Communication & Leadership Programme

This manual has 10 speech projects, each designed to develop your speaking skills one step at a time. Every projects builds upon what you have learned in the preceiding project, so you should present the speeches in numerical order. This manual teaches you the basics of public speaking. Once you have finished it, you can begin refining and enhancing your basic skills in the Advanced Communication and Leadership Programme.

CL 1 - The ice breaker : Goals

• To begin speaking before an audience
• To help you understand what areas require particular emphasis in your speaking development
• To introduce yourself to your fellow club members

C2 - Speak with sincerity: Goals

• To convince the audience of your earnestness, sincerity and conviction on subject you thoroughly understand
• To comfront and control any nercousness you may have

CL3 - Organise your speech: Goals

• To organise your thoughts into a logical sequence that leads the audience to a clearly defined goal.
• To build a speach outline that included an opening, body and conclusion.

CL4 - Show what you mean: Goals

• To learn the value of gestures and body movements as part of a speech
• To explore the different ways of using body language
• To develop a sense of timing and natural, smooth body movement

CL5 - Vocal variety: Goals

• To explore the use of voice volume, pitch, rate and quality as assets to your speaking
• To achieve a pleasing natural voice quality when speaking

CL6 - Work with words: Goals

• To select precisely the right words required to communicate your ideas clearly and vividly
• To avoid lengthy words and sentences and jargon

CL7 - Apply you skills: Goals

• To bring together and apply the communication skills you have learned the preceeding projects
• To organise your speech in a logical manner, following one of the suggested outlines
• To research the facts needed to support your speech
• To make a personal evaluation of your progress

CL8 - Add impact to your speech: Goals

• To learn the value of props in speaking
• To learn how to use props effectively in your presentations

CL9 - Persuade with power: Goals

• To present a talk that persuades the audience to accept your proposal or viewpoint
• To achieve this persuasive effect by appealing to the audience's self-interest, building a logical foundation for agreement, and arousing emotional commitment to your cause.

CL10 - Inspire your audience

• To understand the mood and feelings of your audience on a particular occasion.
• To put those feeling into words and inspire the audience, using all the techniques you have learned so far.

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The Entertaining Speaker

This manual includes valuable information on how to give an entertaining or dramatic speech, where to find material, how to make an audience laugh, and what to do when you’re asked to speak after dinner. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Entertaining Speech: Goals

• Entertain the audience using humour and/or drama drawn from your personal experience.
• Organise an entertaining speech for maximum audience impact.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Resources for Entertainment: Goals

• Draw humorous or dramatic material from sources other than your own personal experience.
• Adapt your material to suit your topic, your own personality, and the audience.
• Use entertaining material to convey a serious message.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

Make Them Laugh: Goals

• Prepare a humorous speech drawn from your own personal experience.
• Strengthen the speech by adapting and personalising humorous material from outside sources.
• Deliver the speech in a way that makes the humour effective.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

A Dramatic Talk: Goals:

• Develop an entertaining dramatic talk about an experience or incident, or give a dramatic reading.
• Include vivid imagery, characters, and dialog.
• Deliver the talk in an interpretive manner.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

Speaking After Dinner: Goals:

• Prepare an entertaining after-dinner talk on a specific theme.
• Deliver the talk extemporaneously, using the skills developed in the preceding entertainment projects.
• Speech time: 13-15 minutes

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Speaking to Inform

The projects in this manual will help you give informative and interesting speeches. Topics covered include the demonstration talk, the fact-finding report, the abstract concept and resources for informing. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Speech to Inform Goals:

• Select new, useful information for presentation to the audience.
• Organise the information for easy understandability and retention.
• Present the information in a way that will help motivate the audience to learn.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Resources for Informing Goals:

• Analyse the knowledge level of your audience regarding your chosen subject.
• Focus your presentation at the audience's level of knowledge.
• Build a supporting case for each major point through use of explanation, examples, and information gathered from research.
• Effectively use at least one visual aid to enhance the audience's understanding.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

The Demonstration Talk Goals:

• Prepare a demonstration speech to clearly explain a process, product, or activity.
• Conduct the demonstration as part of a speech delivered without notes.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

A Fact-Finding Report Goals:

• Prepare a report on a situation, event, or problem of general interest to the audience.
• Deliver sufficient factual information in your report so the audience can base valid conclusions or a sound decision on it.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

The Abstract Concept Goals:

• Research and organise the thoughts of experts on an abstract concept, theory, historical force, or social/political issue.
• Present the ideas in a clear and interesting manner.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

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Public Relations

This complete guide to preparing and delivering the public relations speech will help you develop resources and techniques, “speak under fire,” and handle the media talk. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Public Relations Speech Goals:

• Prepare a talk that will build goodwill for your organisation by supplying useful information of interest to the audience.
• Favourably influence the audience by the skillful and friendly delivery of your talk.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Resources for Goodwill Goals:

• Research the operation and benefits of an organisation or company.
• Prepare a talk designed to build goodwill toward it by presenting factual information.
• Analyse the common interests of your audience and focus your presentation on those interests.
• Effectively use at least one visual aid to enhance the audience's understanding.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

The Persuasive Approach Goals:

• Direct a persuasive appeal to the audience's self-interests using a combination of fact and emotion in a speech delivered in such a manner that it appears extemporaneous.
• Persuade the audience to adopt your viewpoint by the use of standard persuasive techniques.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

Speaking Under Fire Goals:

• Prepare a talk to persuade a hostile audience at least to consider your position on a controversial issue.
• Conduct a question-and-answer period on the speech subject.
• Speech time: 6-8 minutes for speech, 8-10 minutes for questions

The Media Speech Goals:

• Write a speech script on behalf of a social cause.
• Using the script, present the speech to persuade a general television audience.
• Speech time: 7.5-8.5 minutes

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The Discussion Leader

This manual offers guidance in presenting workshop and conference presentations. Role-playing and problem-solving sessions are also covered. This manual is a must for managers, trainers, teachers and administrators. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Seminar Solution Goals:

• Present an introductory short talk or brief lecture describing a theory, a model, or information about a topic to be discussed by a group following the presentation.
• Organise the information so that it is easy to understand and remember.
• Orient the group to think about the specific goal of the discussion that follows.
• Use the "buzz session" discussion technique to promote group participation in deriving information leading to a solution to the problem.
• Speech time: 20-30 minutes

The Round Robin Goals:

• Establish the meaning of a question with a discussion group.
• Using a problem-solving pattern, lead the participants in a brainstorming session.
• Screen the possible solutions and lead the group in deciding what action to take.
• Speech time: 20-30 minutes

Pilot a Panel Goals:

• Select a problem for panel discussion (choose at least three members of the panel in advance).
• Define the common goals and purpose of the panel.
• Acting as moderator, monitor the panel discussion to inform the audience.
• Speech time: 30-40 minutes

Make It Make-Believe (Role Playing) Goals:

• Understand what role-playing is and how to use it effectively in group communication.
• Select a problem involving human relations in which you can use the role-playing method to illustrate and explore the problem.
• Create a plot and characters relevant to the discussion problem and select a cast from among the group members.
• Direct the role-play enactment, relate it to the discussion problem, and lead the group in arriving at a solution.
• Speech time: 20-30 minutes

The Workshop Leader Goals:

• Building group unity, guide the workshop participants in an investigative discussion of the problem.
• Follow a problem-solving pattern to arrive at a solution.
• Bring the group to agreement before the discussion ends.
• Speech time: 30-40 minutes

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Speciality Speeches

Speakers must be able to speak in many situations and this manual will help. Types of speeches covered include impromptu speeches, sales presentations, introductions, inspirational speeches, and oral interpretations. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

Speak Off the Cuff Goals:

• Develop an awareness of situations in which you might be called upon to deliver an impromptu speech.
• Understand how to prepare for impromptu speaking.
• Develop skill as an impromptu speaker by using one or more patterns to approach a topic under discussion; for example, comparing a past, present, future situation before and after.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Uplift the Spirit Goals:

• Identify and understand the basic differences and similarities between inspirational speeches and other kinds of speeches.
• Learn how to evaluate audience feeling and establish emotional rapport.
• Develop a speech style and delivery that effectively expresses inspirational content by moving the audience to adopt your views.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

Sell a Product Goals:

• Understand the relationship of sales technique to persuasion
• Skillfully use these four steps in a sales presentation:
  1. Attention, 2. Interest 3. Desire 4 Action
• Identify and promote a unique selling proposition in a sales presentation.
• Be able to handle objections.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

Read Out Loud Goals:

• Understand the elements of oral interpretation and how it differs from preparing and giving a speech.
• Learn the preparation or planning techniques of effective interpretation.
• Learn the principles of presentation and develop skill in interpretative reading with regard to voice and body as instruments of communication.
• Speech time: 12-15 minutes

Introduce the Speaker Goals:

• Focus on the special occasion talk from the standpoint of the introducer (Chairperson, Toastmaster, Master of Ceremonies).
• Become knowledgeable & skilled in the functions associated with the Master of Ceremonies.
• Handle the introduction of other speakers at a club meeting.
• Speech time: duration of club meeting

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Speeches by Management

This manual will help you successfully handle a variety of speaking situations managers encounter in their work environment. Subjects covered include briefings, technical speeches, motivational talks and confrontations. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Briefing Goals:

• Apply the key steps in the preparation of a briefing and the organisation of material.
• Give a briefing with a specific objective so the audience will understand the information.
• Effectively handle a question-and-answer session following the briefing.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

The Technical Speech Goals:

• Convert a technical paper or technical information into a technical speech.
• Organise a technical speech using the inverted-pyramid approach.
• Write a technical speech as "spoken language," not as an article.
• Give the speech by effectively reading it aloud.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

Manage and Motivate Goals:

• Understand the concept and nature of motivational method in management.
• Apply a 4-step motivational method with the objectives to persuade and inspire.
• Deliver a motivational speech to persuade an audience to agree with your management proposal.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

The Status Report Goals:

• Organise and prepare a status report involving the overall condition of a plan or program, or performance of a department or company in relation to goals.
• Construct the report according to a 4-step pattern.
• Give an effective presentation of the report.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

Confrontation: The Adversary Relationship Goals:

• Understand the definition and nature of the adversary relationship.
• Prepare for an adversary confrontation on a controversial management issue.
• Use appropriate preparation methods, strategy, and techniques for communicating with an adversary group as the representative of your company or organisation.
• Speech time: 5 minutes for speech, 10 minutes for questions

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The Professional Speaker

This manual is a complete guide to becoming a professional speaker. Subjects covered include speaking as a company representative and speaking for pay. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Keynote Address Goals:

• Identify the basic differences between keynote speeches and other kinds of speeches.
• Learn how to evaluate audience feeling and establish emotional rapport.
• Learn and use the professional techniques necessary for a successful keynote presentation.
• Develop a speech style and delivery that effectively inspires and moves the audience to adopt your views as a collective reaffirmation of its own
• Speech time: 15-20 minutes (longer if club program allows)

Speaking to Entertain Goals:

• Entertain the audience through the use of humour drawn from personal experiences and from other material that you have personalised.
• Deliver the speech in a way that makes the humour effective.
• Establish rapport with your audience for maximum impact.
• Speech time: 15-20 minutes (longer if club program allows)

The Sales Training Speech Goals:

• Tell a sales audience how to sell a product by using a planned presentation.
• Inform a sales training audience about the human experience of the buyer-seller relationship.
• Use entertaining stories and dynamic examples of sales situations.
• Inspire salespeople to want to succeed in selling.
• Speech time: 15-20 minutes (longer if club program allows)

The Professional Seminar Goals:

• Plan and present a seminar with specific learning objectives.
• Relate to the audience by using a seminar presentation style.
• Use seminar presentation techniques to promote group participation, learning, and personal growth.
• Speech time: 20-40 minutes

The Motivational Speech Goals:

• Understand the concept and nature of motivational speaking.
• Apply a four-step motivational method with the purpose of persuading and inspiring.
• Deliver a motivational speech to persuade an audience to emotionally commit to an action.
• Speech time: 15-20 minutes (longer if club program allows)

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Technical Presentations

The projects in this manual will help you prepare and present briefings, proposals, technical papers and technical team presentations. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Technical Briefing Goals:

• Using a systematic approach, organise technical material into a concise presentation.
• Tailor the presentation to the audience's needs, interests, and knowledge levels.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

The Proposal Goals:

• Prepare a technical presentation advocating a product, service, idea, or course of action.
• Present your viewpoint logically and convincingly, using an inverted-pyramid approach.
• Effectively use a flipchart to illustrate your message.
• Effectively handle a question-and-answer period.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes for speech, 3-5 minutes for questions

The Nontechnical Audience Goals:

• Understand the principles of communicating complex information to nontechnical listeners.
• Build and deliver an interesting talk based on these principles.
• Answer audience questions that arise during the presentation.
• Use overhead transparencies to illustrate your message.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

Presenting a Technical Paper Goals:

• Deliver an interesting speech based on a technical paper or article.
• Effectively use a flipchart, overhead projector, or slides to illustrate your message.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

The Team Technical Paper Goals:

• Understand the nature and process of a team technical presentation.
• Conceptualise a briefing or proposal involving three or more speakers, including yourself.
• Assemble a team of club members capable of getting the job done.
• Orchestrate the planning, preparation, and delivery of a team technical presentation.
• Speech time: 20-30 minutes

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Persuasive Speaking

The ability to influence and persuade others to accept your ideas, products, or services is vital. The projects in this manual are all designed to help you develop excellent persuasive techniques and expand your presentation skills. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Effective Salesperson Goals:

• Learn a technique for selling an inexpensive product in a retail store.
• Recognize a buyer's thought processes in making a purchase.
• Elicit information from a prospective buyer through questions.
• Match the buyer's situation with the most appropriate product.
• Speech time: 8-12 minutes

Conquering the "Cold Call" Goals:

• Learn a technique for "cold call" selling of expensive products or services.
• Recognize the risks buyers assume in purchasing.
• Use questions to help the buyer discover problems with his or her current situation.
• Successfully handle buyer's objections and concerns.
• Speech time: 10-14 minutes

The Winning Proposal Goals:

• Prepare a proposal advocating an idea or course of action.
• Organise the proposal using the six-step method provided.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Addressing the Opposition Goals:

• Prepare a talk on a controversial subject that persuades an audience to accept or at least consider your viewpoint.
• Construct the speech to appeal to the audience's logic and emotions.
• Speech time: 7-9 minutes for the speech, 2-3 minutes for the question and answer period

The Persuasive Leader Goals:

• Communicate your vision and mission to an audience.
• Convince your audience to work toward achieving your vision and mission.
• Speech time: 6-8 minutes

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Communicating on Television

Television presentations differ from other presentations, and they require special considerations. With this manual you’ll learn to present editorials, appear as a guest on a “talk” show, conduct a press conference, and use television to train. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

Straight Talk Goals:

• Effectively present an opinion or viewpoint in a short time.
• Simulate giving a presentation as part of a television broadcast.
• Speech time: 2.5-3.5 minutes

The Talk Show Goals:

• Understand the dynamics of a television interview or talk show.
• Prepare for the questions that might be asked of you during a television interview program.
• Present a positive image on the television camera.
• Appear as a guest on a simulated television talk show.
• Speech time: 9.5-10.5 minutes

When You're the Host Goals:

• Conduct a successful television interview.
• Understand the dynamics of a successful television interview or talk show.
• Prepare questions to ask during the interview program.
• Present a positive, confident image on the television camera.
• Speech time: 9.5-10.5 minutes

The Press Conference Goals:

• Understand the nature of a television press conference.
• Prepare for an adversary confrontation on a controversial or sensitive issue.
• Use appropriate presentation methods and strategies for communicating your organisation's viewpoint.
• Present and maintain a positive image on television.
• Speech time: 4-6 minutes for presentation, 8-10 minutes for questions

Training on Television Goals:

• Learn how to develop and present an effective training program on television.
• Receive personal feedback through the videotaping of your presentation.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes for presentation, 5-7 minutes for playback of videotape

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Storytelling

Everyone loves a story. Types of stories covered in this manual include the folk tale, the personal story, stories with morals, the touching story, and the historical story. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

The Folk Tale Goals:

• Tell a folk tale that is entertaining and enjoyable for a specific age group.
• Use vivid imagery and voice to enhance the tale.
• Speech time: 7-9 minutes

Let's Get Personal Goals:

• Learn the elements of a good story.
• Create and tell an original story based on personal experience.
• Speech time: 6-8 minutes

The Moral of the Story Goals:

• Understand that a story can be entertaining, yet display moral values.
• Create a new story that offers a lesson or moral.
• Tell the story, using the skills developed in the preceding projects.
• Speech time: 4-6 minutes

The Touching Story Goals:

• Understand the techniques available to arouse emotion.
• Become skilled at arousing emotions while telling a story.
• Speech time: 6-8 minutes

Bringing History to Life Goals:

• Understand the purpose of stories about historical events or people.
• Use the storytelling skills developed in the preceding projects to tell a story about an historical event or person.
• Speech time: 7-9 minutes

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Interpretive Reading

This manual will help you develop your interpretive reading skills. The projects include presenting stories, poetry, monodramas, plays and oratorical speeches. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

Read a Story Goals:

• Understand the elements of interpretive reading.
• Learn how to analyse a narrative and plan for effective interpretation.
• Learn and apply vocal techniques that will aid in the effectiveness of the reading.
• Speech time: 8-10 minutes

Interpreting Poetry Goals:

• Understand the differences between poetry and prose.
• Recognize how poets use imagery, rhythm, meter, cadence, and rhyme to convey the meaning and emotions of their poetry.
• Apply vocal techniques that will aid in the effectiveness of the reading.
• Speech time: 6-8 minutes

The Monodrama Goals:

• Understand the concept and nature of the monodrama.
• Assume the identity of a character and portray the physical and emotional aspects of this character to an audience.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

The Play Goals:

• Adapt a play for interpretive reading.
• Portray several characters in one reading, identifying them to the audience through voice changes and movement.
• Speech time: 12-15 minutes

The Oratorical Speech Goals:

• Understand the structure of an effective speech.
• Interpret and present a famous speech.
• Speech time: 10-12 minutes

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Interpersonal Communications

Topics covered include conversing with ease, negotiating, handling criticism, coaching someone to improved performance, and expressing dissatisfaction effectively. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

Conversing With Ease Goals:

• Identify techniques to use in conversing with strangers
• Recognize different levels of conversation
• Initiate a conversation with a stranger
• Use open-ended questions to solicit information for further conversation
• Speech time: 10-14 minutes

The Successful Negotiator Goals:

• Use win/win negotiating strategies to achieve your goals
• Enjoy the benefits of win/win negotiating
• Speech time: 10-14 minutes

Diffusing Verbal Criticism Goals:

• Respond nondefensively to verbal criticism
• Use a five-step method to identify the problem, diffuse the attack, and arrive at a solution
• Speech time: 10-14 minutes

The Coach Goals:

• Determine reasons for someone's substandard performance
• Coach the person to improved performance
• Speech time: 10-14 minutes

Asserting Yourself Effectively Goals:

• Enjoy the mental and physical benefits of being assertive
• Use the four-step method for addressing a problem and asking for help
• Overcome resistance to your requests
• Speech time: 10-14 minutes

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Special Occasion Speeches

Provides instruction in giving toasts, speaking in praise, “roasting” someone, and presenting and accepting awards. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

Mastering the Toast Goals:

• Recognize the characteristics of a toast
• Present a toast honouring an occasion or person
• Speech time: 2-3 minutes

Speaking in Praise Goals:

• Prepare a speech praising or honouring someone, either living or dead
• Address five areas concerning the individual and his or her accomplishments
• Include anecdotes illustrating points within the speech
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

The Roast Goals:

• Poke fun at a particular individual in a good-natured way
• Adapt and personalise humorous material from other sources
• Deliver jokes and humorous stories effectively
• Speech time: 3-5 minutes

Presenting an Award Goals:

• Present an award with dignity and grace
• Acknowledge the contributions of the recipient
• Speech time: 3-4 minutes

Accepting an Award Goals:

• Accept an award with dignity, grace, and sincerity
• Acknowledge the presenting organisation
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

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Humorously Speaking

Audiences love to laugh. This manual shows you how to use humorous stories and jokes throughout your speech to grab and keep listeners’ attention and illustrate your points.You also learn how to give an entirely humorous speech. The criteria and timing of each project follows:

Warm Up Your Audience Goals:

• Prepare a speech that opens with a humorous story.
• Personalise the story.
• Deliver the story smoothly and effectively.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Leave Them With a Smile Goals:

• Prepare a serious speech that opens and closes with humorous stories.
• Prepare a closing story that re-emphasises the speech's main point.
• Deliver the stories smoothly and effectively.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Make Them Laugh Goals:

• Prepare a speech that opens and closes with humorous stories.
• Include jokes in the speech body to illustrate points or maintain audience interest.
• Deliver the jokes and stories smoothly and effectively.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

Keep Them Laughing Goals:

• Prepare a speech that opens with a self-deprecating joke.
• String together two or three related jokes in the speech body.
• Close the speech with a humorous story.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

The Humorous Speech Goals:

• Use exaggeration to tell a humorous story.
• Entertain the audience.
• Effectively use body language and voice to enhance the story.
• Speech time: 5-7 minutes

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