Communication

Skills

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AS PER THE LATEST MUMBAI UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS FEC-206

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Meenakshi Raman
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Professor and Head

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
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BITS, Pilani (K.K. Birla Goa Campus)

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Sangeeta Sharma
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Associate Professor
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Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

BITS, Pilani (Pilani Campus)
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© Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

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 3
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford.
It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship,
and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of
Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries.

Published in India by
Oxford University Press
YMCA Library Building, 1 Jai Singh Road, New Delhi 110001, India

© Oxford University Press 2017

The moral rights of the author/s have been asserted.

First published in 2017

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

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a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the

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prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted
by law, by licence, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics

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rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the
above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the
address above.
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You must not circulate this work in any other form
and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.
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ISBN-13: 978-0-19-947508-7
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ISBN-10: 0-19-947508-3
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Typeset in Caslon Pro

by Ideal Publishing Solution, Delhi
Printed in India by Magic International (P) Ltd, Greater Noida
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Cover image: echo3005 / Shutterstock

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Third-party website addresses mentioned in this book are provided

by Oxford University Press in good faith and for information only.
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Oxford University Press disclaims any responsibility for the material contained therein.
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 Preface

Today’s professional world demands effective transfer of technical information in the form of
correspondence, talks, discussions, and documents more than ever before. Such forms of communication
not only reflect the knowledge and experience of engineers, scientists, and other professionals but also
act as the public face for organizations, reflecting their policies and achievements. The communication
skills required in organizations are formal and are dependent on the audience. Hence, it is important to
clearly understand the various aspects of communication.

About the Book

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The book meets the requirements of the course on Communication Skills at University of Mumbai.

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A key feature of this beginner-level book is its user-friendly approach. The language is simple and easy
to understand.

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The contents have been organized keeping in mind the revised syllabus. The book aims to introduce
students to the role of the four communication skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing (LSRW).
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In addition to these, this book also introduces students to the fundamental components of technical
communication, English grammar, and technical writing.
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The technical aspects of communication have been explained through lively and relevant examples
and illustrations. The worked-out examples reinforce the concepts discussed in the book, correlating
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theory and practice. In addition, the book also features three solved model question papers.
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Key Features
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• Developed according to the latest University of Mumbai syllabus

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• Exhaustive and lucid coverage of all important aspects of communication

• Solved model question papers
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Online Resources
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To aid the faculty and students using this book, additional resources are available at www.india.oup.com/
orcs/9780199475087.

For Faculty and Students

• Bonus chapters

Coverage and Structure

The text has been divided into 11 chapters.
Chapter 1 emphasizes and elaborates the basics of communication, such as importance, process, levels,
and flow of communication. It also covers the formal and informal communication networks that come
into play in organizations and discusses the barriers to verbal and non-verbal communication.
Chapter 2 discusses the strategies for effective speaking. It emphasizes the importance of having
professional presentation skills. It also provides tips on making effective presentations and controlling
nervousness and stage fright.

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 iv  preface

Chapter 3 on writing describes the usage of appropriate words and phrases in writing. It also covers
the salient features of sentence construction and sequencing of sentences.
Chapter 4 covers all the important aspects of reading including skimming, scanning, transfer of
information, note-making, and understanding discourse coherence.
Chapter 5 explains the importance of developing effective listening skills. It also discusses the strategies
and barriers to effective listening.
Chapter 6 covers the steps and guidelines for effective précis writing along with a few samples.
Chapter 7 discusses the reasons for poor comprehension and the techniques for improving
comprehension skills.
Chapter 8 covers the essentials of grammar—noun phrases, subject–verb agreement, tenses, passive
voice, etc., and vocabulary—listings of prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, homophones, one-
word substitutes, confusables, etc.
Chapter 9 presents the basics of letter writing, and the types and samples of letters.
Chapter 10 covers instructions as part of technical writing. It further deals with the rules of written
instructions, as also the use of graphics in instructions, analysing the audience, and the characteristics of

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product instructions.

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Chapter 11 examines the technological aspect of communication, familiarizes the reader with the
latest communication tools such as phones, computers, e-mails, video conferencing, web conferencing,

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and instant messaging, and discusses the importance of digital content creation in today’s world.
The book includes three solved model question papers for practice.
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Acknowledgements
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We are grateful to Prof. Souvik Bhattacharya, Vice Chancellor, Birla Institute of Technology and
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Science (BITS), Pilani, Prof. A.K. Sarkar, Director of Pilani Campus, and Prof. G. Raghurama, Director
of Goa campus under whose aegis we were provided an environment conducive to complete this edition
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of the book.
Reviewers are an indispensable part of the making of a good textbook. In this regard, we would like to
appreciate the tremendous efforts put forth by the editorial team at Oxford University Press, who were
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in constant touch with us on all review matters throughout the making of this book.
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At the home front, we sincerely acknowledge the support and encouragement we got from our
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family members. Meenakshi Raman is unable to find enough words to express her gratitude to her
family members, her husband Prof. K.E. Raman and children Prabhu, Priya, Preeta, and Anirudh for
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the unstinting cooperation and affectionate concern extended during the course of the project. Sangeeta
Sharma would like to acknowledge her husband Suresh Sharma for being a pillar of support at all times
and the love of her children Amrit and Anuj as well as her parents-in-law.
We would like to thank the following faculty members for their valuable feedback: Dr Arpita
Palchoudhury, Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology; Prof. Avila Naik, Vidyalankar Institute of
Technology; G. Sharmila, Shah and Anchor Kutchhi Engineering College; Dr Poonam Ojha, Thakur
College of Engineering and Technology; and Ms Seema Khan, SIES Graduate School of Technology.
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of
copyright material. The publisher would be grateful if notified of any errors or omissions made, and
would incorporate any corrections required in future reprints or editions of this book.

Meenakshi Raman
Sangeeta Sharma

© Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

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 Brief Contents

Preface iii
Detailed Contents  vi
Road Map to the Syllabus  ix

1. Communication Theory 1
2. Effective Speaking 20
3. Writing 33

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4. Reading 47

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5. Effective Listening 77
6. The Art of Summarizing 92

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7. Reading Comprehension sit 99
8. Grammar and Vocabulary 111
9. Basic Official Correspondence 152
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10. Technical Writing 191

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11. Information Communication Technology 207

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Appendix A—Common Errors: Usage  236

Appendix B—Words Commonly Misspelt  241
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Model Question Papers 1–3  246–262

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 Detailed Contents

Preface iii
Brief Contents  v
Road Map to the Syllabus  ix

1. Communication Theory 1 Material 23

Process of Communication  1 Structuring 23
Communication Cycle   2 Introduction 23
Main Body  24

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General and Technical Communication  3
Conclusions 24

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Language as a Tool of Communication  3

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Preparing an Outline  25
Levels of Communication  3 Delivery  25

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Interpersonal Communication  3 Types of Delivery  25
Organizational Communication  4 Guidelines for Delivery  26
Flow of Communication  4
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Verbal Elements  26
Downward Communication  5 Non-verbal Elements  28
Upward Communication  5
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Vocal Elements  29
Lateral or Horizontal Communication  5 Visual Elements  29
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Diagonal or Cross-wise Communication  6 Controlling Nervousness and

Communication Networks  6
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Stage Fright 29
Formal Network Models  6 Strategies for Reducing Stage Fright  29
Informal Network Models  7 Strategies in Advance of the Presentation  29
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Importance of  Technical Communication  8 Strategies Just before the Presentation  29

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Barriers to Communication  9 Strategies when the Presentation Begins  30

Linguistic Barriers  9 On-camera Techniques  30
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Psychological Barriers  9 Sample Presentation  30

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Physical Barriers  9 Sample 30

Mechanical Barriers  10 Tips for Effective Presentation  31
Cultural Barriers  10
Objectives of Communication  10 3. Writing 33
Methods of Communication  10 Right Words and Phrases  33
Verbal Communication  10 Use Familiar Words  33
Non-verbal Communication  10 Use Concrete and Specific Words  34
Use Abbreviations Sparingly  34
2. Effective Speaking 20 Avoid Clichés  35
Presentations and Speeches  20 Avoid Excessive Use of Jargon  35
Planning 21 Avoid Foreign Words and Phrases  36
Occasion 21 Avoid Redundancy and Circumlocution  36
Audience 22 Avoid Discriminatory Writing  36
Purpose 22 Sentences 36
Thesis 23 Salient Points of Sentence Construction  37

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 Detailed contents  vii

Prefer Short Sentences  38 Effective and Ineffective Listening Skills  84

Break the Sentence  38 Styles of Poor Listening  84
Avoid Cluttering Phrases  38 Strategies for Effective Listening  85
Avoid Pleonasm or Redundant Decide What Your Goals are for the
Phrases 39 Conversation 85
Avoid Roundabout Expressions  40 Be Aware of Your Options  85
Avoid Needless Repetition  41 Payoffs of Effective Listening  87
Prefer Right Ordering and Proper
Barriers to Effective Listening  87
Emphasis 41
Prefer Active to Passive Voice  41 Active and Passive Listening  89
Avoid Ambiguous Sentences  42
Sequencing of Sentences  43 6. The Art of Summarizing 92
Steps to Effective Précis Writing  92
4. Reading 47 Samples 94
Predicting the Content  47 Guidelines  97

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Skimming the Text  48

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7. Reading Comprehension 99

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Questions 49
Analysis 49 Reasons for Poor Comprehension  99

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Understanding the Gist  49 Improving Comprehension Skills  99
Topic Sentence and its Role  50 Techniques for Good Comprehension  100
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Scanning 51 Skimming and Scanning  100
Inferring Meanings: Lexical and Non-verbal Signals  100
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Contextual 53 Structure of the Text  101

Structure of Paragraphs  101
SQ3R Reading Technique  56
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Punctuation 101
Note-making 57 Author’s Viewpoint (Inference)  101
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Outline/Linear Method  58 Reader Anticipation: Determining the

Sentence Method  59 Meaning of Words  102
Indian Economy  59
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Summarizing 102
Schematic/Mapping Method  59
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Typical Reading Comprehension

Indian Economy  60 Questions 102
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Transfer of Information  60 Sample 105

Visual Aids  60
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Interpreting and Transferring Graphical 8. Grammar and Vocabulary 111

Information 66 Word Formation: Prefixes and Suffixes  111
Understanding Discourse Coherence  67 Synonyms and Antonyms  115
Synonyms 115
5. Effective Listening 77
Antonyms 115
Process of Listening  78 Noun Phrases  117
Advantages of Listening  78
Subject–Verb Agreement  119
Common Myths about Listening  79
Types of Listening  80 Tenses 121
Informative Listening  80 Present Tense  122
Attentive Listening  81 Past Tense  124
Relationship Listening  82 Future Tense  125
Appreciative Listening  82 Impersonal Passive Voice  129
Critical Listening  83 Conditional Sentences  131
Discriminative Listening  83 Idioms 135

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 viii  Detailed contents

Confusables 137 Product Instructions  198

One-word Substitutes  141 Characteristics of Good Product
Homonyms 142 Instructions 199
Homophones   143 Functions of Instructions  199
Technical Description  199
Eponyms 144
Guidelines for Writing Good
Descriptions 200
9. Basic Official Correspondence 152 Checklist 201
The Seven Cs of Letter Writing  152 Writing Technical Descriptions  201
Significance 152 Process Description  203
Purpose 152
Structure 153 1 1. Information Communication
Standard Elements  153 Technology 207
Additional Elements  156 Technology-based Communication Tools  207
Layout 159 Telephone and Voice Mail  207

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Principles 162 Facsimile Machines  208

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Types and Samples  167

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Computers 209
Enquiry Letters  168 Internet 210

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Reply to Enquiry Letters  170 Conferencing 212
Placing Order Letters  171 Instant Messaging  214
Claim Letters  172 E-mails 216
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Adjustment Letters  174 Groupware 222
Sales Letters  176 Websites 222
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Job Application Letters  180 Blogs 226

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LinkedIn 227
1 0. Technical Writing 191 Podcasts 228
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Instructions 191 Interactive Pads  228

Written Instructions  191 Interactive Whiteboards for Classrooms  229
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How to Write Instructions?  192 Corporate Communication: Digital Content

Creation 229
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Planning Introduction  193

General Warning, Caution, Danger Positive Impact of Technology-enabled
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Notices 193 Communication 230
Graphics in Instructions  194 Negative Impact of Technology-enabled
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Format in Instructions  195 Communication 231

Headings 195 Overcoming Negative Impact  232
Lists 195 Selection of Appropriate Communication
Numbers, Abbreviations, and Symbols  195 Technology 232
Audience Analysis  196 Effectiveness in Technology-based
Types of Audience  196 Communication 234
Factors for Audience Analysis  196 Technology Planning  234
Audience Adaptation  197

Appendix A—Common Errors: Usage  236

Appendix B—Words Commonly Misspelt  241

Model Question Papers 1–3  246–262

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 2
OBJECTIVES
Effective Speaking
You should study the chapter
to know the
• Presentations and Speeches
• Planning No matter what your area of responsibility or the type of organization for
• Structuring which you work, you will, sooner or later, be expected to give a presentation
• Preparing an Outline or speech. You may be asked to talk to colleagues, clients, suppliers,
• Delivery or the general public. You may be asked to speak for 10 minutes or

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• Controlling Nervousness and
2 hours. Regardless of whom you are talking to, the subject matter

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Stage Fright
or the duration of your presentation and your ability to effectively

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• Sample Presentation
communicate with your audience and engage them directly reflects
• Tips for Effective Presentation

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on your company and you. Failure to professionally present your work,
your ideas, or your organization in these situations may significantly
affect your company’s reputation. In addition, it will certainly affect
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your own ability to achieve your career goals.
Speaking effectively and powerfully is a skill that is really worth
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learning. Fortunately, public speaking is something you can learn. Public

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speaking is a skill that can be studied, polished, and even perfected to

some degree. All it takes is hard work. With tenacity and persistence,
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you can master it, and it will make a significant difference to your career.
This chapter facilitates your understanding of presentations and public
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speaking.
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PrESENTATIONS AND SPEEChES

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The ability to speak effectively in public is important. Members of groups,

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companies, or organizations often have to make speeches to groups of

varying sizes. We give speeches to explain our ideas or plans, to report
on the results of research or investigations, to convince people of the
advantages of a course of action, or to entertain at a lunch. Whether we
can make a good speech or not makes a big difference to what other
people think about us. Being able to express information and ideas clearly
and in a well-organized way in front of a group of people is a useful
skill. Along with computer literacy, professional presentation skills are
becoming a new survival skill in the workplace. People enjoy presenters
who are inviting, engaging, and informative. Whether you present to
internal or external audiences, your presentation basics remain the same.
Let us see how a presentation differs from a public speech. A
presentation is a formal talk addressed to one or more people and
‘presents’ ideas or information in a clear, structured way. On the other
hand, public speaking is speaking formally to a group of listeners.

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 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING   21

Though, in most respects, both these types of oral communication are similar, they differ subtly in terms
of the purpose of the speaker, background and expectations of the audience, the amount of information
that is to be delivered, and the level of interaction to be allowed. These subtle differences are tabulated
below in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1  Difference between presentations and public speaking

Points of difference Presentations Public speaking

Aim of speakers To give the audience what they know they need To give the audience what they
believe they want
Type of audience Generally homogenous in terms of their knowledge, Mostly heterogeneous
area of academic or professional interest, etc.
Expectations of audience Complete details about the topic Do not expect a lot of details
Amount of information More Less

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Level of interaction More; as the audience wishes to understand the Less; as a general understanding

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topic thoroughly is desired by the audience

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Some typical reasons why it may be in the interests of an organization to have an executive deliver a
speech/talk are as follows:
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(a) to influence important decisions
(b) to attract media and public attention
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(c) to establish an image
(d) to explain the importance of an organizational change
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(e) to dispel rumours

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(f) to present findings before a committee

As you examine these situations, you may observe that, though each one appears to belong to the
category of business presentations, two of them, the second and the fifth, can be grouped under the
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category of public speaking, because of the differences discussed earlier.

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Visit the ORC for videos of good and bad presentations.

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Planning
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Preparing and delivering your first business presentation or public speech can be daunting.
Your first instinct may be to sit down with a pen and paper and charge ahead into the first line of your
speech. However, you will save yourself a lot of time and effort, not to mention much frustrating re-
writing, if you begin instead by devoting some time to careful planning of your speech. Through effective
preparation, you will be able to answer all the questions and doubts about your speech before they arise.
The contents of your speech, and how you deliver it, are based on five important factors:
•  Occasion •  Audience •  Purpose •  Thesis •  Material

Occasion
The circumstances or the occasion will obviously have a great bearing on your speech. The factors that
contribute to the occasion are the facilities available for your presentation, time, and the context of your
presentation.
Facilities include the venue, keeping in mind the seating, light, projection facilities, ventilation,
acoustic provisions, etc. Most experienced speakers check out the room in advance and come prepared
for any lacunae.

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 22  Communication Skills

Time refers to both the time of the day you are going to present and the duration of your talk.
Straightforward and factual presentations may work well during the morning hours; but if you need to
give an after-dinner speech, you need to adapt your remarks to the occasion. As far as the duration of
the presentation is concerned, most professional presentations are brief. Hence, you need to present the
important points in the first few minutes.
Context refers to the events surrounding your presentation. When you are presenting in a team, for
example, you need to consider the team members. They might have left a positive or negative impression
in the minds of the audience and hence, you would need to adapt yourself to the existing situation just
before presenting your part. Besides these immediate events, the recent happenings in your company can
also affect the presentation. For example, if you are about to present a new proposal on budget just after
your company has suffered a financial loss, you should emphasize on those features of your budget that
focus on reducing the costs.

Audience
Whatever the occasion, your speech must always be targeted to the people in your audience, who know

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what they want to listen to just as speakers know what they need to convey. Hence, as a presenter,

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knowing the positions, personal preferences, signi­ficant demographic characteristics, size of the group,
aim, knowledge, and attitude of your audiences would greatly help you tailor your speech better. Your

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audiences may be internal or external to the organization, or a combination of both.
Begin your preparation by considering the positions/ranks/designations of the members of your audience.
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If they are specialists in their fields, you may find them more interested in the technical aspects of your talk.
If they are non-experts, they would probably be bored by your technical details.
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Your audience will have its preferences. Though it is difficult, knowing your audience’s preferences can
make the difference between an effective and an ineffective presentation. Consider the preferences of your
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most important clients before starting your preparation.

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Keep in mind the demographic features, such as the age, sex, cultural background, and economic status,
of your audience while preparing for the presentation. You need to know the distribution ratio of men and
women among the audience for your presentation on the new scheme for travel or medical reimbursement,
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as there may be special considerations for each of them. Likewise, when you present a topic like a new
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insurance scheme, it is beneficial to consider the age groups and cultural background of your audience.
The next factor in audience analysis is the size of the group. Ask yourself questions like:
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How many copies of the handout or questionnaire need to be prepared?

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How large should the visual aid be, so that it is clearly visible to everyone?
How much time should be devoted to answering questions?
For example
It would not be wise to be seated while addressing a large audience, or standing behind a podium to
make a presentation to four or five people.
You need to consider the audience’s attitude towards you, as the presenter, and towards the topic.
Keep in mind whether the audience is friendly or hostile towards you, and how they feel about the topic.
You must know the audience for your message to have the best effect.

Purpose
Before you start preparing a presentation, you should ask yourself: ‘Why am I making this presentation?’
Do you need to inform, persuade, entertain, train, or sell? Your objective should be clear to you if it is to
be clear to your audience. A statement of purpose not only describes what you want to accomplish but
also helps you know, at the end of your presentation, whether you have achieved it. You can classify your
purpose into two broad categories: general and specific.

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 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING   23

Your general purpose can be further divided into three sub-categories: to inform, to persuade, or
to entertain. An informative presentation at the new employee orientation programme or another
enlightening presentation for explaining your project status are typical presentations that have an
informative purpose. Sales presentations, presentations by the marketing executives to convince sales
representatives to be more enthusiastic about a product that has gone down in sales, etc., come under the
second sub category—to persuade.
When you prepare a specific purpose statement, you need to specify whom you want to influence, what
you want them to think or do, and when and where you want them to do it. For example, if you want your
boss to accept the internal proposal you presented during the discussion at the end of your presentation,
you have to formulate your specific purpose statement with the four ‘wh’—who, what, when, and where.

Thesis
The central or core idea of your presentation is referred to as the thesis statement, a single statement that
summarizes your message. Just as concentric circles revolve round the same centre, all your ideas should

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contribute something to your central idea. For example, if your purpose statement is ‘I want my project

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team members to change over to the new technique’, your thesis statement could be ‘recent advances

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have changed the course of our project’. In other words, instead of explicitly revealing your purpose to
the audience, you are informing them of the purpose lying beneath the thesis statement.

Material
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Once you have formulated your thesis, you need to develop the information, which elaborates it.
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Collecting material requires some research. For example, when you are giving a product presentation,
besides the complete information about the product, you may have to collect the information pertaining
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to the competing products, and their features. When you are explaining a process or procedure, the
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information is obvious.

Structuring
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Structuring or organizing your material clearly is vital for an effective presentation. A well-organized
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presentation can make your messages more comprehensible, keep your audience happy, and boost your image
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as a speaker. First, tell your audience what you want to tell them; then, tell them the ideas; and then again, tell
them what you have already said. In other words, your presentation should have the following format:
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• Introduction  Should grab attention, introduce topic, contain a strategy for establishing credibility,
preview your speech, establish rules for questions, and have a smooth transition to the main text.
• Main body  Contains all topics/the entire matter organized into a logical sequence
• Conclusion  Contains signal, highlights/summary, closing statement/re-emphasis, a vote of thanks,
and invitation to questions

Introduction
The introduction comprises the porch or the opening statement, the aim, and the layout. It can be
a question, a sincere greeting, or a starting statement. This catches the attention of your audience
and prepares them to listen to the rest of your presentation. Depending upon the topic, you can use
a question, a quotation, a statement, or even an anecdote to grab the attention of the audience. For
example, if you deliver a presentation on the topic ‘The New Performance Appraisal System’, you can
begin your presentation with the question: ‘What are the benefits of the newly introduced performance
appraisal system?’ or with the statement, ‘The new performance appraisal has brought in a lot of changes.’

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 24  Communication Skills

Main Body
The main body, the discussion, or the text part follows the subsequent to introduction and supports your
aim or specific purpose. The major points you highlighted in your opening will be expanded upon here.
Depending upon your topic, and your introduction, you can choose from any of the following patterns
to organize the main body of your speech.
• Chronological  You can have this pattern for organizing the details which you can arrange sequentially
(in the order in which the events occurred or appeared before you). The entire presentation can
be arranged chronologically. This method is useful for topics like ‘the profile of your institute’, ‘the
changing face of the earth’, and ‘history of sports’.
• Categorical  This is one of the easiest and most commonly adopted patterns for many topics. The entire
presentation can be divided into various topics and sub-topics arranged on the basis of subordination
and coordination. This can be used for topics like ‘the role of advertising’, ‘environmental protection’,
‘importance of professional presentation’, etc.
• Cause and effect  You can adopt this method whenever there exists a cause and effect relationship.

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Here you have to illustrate and explain the causes of the situation and then focus on the effects.

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It is relevant for topics like ‘impact of cinema on children’, ‘internet—boon or bane’, ‘smoking in

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children’, etc.
• Problem-solution  Here you divide the presentation into two parts. In the first part describe and

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analyse the cause and effect of the problem. After the analysis you move on to the main objective of
your presentation to suggest or propose a solution to the problem. It is a very helpful and effective way
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for persuasive presentation. For topics like ‘populaion explosion’ this method can be used.
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Conclusions
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You can conclude your presentation by reviewing the main points. Give a signal such as to sum up, to
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conclude, to review. As you conclude, remind the audience briefly about the purpose of your presentation,
which could be either to persuade them or to inform them. Tell them what you want them to do, think,
or remember based on your presentation.
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Avoid the temptation to wrap up in haste or add something new in this part of your speech.
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You can also conclude with a quotation or recall the earlier story, joke, anecdote with which you
commenced your presentation to bring it to a full circle.
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Dealing with Difficult Questions

• W hile preparing for the presentation, make a list of questions which you think your audience will ask and
mentally prepare yourself to answer them.
• Indicate when you are ready for questions.
• Avoid becoming defensive. Make questioners feel that their questions are welcome.
• If you do not know the answer to a question, be truthful and say so. Admitting ignorance is better than
hedging.
• Think before you speak.

Very often, presentations are followed by a question period. Questions provide you with vital feedback
about the ideas that you have put forth in your presentation. Preparing for questions, therefore, is as
important as preparing for your presentation.
How does a presenter cope with difficult questions? This is every presenter’s nigtmare, but every
seasoned speaker has to overcome it to emerge more confident and self-assured. If a questioner tries to

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 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING   25

trip you up with a difficult question, maintain a polite but firm attitude. Do not reveal annoyance, but as
soon as possible, divert to other members of the audience.
It is also important that you learn how to quickly divert irrelevant questions, so as to avoid wasting
everybody’s time. If any one person in the audience tries to monopolise question time, you have to learn
to handle that too by indicating that each questioner has to be given a fair chance.

Preparing an Outline
An outline is a framework in which are fitted the bits and pieces of your presentation material. It serves
as a guide to show you the right path for your presentation. So spending time in developing an outline
never goes waste. In fact, you should use an outline as your ‘script’, but be prepared to deviate in response
to audience feedback.
Suppose you are the project leader of a team, which has taken up a project on developing a new
product for the company. You have to present before a committee the new product, which is going to be
launched in the market. This may be a 10 minute presentation about the facilities the product offers, its

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functioning, etc. Your outline can be in the form of words, phrases, or sentences:

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1. Introduction 4. Functioning

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2. Product appearance 5. Facilities

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3. Various parts 6. Conclusions
You may have to work out the sub-headings under each or some of these main topics. But as already
said, you should be ready to skip or add some topics if your audience wants you to do so.
sit
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Delivery
The discussion that follows provides you not only with these ideas but also with some suggestions so as
iv

to enable you to deliver presentations with greater effectiveness.

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Types of Delivery
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Selecting one particular mode of delivery, or a combination of modes, is an important task for the
or

preparatory stage, as this selection has bearings on the way in which you need to prepare the presentation.
Presentations can be delivered in any of the following four modes:
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• speaking from notes • reciting from memory

• speaking impromptu • reading from a manuscript
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Speaking from notes  This mode of delivery, alternatively known as extemp­oraneous delivery, is
planned and rehearsed, though not word for word. You can deliver your presentations with the help of
an outline, note cards, or visual aids. You have a good chance of delivering an extemporaneous speech
that appears spontaneous and effortless to the audience, if you plan and prepare carefully and rehearse
your presentation several times in front of a mirror, your friends, or colleagues.
The advantages of extemporaneous presentations are:
• Conversational quality  With their own control over language, speakers sound spontaneous.
• Adaptability  It is often used for a wide range of situations because of its effectiveness.
• Control  Speakers have a more precise control over ideas and language.
• Effective non-verbal cues  Speakers will be able to freely use the non-verbal cues appropriate to the
situation, as they are not restricted by the language in a written manuscript.
Speaking impromptu  Unexpected, off-the-cuff talks are categorized as impromptu presentations. For
example, you may discover all of a sudden at a weekly meeting that your subordinates are unaware of a

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 26  Communication Skills

process, the knowledge of which is necessary to understand the new project that your division is going
to take up. To meet such unforeseen demands, you may have to deliver an impromptu talk. Similarly,
you may be asked at a gathering to ‘say a few words’ or your superior may suddenly ask you to give a
background to some problem.
It is possible to give impromptu presentations by following these guidelines:
• Anticipate that you may be asked to speak
• Decide immediately upon the points to be spoken
• Present your viewpoint
• Be as brief as possible
Speaking from memory  This is, by far, the most difficult of all the four modes of delivery. Unless you
are a trained performer, avoid memorizing your speech as you are likely to forget your lines and the
speech will end up sounding stilted. You might have noticed some novice speakers who fail to make
purposeful eye contact with their audience when they try to recall sentences. They often focus on the
ceiling or a particular location in the hall every time they search their memory, losing rapport with their

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audience. However, memorizing a quotation, a story, an incident, or an opening/concluding remark,

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always strengthens your delivery.

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Reading from a manuscript  Some presentations require verbatim reading from the manuscript. You

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may be aware that Presidents and Prime Ministers read from a text when they deliver some important
messages to the nation because the omission or addition of some word/s may be interpreted differently
sit
by their audience. Similarly, while delivering a highly technical or complex presentation, you may want
to use this mode.
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Guidelines for Delivery

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Success of a business presentation also depends on the various elements—verbal, non-verbal, vocal, and
visual—used during your presentation.
d

Verbal Elements
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Word pictures  Give your speech a graphic quality, by painting word pictures that allow an audience’s
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own imagination to take over. Specific details allow an audience to see the scenes you are describing.
Your major job as a speaker is to tell somebody something. Present your point clearly and just enough so
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that the listener clearly understands the message you intended.

Warm words  Cold words leave us uneasy and unsure while warm words make us feel secure and
comfortable. Words are powerful. They conjure images, evoke emotions, and trigger responses deep
within us and we react, often without knowing why.
Words also suggest that something is good or bad. Use words that strengthen your arguments and
weaken those of your opponents. For example, look at the following words:
Good Bad
Independent Unaccountable
Well-regulated Red tape
Free-thinking Wishy-washy
Appropriately rewarded Fat cat
Similes and metaphors  Though technical presentations do not require the use of similes and
metaphors, we cannot deny that they not only add flavour to a business speech but also make abstract

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 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING   27

ideas imaginable. Try the following metaphors in your business speeches:

As inflexible as an epitaph
As cold as outer space
Building a business is like building an empire
As profitable as a gold mine
Delay is the deadliest form of denial
Impact words  ‘We’ and ‘you’ are the most important words of all. You cannot stir the audience up if
you do not address them directly and relate them to you and your topic. Remember the five-to-one rule:
Every time you use the singular ‘I’, try to follow it with five plurals. Given below are some words that
you may use in your presentations or speeches to get desired results:

discovery, guarantee, love, proven, safely, easy, health, vigour, money, results, save, protect,
interest, challenge, opportunity, excitement, enthusiasm, flourish, progress, favorable, adaptation,
circumstances

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Supporting material  Solid ideas will not always impress your audience. You need to back up your

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well-organized points in a way that makes the audience notice, understand, and accept your message.

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In other words, you need to use plenty of supporting material or develop your core points adequately.
Supporting material not only clarifies the main ideas, but also makes them more vivid and meaningful

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to your audience. In addition, they prove your main statement.
As Table 2.3 shows, there are several kinds of supporting material.
sit
Table 2.2  Examples of supporting material
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Main statement Supporting statement

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Replacing the lens in the laser projector is not Let me show a diagram that demonstrates how to do it.
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as complicated as it seems.
We could increase sales by extending the An article in Business Today cites statistics showing that shops that
d

time until late in the evening. extended their working hours to 10 p.m., boost profits by more than
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20% of the direct overheads involved with longer business day.

Our HR unit could develop the academic For example, Wipro supports its newly-inducted executives to further
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skills of our junior executives. their education through the off-campus programs offered by BITS,
Pilani.
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Table 2.3  Kinds of supporting material

Type Definition Function Speech occasions Tips

Definition Explaining difficult term(s) To clarify Used in informative/ Use easy and known
with the help of simple technical presentations terms
terms
Example A brief reference that To clarify and add Used in all types of Use situations with which
illustrates a point interest presentations your audience may be
familiar
Statistics Quantification of the main To clarify, prove, Used widely in Round off the numbers,
point and add interest presentations where sales support with visuals, and
figures, survey results, etc., explain adequately
are to be explained.

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 28  Communication Skills

Type Definition Function Speech occasions Tips

Analogy Process that shows how To clarify, add Make the comparisons Used in business
one idea resembles interest, and prove vivid; select familiar presentations involving
another analogies products, processes, and
procedures
Testimony Opinion of experts, peers, To clarify, add Used in sales presentations Memorize/paraphrase/
or celebrities interest, and prove read verbatim, cite
source, use sources
credible to your audience,
and follow up with re-
statement or explanation

Non-verbal Elements

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Your appearance, facial expressions, eye contact, postures, and gestures—all communicate your interest,

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enthusiasm, dynamism, intention, and confidence to your audience. Whatever the occasion, the following

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tips will help you to use non-verbal cues effectively during your presentation:
• Appearance  Though appearance is important in any setting, how you dress is even more important

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when you stand in front of an audience for delivering a message. However, dressing effectively does
not always mean dressing up. If the occasion calls for casual attire, an overly formal appearance can
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be inappropriate.
• Posture  The best stance for delivering a presentation is relaxed, but firm. Your feet should be planted
er

firmly on the ground, and spaced at shoulder-width. Your body should face your audience with your
head upright, turning naturally to look at them.
iv
Un

Moving about can add life to your presentation and help you release nervous energy. You can move
towards the visual aids, walk away from them, return to your original position, and then approach your
audience.
d

You may have observed that many presentations are delivered in small groups of 5–6 people. On such
or

occasions, you may have to remain seated during the presentation. Sit up straight and lean forward since
lounging back in your chair indicates indifference. Sit naturally in a posture that reveals your dynamism
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and interest, much as you sit while conversing with your friends.
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Gestures  People are more likely to pay attention to what we are showing them from the stage, rather
than what we are telling them. Remember these helpful hints during your next presentation:
• Gesture in your personal power zone. It is the length of your arm span, out in front of you and above
your head. The gestures may feel ‘big’ at first, but they will look natural to your audience.
• Refrain from pointing at your audience.
• Resist the temptation to stick your hands in your pockets or behind your back. Your audience may
think you are hiding something from them.
Eye contact  The impression that brings in success is possible to cultivate only when you talk directly
to your audience, sharing your involvement and sincerity. Make real, rather than desultory, eye contact
with individuals in your audience, as if you are talking one-on-one with each person for three to five
seconds. Divide the room into quadrants and alternate your focus to avoid favouring one side of the room
(a common tendency among amateur presenters). If the audience is too large for you to make eye contact
with each one, select a few people in different parts of the hall, making eye contact with each one for a few
seconds.

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 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING   29

Vocal Elements
Your voice can serve as an important tool to support your verbal message. How you sound is as important
as how you look or what you say. Try the following tips to help you use your vocal elements to enhance
the impact of your presentation:
• speak with enthusiasm and sincerity • avoid fast delivery
• adjust the volume of your voice • use silence and pauses effectively
• avoid disfluencies or vocalized pauses • articulate each word clearly
• use your optimal pitch

Visual Elements
People find your message more interesting, grasp it more easily, and retain it longer when you use visual
support along with your words. Besides increasing the clarity of the message, visuals make presentations
more interesting. For example, investment brokers often use an array of well-prepared charts, tables,
models, and so on, to add variety to information that would be dull without them.

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Graphics can also boost your image in ways that extend beyond the presentation. They add a

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re
professional flavour to your presentation. Finally, your audience remembers a visual message longer than
the verbal message.

Controlling Nervousness and Stage Fright

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sit
Before you learn how to deliver a speech, it is important to be ready to deliver your lines. Stage fright
is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Stage fright is not the most accurate term for the
er

nervousness that occurs when considering a speaking engagement. In fact, most of the fear occurs before
iv

you step on-stage. Once you are up there, the fear usually goes away.
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Strategies for Reducing Stage Fright

• Concentrate on how good you are.
d

• Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.

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• Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and applauding.
• Remember happy moments from your past.
xf

• Think about your love for and desire to help the audience.
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Strategies in Advance of the Presentation

• Even if you do not like the topic, develop an interest in it.
• Be extremely well-prepared.
• Anticipate hard as well as easy questions.
• Organize.
• Memorize your opening statement.
• Practice.

Strategies Just before the Presentation

Remember, stage fright usually goes away after you start. The tricky time is before you start.
• Be in the room at least an hour early, if possible, to triple check everything. You can also mingle with
the participants arriving early.
• Take quick drinks of tepid water.

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 30  Communication Skills

• Concentrate on the ideas.

• Concentrate on your audience.
• Say something to someone to make sure your voice is ready to go. 
• Use eye contact.
• Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly for several minutes.

Strategies when the Presentation Begins

• If your legs are trembling lean on a lectern/table or shift your legs or move about.
• Use eye contact. It will make you feel less isolated.
• Look at the friendliest faces in the audience.
• Do not comment on your nervousness.
Before each presentation, make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Use these
steps to control stage fright so that it does not control you.

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On-camera Techniques

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• If your presentation is being videotaped before a live audience, ignore the camera. Likewise, if you

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are being interviewed before a camera, the viewer expects to see you communicating with your ‘live’

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audience or interviewer.
• If you are interviewed by a television reporter, keep your comments short and to the point.
• If you must face a hostile interview on-camera, avoid the appearance of surprise. The only preparation is
sit
to expect an opening question that is hostile, direct, unfair, and unexpected. Do not let them lead you
er
into unwarranted confessions, admissions, or explanations.
iv

Sample Presentation
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Sample
This is a sample outline of a speech on computer-mediated communication (CMC). This is an extended
d

speaking outline in which the key words and phrases are longer than they should be on the real speaking
or

outline.
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1. Introduction
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1.1. Attention-getter: How many of you can actually remember the days when you had to communicate
via the phone or through letters, when you had to actually write cheques and present them to
people to get cash, or had to go to the library to do literally all of your research?
1.2. Link to Audience: Most of us cannot imagine life without e-mail, ATM machines, or the Internet,
because we rely on these things every day to make our lives easier.
1.3. Speaker Credibility: Besides being an avid user of each of these technologies, I have done research
on the pros and cons of commuter mediated communication (CMC).
1.4. Thesis Sentence: Today, I am here to convince you that CMC is just as useful as face-to-face
communication, and in some ways, even better.
1.5. Preview of Speech: First, I want to talk about the ways that CMC can help build strong inter-personal
relationships. Next, I will show how CMC can positively affect the work place, and finally, I will
discuss how CMC can make inter-group relationships in a large-scale organization better.
Transition: Let us begin by talking about the way in which the most common forms of CMC can help build
strong inter-personal relationships.

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 EFFECTIVE SPEAKING   31

2. Main Point #1
2.1. Strong inter-personal relationships: Some people argue that e-mail is not a good form of inter-
personal communication, because we do not see people’s non-verbal cues, because the feedback is
not instant, or because we may be less of an individual when typing.
2.1.1. We are beginning to find ways to add expressiveness:
a. punctuation
b. writing non-verbal expressions
2.1.2. We have unlimited interaction over the computer as opposed to limited interaction when using the
phone or in face-to-face communication:
a. we are driven as humans to communicate
b. it may take longer with computers, but we will still learn as much about
others
2.1.3. With the Internet, it is much easier to find many friends with the same interests:
a. web sites

s
b. chat rooms

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Transition: Besides a great way to meet and visit with people interpersonally, CMC will bring positive
changes in the workplace.

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Main Point #2
2.2.1. Workplace:
sit
a. We will be more flexible
2.2.2. We will need less hierarchy:
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a. one person can communicate with many

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b. communication flow will follow work flow

2.2.3. More contact among ranks
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2.2.4. More efficient use of expertise

Transition: CMC will not only positively affect the way we do business, it will help us to communicate inter-
d

personally with our co-workers.

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Main Point #3
2.3. Inter-personal relationships in the workplace:
xf

2.3.1. Informality will increase

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2.3.2. More people will be involved in decision-making

Transition: Let us go back over what we have learned today.
3. Conclusion
3.1. Re-state thesis: Today, I have explained to you why CMC will positively affect our lives.
3.2. Re-state main points: First, we talked about how CMC will help us build strong relationships, then
we talked about how CMC will make the work better, and finally, we discussed how CMC can make
the workplace a better place.
3.3. Call-to-action: I encourage you to learn all that you can about CMC not only because it is the wave of
the future, but also because CMC will soon be an inevitable part of our lives.
3.4. Clincher: It is time to get on the information highway, before you get run over.

Tips for Effective Presentation

• Keep control of the presentation, but do so in a relaxed way. If you do not know the answer to a
question, do not waffle. Admit that you do not know and promise to get back with an answer later,
and make sure you do.

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 32  Communication Skills

• Never knock the competition. It undermines your credibility and integrity. Do not even imply
anything derogatory about the competition.
• If appropriate, issue notes or a copy of your presentation.
• Use props, samples, and demonstrations, if relevant and helpful, and make sure it all works properly.
• During the presentation, seek feedback, confirmation, and agreement as to the relevance of what you
are saying, but do not be put off if people stay quiet.
• Invite questions at the end, and if you are comfortable and in control of things, invite questions at any
time, even at the outset.
• Whether presenting one-to-one or to a stern group, relax and be friendly. Let your personality and
natural enthusiasm shine through. People buy from people who love and have faith in their products
and companies.

Exercises

s
1. How does effectiveness in speaking help man- (b) U
 se of Technology for Effective Com­

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agers in their professions? munication

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2. What are the five important aspects to be con­ (c) Significance of Time Management

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sidered while planning for your presentation? (d) Web Advertising
3. Discuss the contents of an introduction to a 10. Recall any presentation made in your class by
speech. one of your fellow classmates. Examine the non-
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4. What are the ways in which you can develop verbal signals/cues sent by him. How do the
your presentation contents? speaker’s gestures, facial expressions, eye con-
er

5. How can you overcome stage fright during a tact, and posture contribute to the message? Do
iv

presentation? these non-verbal signals detract from your con-

6. Do you agree that language plays an important fidence in the speaker? Do you detect any signs
Un

role in ineffective presentations? Justify your of nervousness? Is there any aspect of his or her
­answer. delivery that you think this speaker should work
7. Appropriate vocal cues enhance the impact of on to improve? Explain.
d

your business presentation. Discuss this state- 11. Write a short note on the art of public speaking.
or

ment with suitable examples. 12. Projects

8. You are the CEO of a multinational company who (a) Using your favourite search engine, surf the
xf

is looking for new recruits. You want to project Internet to find tips for effective presenta-
O

the best image of your organization, to make all tions. Identify and write down ten tips that
the prospective employees aware of your com- have not been included in this chapter. Dis-
pany’s annual turnover, policies, procedures, etc. cuss them in a group and decide which is
You decide on a 15 minute presentation before the most powerful.
you start on the interviews. Now prepare a full (b) Visit your nearest library or bookshop to iden-
text of your presentation, which should contain tify a book containing some classic speeches.
a catchy introduction, organized main body, and Read at least two of them and discuss the
an emphatic conclusion. success factors that have contributed to the
9. Prepare a set of PowerPoint slides for profes­ greatness of such speeches. Then present
sional presentations on the following topics: one of them in your own style and ask your
(a) Role of Communication in HRD friends to critically evaluate the same.

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