My UBIS ONLINE Class: Organisational Communication

Message from Anh Tho Andres

Anh Tho Andres is a professor in Marketing and Communication at UBIS University based in Geneva, Switzerland.

As a multilingual Translator and Interpreter, and Lecturer in Communication, Anh Tho understands the challenges faced by Professionals in a globalized Corporate World.

Working on her DBA Degree at Paris-Est University (France), Anh Tho Andres is authoring a series of articles on Intercultural communication. She is also working on a series of glossaries in English-French-and Vietnamese on Management subjects. Contact: anhtho.andres@gmail.com for further details.

On this blog, Anh Tho is sharing with students and colleagues her research findings as support material to her ON-GROUND and ONLINE classes.

References:

Communicating At Work, Principles and Practices for Business and the Professions, McGraw-Hill International, 9^th Edition, by Ronald B. Adler and Jeanne Marquardt Elmhorst.

Developing and Organising the Presentation

Objectives p.324

Develop an effective strategy for a specific presentation based on a complete analysis of the situation
Identify general and specific goals for a given speaking situation
Construct a clear thesis based on an analysis of a specific speaking situation
Choose and develop an organisational plan for the body of a presentation that best suits its goal and the audience
Create an effective introduction and conclusion for a presentation, following the guidelines in this chapter
Design a presentation that contains effective transitions between the introduction and body, between points in the body, and between the body and conclusion

Analysing the Situation p.328

Analysing the Audience

Who are the key audience members?

How much do they know?

What do they want to know?

What are their personal preferences?

What size is the group?

What are the listeners’ attitudes?

Analysing Yourself as the Speaker

Your goal

Your knowledge

Your feelings about the topic

Analysing the Occasion

Facilities

Time

Context

5 comments:

Dr Anh-Tho Andres KammlerMay 11, 2011 at 6:35 AM
Setting Your Goal and Developing the Thesis p.336

General and Specific Goals

Describe the reaction you are seeking (desired outcome from audience)
Be as specific as possible (describe your goals in measurable terms)

Developing the Thesis

Thesis Statement is the Central idea or key idea that summarises your message. Tips:
Define in one or two sentences your main idea.
Use keywords.
Be clear.
Keep it short.
Dr Anh-Tho Andres KammlerMay 11, 2011 at 6:35 AM
Organising the Body p. 341

Brainstorming Ideas

Identify key points that support your thesis
List of information, research material relevant to your presentation
Decide what organisational plan best develops those points

Basic Organisational Plan

Introduction: Attention getter, Thesis, Preview
Body: 2 to 5 main points.
Conclusion: Review, Closing Statement

Identify Main Points and Subpoints

Apply the 1-week-later test: what do people remember after one week
Subpoints expand each of the main points. Ex. Table 10-4 p. 363

Choose the Best Organisational Pattern

Informative Persuasive
Chronological p.345 Problem-solution p. 348
Spatial p.346 Criteria Satisfaction p. 349
Topical p.347 Comparative Advantages p.350
Cause-Effect p.347 Motivated Sequence p. 351

Rules for Main Points

Main points should be stated as Claims p. 353
All points should develop the thesis p.353
A presentation should contain no more than five main points p. 354
Each main point should contain only one idea p. 355
Main points should be parallel in structure whenever possible p. 355
Dr Anh-Tho Andres KammlerMay 11, 2011 at 6:36 AM
Planning the Introduction and Conclusion p.355
Introduction should take between 10 to 15 percent of speaking time and last from 1-5 minutes. An effective introduction should include 5 things:

Functions of the Introduction p. 355-356

Capture the listeners’ attention
Give your audience a reason to listen
Set the proper tone for the topic and setting
Establish your qualifications
Introduce your thesis and preview your presentation

Types of Opening Statements p. 357-359

Ask a question
Tell a story
Present a quotation
Make a startling statement
Refer to the audience
Refer to the occasion
Use humor

Functions of the Conclusion p.360

The review - restatement of your thesis and summary of your main points
The closing statement - leaves good impression & encourage listeners to act

Types of Closing Statements p. 361

Return to the theme of your opening statement
Appeal for action
End with a challenge
Dr Anh-Tho Andres KammlerMay 11, 2011 at 6:36 AM
Adding Transitions p.362

Transitions are words or sentences that connect the segments of a presentation.

Besides being reliable, Mercury is the best …
Because it’s so convenient, you might think that…
By now you can see that …
Not all the news is bad, however,…
Those are big promises. Let me talk about how we can …

Functions of Transitions p.362

Transitions serve 3 important purposes:
They promote clarity
They emphasize important ideas
They keep listeners interested

Characteristics of Effective Transitions p.362

They refer to both preceding and upcoming ideas
They show the logical relationship among those ideas
Listeners can follow the structure of your ideas easily
For ex:
The next important idea is…
Another reason we want to make the change…
Finally, we need to consider …
To wrap things up…
Dr Anh-Tho Andres KammlerMay 14, 2011 at 2:14 AM
Dear all,
Please note following progress in Class:
1. Assignments for week1 received and reviewed: Ridwan, Clarissa, Senate, Ralph. Well done. Thanks for your presentation.
2. New assignment for week2. Received from Ridwan. Presentation in class. Well done. Project presentation by Clarissa, Senate, Ralph pending submission.
I am very happy on the progress of your work. Please continue.
Anh Tho

MY UBIS-CLASS