be available in the room in which you are going to speak. Have the equipment set up and ready to go. • Be certain that the volume of any audio is amplified enough so that your audience can hear it without straining. • If you have an audience of twenty-five to thirty people, you can use a twenty-five-inch screen for video. For larger audiences, you will need several television monitors or projection technology. • Use only brief clips and excerpts. Audio and video should always supplement, rather than supplant, your speech.

Charts

• Be certain that your chart is big enough to be seen easily. • Keep your chart simple. Do not try to put too much information on one chart. Eliminate any unnecessary words.

Speaking from Memory

• Do not deliver your memorized speech too rapidly. • Avoid patterns of vocal inflection that make the speech sound recited. Focus on what you are saying, and let your voice rise and fall to emphasize important words and phrases and to reflect the structures of your sentences. Consider recording 333334your presentation beforehand and listening to it to ensure that your vocal delivery sounds like a conversation rather than a recitation. • Use gestures and movement to add interest and emphasis to your message.

PowerPoint

• Don't use too many slides. Make certain that the slides you do use contain significant information in a simple, uncluttered style. • Don't overuse bulleted text. Some experts suggest no more than seven lines of text on any single slide. • Make informed decisions about fonts, color, and layout. A light background with darker-colored words in a simple 28-point-or-larger font usually works well. • Finally, practice with your PowerPoint slides so that you can time them to coincide with your oral presentation.

Maps

• Enlarge your map by transferring it to a PowerPoint slide. • Highlight on your map the areas or routes you are going to talk about in your presentation.

Eye Contact Suggestions

• Establish eye contact with your audience before you say anything. Eye contact sends listeners a message to tune in as you start your talk. • Maintain eye contact with your audience as you deliver your opening sentence without looking at your notes. • Try to establish eye contact with people throughout your audience, not just with the front row or only one or two people. Briefly look in to the eyes of an individual, and then transfer your eye contact to someone else. • Do not look over your listeners' heads! They will notice if you do so and may even turn around to try to find out what you are looking at.

Characteristics of Effective Nonverbal Delivery

• Eye contact should be established before you say anything and sustained as much as possible throughout your presentation. • Gestures should be relaxed, definite, varied, and appropriate to your audience and the speaking situation. • Movement should be purposeful and adapted to the audience's cultural expectations. • Posture should feel natural and be appropriate to your topic, your audience, and the occasion. • Facial expression should be alert, friendly, and appropriate to your message. • Volume should be loud enough that you can be easily heard and should be purposefully varied. • Pitch should be varied so that the inflection in your voice helps sustain your audience's interest. • Rate should be neither too fast nor too slow and can be varied to add interest and emphasize key ideas. • Articulation should be clear and distinct. • Appearance should conform to what the audience expects.

Final How To for Presentations

• Finish your preparation outline several days before you must deliver the presentation. Begin to rehearse from the preparation outline. Revise the presentation as necessary, and then outline your speaking notes. Continue to rehearse and modify your speaking notes as necessary. • Practice, practice, practice. Rehearse aloud as often as possible. Only by rehearsing will you gain confidence in both the content of the presentation and your delivery. • Use good delivery skills while rehearsing. Rehearse your presentation standing up. Pay attention to your gestures, posture, eye contact, facial expression, and vocal delivery, as well as the verbal message. Rehearse with your presentation aids. • If possible, practice your presentation for someone. Researchers in one study found that students who practice their speeches before an audience score higher on evaluation instruments than do students who practice without an audience.33 • Use audio or video technology to record your presentation, but try not to be overly critical when you listen to or watch yourself, as many of us tend to be. Notice whether you use too many filler sounds or words, such as "uh," "er," "okay," "you know," and "like." Realize, however, that you're developing a delivery style unique to you, so don't try to change too much. • Re-create the speaking situation in your final rehearsals. Try to rehearse in a room similar to the one in which you will deliver the presentation. Use the speaking notes you will use the day you deliver the presentation. Give the presentation without stopping. The more realistic the rehearsal, the more confidence you will gain. • Get plenty of rest the night before you speak. Being well rested is more valuable than squeezing in a frantic, last-minute rehearsal. • Arrive early. If you don't know for certain the location of the room in which you'll make your presentation, give yourself plenty of time to find it. Rearrange any furniture or equipment, and set up and check your presentation aids. • Review and apply the suggestions offered in Chapter 11 for becoming a more confident speaker. As the moment for delivering your presentation nears, remind yourself of the effort you have spent preparing it. Visualize yourself delivering the presentation effectively. Silently practice your opening lines. Think about your audience. Breathe deeply. Relax. • If something unforeseen (a ringing cell phone, for example) briefly interrupts your presentation, remain composed as you pause briefly and then pick up where you left off. If the incident is amusing, you can laugh along with your audience. • After you have delivered your presentation, seek feedback from members of your audience. Use the information you gain to improve your next presentation.

Gesturing

• Focus on the message you want to communicate. As in ordinary conversation, when you speak in public, your hands should help emphasize or reinforce your verbal message. Your gestures should coincide with what you are saying. • Again, as in conversation, let your gestures flow with your message. They should appear natural, not tense or rigid. • Be definite. If you want to gesture, go ahead and gesture. Avoid minor hand movements that will be masked by the lectern or that may appear to your audience as accidental brief jerks. • Vary your gestures. Try not to use the same hand or one all-purpose gesture all the time. Think of the different gestures you can use, depending on whether you want to enumerate, point, describe, or emphasize ideas. • Don't overdo your gestures. You want your audience to focus not on your gestures, but on your message. • Make your gestures appropriate to your audience and situation. When speaking to a large audience in a relatively formal setting, use bolder, more sweeping, and more dramatic gestures than when speaking to a small audience in an informal setting. Also consider the culture-based expectations of your audience. Americans in general tend to use more gestures than do speakers from other cultures. If you are speaking to a culturally diverse audience, you may want to tone down your gestures.

Drawings

• Keep your drawings large and simple. Line drawings are often more effective than more detailed ones. • One way to show the audience your drawing is to scan it and then put it into a PowerPoint slide. • Your drawing does not have to be original artwork. You could ask a friend to help you prepare a drawing, or you could use computer software to generate a simple image. Just be sure to credit your source if you use someone else's sketch.

Moving

• Like gestures, any movement should be purposeful. It should be consistent with the verbal content of your message; otherwise, it will appear to be aimless wandering. You might signal the beginning of a new idea or major point in your speech with movement, or you might move to signal a transition from a serious idea to a more humorous one. The bottom line is that your use of movement should make sense to your listeners. No movement at all is better than random, distracting movement. 339 340 • If a physical barrier such as a lectern, a row of chairs, or an overhead projector makes you feel cut off from your listeners, move closer to the audience. Studies suggest that physical proximity enhances learning.22 • Adapt to the cultural expectations of your audience. British listeners, for example, have commented to us that American lecturers tend to stand too close to an audience when speaking. If you think that movement will make your audience uncomfortable, stay in one carefully chosen spot to deliver your presentation.

Objects

• Make certain that the object can be handled easily. If it is too large, it may be unwieldy; if it is too small, your audience won't be able to see it. • Don't use dangerous or illegal objects as presentation aids. They may make your audience members uneasy or actually put them at risk.

Dressing

• Never wear anything that is potentially distracting, such as a T-shirt with writing on it. You want your audience to listen to you, not read you. • Consider appropriate clothing as a presentation aid. For example, if you are a nurse or emergency technician, wear your uniform when you speak about your profession. (We'll discuss presentation aids in more detail shortly.) • Take cues from your audience. If you know that they will be dressed in business attire, dress similarly. If anything, you want to be a bit more dressed up than members of your audience. • When in doubt about what to wear, select something conservative.

People

• Rehearse with the person who will be helping you. • Don't have the person stand beside you doing nothing. Wait until you need your presentation aid to have your assistant come to the front. • Don't let your presentation aid steal the show. Make his or her role specific and fairly brief. As the speaker, you should remain the "person of the hour."

Volumizing

• Speak loudly enough so that the members of your audience farthest from you can hear you without straining. Doing so will ensure that everyone else in the room can hear you, too. • Vary the volume of your voice in a purposeful way. Indicate important ideas by turning your volume up or down. • Be aware of whether you need a microphone to amplify your volume. If you do and one is available, use it.

Speaking from Manuscript

• Type your manuscript in short, easy-to-scan phrases on the upper two-thirds of the paper so that you do not have to look too far down the page. • If possible, practice with your manuscript before you speak. • If you're afraid that you'll lose your place in the manuscript, unobtrusively use your index finger to keep your place in the text. • Use appropriate nonverbal messages. Try to take in an entire sentence at a time so that you can maintain eye contact with your audience throughout each sentence. • Do not read the manuscript too quickly. Use a slash mark (/) or some other symbol to remind you to pause in strategic places. • Vary the rhythm, inflection, and pace of your delivery so that the presentation does not sound as if it is being read. • Use gestures and movement to add further nonverbal interest and emphasis to your message.

Speaking Extemporaneously

• Use a full-content preparation outline when you begin to rehearse your extemporaneous presentation. Be aware of your growing confidence in delivering it, and continue to decrease your reliance on your notes. • Prepare speaking notes. Using this new outline, continue to rehearse. • Even as you become increasingly familiar with your message, do not try to memorize it word for word. Continue to vary the ways in which you express your ideas and information. • As you deliver your presentation, adapt it to your audience. Use gestures and movement that arise naturally from what you are saying.

Recap of Presentation Aids

• Use objects that you can handle easily and that are safe and legal. • Be sure that any models you use are large enough to be seen easily. • Rehearse with people who will serve as presentation aids, and don't let them steal the show. • Keep drawings simple and large. • Be sure that photographs are large enough to be seen easily. • Highlight on a map the geographic areas you will discuss. • Limit the amount of information you put on any single chart. • Keep graphs simple and uncluttered. • Use only brief audio and video clips, make sure they can be easily seen or heard, and have equipment ready to go before you speak.