Trappings, Substance & Memories: Effective Public Presentations in Organizations

In spite of the technological advances that have transformed organizational communication, the ability to articulate and present ideas, arguments, and positions in a face-to-face context remains a vital skill. At the same time, the opportunities to develop fundamentally sound presentation skills are rather limited, and, in many cases, organizations don't train their employees to do so. In this very hands-on course, we will resurrect this age-old practice by exploring the tried and true presentation methods and approaches while simultaneously making direct connections to how technology has transformed presentation speaking in organizations. We will initially explore the fundamentals of public presentations: what makes an effective presentation, the arguments for developing strong presentation skills, and specific analysis of business speech. How does one establish proper credibility and build the trust necessary for success? Where does structure play a role and how can certain elements from theater, storytelling, and narrative help create highly impactful organizational presentations. We'll explore what determines ethical presentations, where charisma (or lack thereof) plays a role, and how to most effectively incorporate visual accompaniments such as PowerPoint into presentations. We will dig much deeper into the development of strong persuasive arguments with emphasis on how social media has impacted credibility in novel ways. Finally, we will use improvisational techniques as a way to prepare for those sudden moments when one is called upon to make a quick presentation. Non-Dynamics students: please include a brief job description in your Permissions Request.