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Communication Guidelines

Page history last edited by Rog Rydberg 13 years, 1 month ago

ALSO SEE http://mnfuturist2011.pbworks.com/w/page/36636910/Collaboration-And-Education

Communications Fundamentals

What you do and how you do it will affect your audiences’ perceptions of you, your organization, and the information you are providing. Prepare and present effectively.

 

BEFORE THE MEETING

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE(S) Also see

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/audience-and-purpose-13952663

Who are they, where are they from?

What are their interests and concerns?

What are their likely perceptions and biases?

Will they be receptive or resistant or even hostile?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, find out.

 

PREPARE YOUR PRESENTATION also see Writing or speaking for nonspecialists

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/addressing-specific-audiences-13952917

Develop a strong introduction.

Develop a maximum of three key messages.

Assemble your supporting data.

Prepare audiovisual aids. Also see

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/presentation-slides-13905480

Prepare for answering questions.

Practice.

THE OPENING PRESENTATION

A strong opening presentation sets a tone for the meeting and is crucial in attempting to establish trust and build credibility. Its elements include the following:

A. INTRODUCTION

A statement of personal concern

A statement of organizational commitment and intent

A statement of purpose and a plan for the meeting

B. KEY MESSAGES

A maximum of three take-home points

Information to support the key messages

C. CONCLUSION

A summarizing statement

INTRODUCTION

Remember that perceived empathy is a vital factor in establishing trust and building credibility and it is assessed by your audience in the first 30 seconds. Include the fol-lowing in your introduction:

Statement of personal concern, e.g., “I can see by the number of people here tonight that you are as concerned about this issue as I am.”

Statement of organizational intent.

Statement of purpose and plan for the meeting.  We will be available after the meeting to answer any additional questions you might have.”

KEY MESSAGES AND SUPPORTING DATA

The key messages are points you want your public to have in mind after the meeting. They should address central issues, and be short and concise.

To develop your key messages:

BRAINSTORM. Think freely and jot down all pieces of information you wish to communicate.

SELECT KEY MESSAGES. Identify the most important ideas. Repeat the process until your list is down to three items.

IDENTIFY SUPPORTING DATA. Review your brainstorming ideas and background materials for information that provides support to your key messages.

CONCLUSION

Restate verbatim your key messages.

Add a future action statement: What is your organization going to do about this problem in the short term? Long term?

PRESENTATION AIDS AND GUIDELINES

Audiovisual aids can make your messages easier to understand. People are more likely to remember a point if they have a visual association with the words. More guidance in preparing quality presentations can be found in the book “Loud and Clear: How to Prepare and Deliver Effective Business and Technical Presentations” (Morrisey, et al., 1997). Some aids to consider: charts, illustrations, diagrams, glossaries, maps, posters, photographs, video/motion pictures, Microsoft PowerPoint (or equivalent) presentations, lists, fact sheets.

Effective visual aids:

Are able to stand alone.

Illustrate a key concept.

Support only one major idea.

Use pictures or graphics rather than words whenever possible.

Conform to six words per line maximum, ten lines per visual maximum.

Feature short phrases or key words.

Highlight important points with color or contrast.

Represent facts accurately.

Are carefully made—neat, clear, and uncluttered.

Have impact.

PRESENTATION REMINDERS

If you use presentation aids be careful not to overdo it. When planning, practicing, and conducting a presentation, consider:

ATTIRE/GROOMING – Dress as your audience would expect you to at your place of work or perhaps slightly less formally.

DISTRACTIONS – Avoid repetitive gestures such as constant throat-clearing, checking your watch, jingling keys or change, and pacing. Take a breath and relax.

ENUNCIATION/PRONUNCIATION – Speak distinctly and correctly. Be careful with unfamiliar words. Spell and define terms as appropriate, but don’t be pedantic.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS/EYE CONTACT – Eye contact is most crucial. Your mouth, eyes, forehead, and eyebrows also communicate. Try not to fidget, glance around or lick your lips.

GESTURES – Gestures can enhance or detract from your communication. Be aware of yours and make sure they are appropriate, but don’t be so worried about not using your hands that you make a poor presentation.

PACE/RHYTHM/PITCH – Vary your tempo. Speak slowly to emphasize key messages, pause for emphasis, vary your voice pattern and length of phrases. Avoid repeating such words as “ok,” “like,” “not,” “uh,” and “you know.”

POSTURE – Posture communicates attitude. Try to have a straight stance with legs slightly apart. Don’t slouch, but don’t be rigid.

VOLUME – The intensity of your voice reflects your confidence, competence, and openness. Watch your audience for feedback. Adjust to your surroundings. Don’t make your audience strain to hear you but don’t shout at them either.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

As with presentations, your responses to individuals’ questions and concerns will affect your success. Prepare and practice. Consider how to answer questions in general and how to respond to specific inquiries.

Be Prepared.

If you know your subject and your audience, most questions can be anticipated.

Track Your Key Messages.

Use your responses as opportunities to reemphasize your key messages.

Keep Your Answers Short and Focused.

Your answer should be less than 2 minutes long.

Practice Self-Management. Listen.

Be confident and factual. Control your emotions.

Speak and Act with Integrity.

Tell the truth. If you don’t know, say so. Follow up as promised. If you are unsure of a question, repeat or paraphrase it to be certain of the meaning.

 

Comments (1)

Bob-RJ Burkhart said

at 7:02 pm on Aug 1, 2010

Particular attention will be paid to einsuring solid futures content, consistent with the

science and practices of futurology and futurics

Formal practices include:

* Trend Extrapolation
* Cross Impact analysis
* SEPTs
* SWOTS
* Normative (Goal forecasting) based on needs/wants
* Delphi Method
* Cause and Effect Modeling
* Unforeseen Consequences
* Scenarios, e.g., What If Scenarios
* Issues/Possibilities/Impacts Outline
* Wild Cards

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