MAIB 2001
PROFESSIONAL
COMMUNICATION
Fiona R. Barnes and Kellie Roberts

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu Speaking
Guidelines
 Consider your audience.
 Be brief.
 Speak honestly, but with reserve, from personal experience and knowledge.
 Be cautious.
 Organize!

Successful Impromptu Principles
& Techniques for the Workplace
 Be prepared!
–
–
Take notes
Create files/summaries
 Use active listening
–
–
–
Restate
Confirm the problem
Establish criteria/provide trial solutions
 Use color
– Anecdotes/quotations/analogies/statistics/humor

 Make it short & sweet
–
–
–
Action, benefit, commitment
One point with supporting evidence
Tease ‘em, please ‘em, seize ‘em
 Be a teambuilder
–
–
Encourage discussion by layering questions
Use open-ended questions

Presentation Skills

Communication Apprehension
(Stage Fright; Fear of Speaking)
 #1 Fear among Americans?
 Recognizing the symptoms
 Recognizing the causes or origins
 Overcoming or Controlling
– Individual/Group Anxiety Reduction Programs
(Systematic Desensitization)
– Tried & True: Prepare, Organize & Relax

 Get to know your audience
– Demographic analysis
– Psychological analysis
– Environmental analysis

 Introduction
– Attention grabber
– thesis/central idea
– relation statement
– qualifications (if necessary)
– preview/forecast

 Body
– Topical
– Triad
– Chronological
– Problem/Cause/Solution

 Conclusion
– forewarn audience of ending
– summarize your main points
– remind audience of desired response
– end in an upbeat manner

 Impromptu
 Memorized/Manuscript
 Extemporaneous
– prepared
– rehearsed
– conversational
– presented w/minimal notes

 Accent & Emphasis
 Complement
 Reinforce
 Regulate/Control
 Contradict
 Substitute

-65% of total message
 Eye Contact and Facial Expression
 ~50% of nonverbal message
 Body Movement--body language
– hand gestures, walking, podium use
 Vocalics or Paralanguage

~30% of nonverbal message
 Distracting Mannerisms

Delivery Aspects to focus on during your rehearsals







Body Movement--if you want to walk think about a system to help you control possible pacing
Eye Contact--be sure to sway among your audience and DO NOT
READ NOTECARDS!!
Your may have up to 2 notecards (one side only
Hand gestures--aim for conversational rather than robotic or stiff. E.
Voice Usage
1. Be careful of the filled pauses (um, uh, okay...)
2. Aim for variety in rate, volume, pitch--this will assist you with energy and enthusiam. It may also help reduce hesitancy due to anxiety.

Requirements for
Instructional Speech
 Time limit=4-5 max!!
 2 outside sources required--must be cited in the speech!
 Hardcopy outline required on day of speech
 3 notecard limit (with speaking outline--
NOT a script!!
 Goal=instruct/inform your audience NOT persuade them