January 2009 – Page 5 – Silence and Voice

Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2009-01-16

Preparing for a 9:00 Project Steering Committee meeting. #
and, it is even getting colder tonight. #
Strange after having 2 Maker’s Mark MAnhattans I seem to always want pizza. Good ‘ole Two Boots. #
Met up with a friend for drinks this evening. She told me of her recent trip to Africa. Fascinating. #
Horrible story about that plane crash in the Hudson River. #
Sunny outside, though has gotten very cold outside. #
With 2 full blocks of fire equipment, perhaps they need the police to help with traffic control and direction? #
Major fire department activity on 29th Street between Broadway and 6th. Sixth Ave is at a standstill. #
Out into the snow. #
co.mments will be shutting down this week http://co.mments.com/. So sorry to see them go. #co.mments is the best service to track comments. #
Snowing in NYC #

Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2009-01-15

Interesting news about Bishop Robinson and Obama http://tinyurl.com/79rudz #
Three weeks until my next class begins: Principles and Practices of Online Course Creation and Instructional Design. #
Wonderful impromptu presentations during our final class. Now, to wait for the final papers. #
Attending content management system training. #
Just got to the office. Had a very good off-site project team meeting. An internal research project is finally beginning. #

Learning from Impromptus

I watched the impromtus during our final class last night, and it appears they were well-received. I changed the format of how I handle these, as well as making the questions more open-ended and general than traditional business-related issues, and then used a Critical Incident Questionnaire to better understand the experience. There are a few things that stick out in my mind about this end-of-course activity:

Speaking on your feet is not scary with practice.
Seeing how things work well and then trying them out can be effective (such as asking the audience a question and getting their responses at the beginning to capture their attention).
Humor goes a long way to engaging and maintaining audience involvement.
Using a general communications model can be applicable to all communications situations.
Using a personal story on a topic with which the audience can directly relate is engaging.

I am pleased with the results, and like the way it seemed to end the course on a positive note by taking what we learned and applying it to a larger context (life). I hope my students found it as useful as well.

Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2009-01-14

Enya – Every time it’s the same / One more night one more train / Everywhere empty roads / Where they go no-one knows . #
Of course, the Germans are right up there with addi. #
The Japanese make a sweet crochet hook with Clover. Not quite with the cushioned handle they claim, but still quite nice. #
Interesting that iTunes’ Genius Sidebar only recommends Enya for Enya. Limited or completely accurate? #
Ahh, Roberta Flack. I heard Stephen Brookfield discuss how “Killing Me Softly” is a great metaphor for hegemony. #
Thinking about how Michael Jackson’s Thriller was the first piece of music I ever bought. #
It’s too high to get over / Too low to get under / You’re stuck in the middle / And the pain is thunder . . . #
Listening to the King of Pop; Help Me Sing It, Ma Ma Se, Ma Ma Sa, Ma Ma Coo Sa! #
Working late preparing for tomorrow night’s final Business Communication class. #
Need to get lunch and coffee. Busy busy day. #

Business Communication Impromptu Speech Topics

Today is the final class in my Business Communication MBA course at NYU Stern. While my students completed their final presentations during our last class on Monday, tonight they will have 2 minutes to prepare and deliver an impromptu presentation.

I thought it may be fun (and potentially useful for other business communication speech professors) to post the topics here. I gathered them from colleagues, online, and my own perspective:

Explain a business controversy you were part of and how you managed it.
Tell us who your hero is and why.
Describe how you responded to an unethical situation.
What one regret do you have from your college days?
Tell us about the most surprising thing you will take away from your experience at Stern.
Discuss your proudest moment.
What is the best book you ever read?
If you were tapped by the president to work with inner city schools, what would you do first?
Who has been your role model in your professional career?
Recall a time you were glad you listened to someone’s advice.
Tell us about a time when you discovered your leadership potential.
Tell us about the most valuable website you have visited.
Tell us about a time when you used your political savvy to push through a program or idea that you really believed in.
What was the best vacation you ever took?
What historical person would you most like to meet?
Tell us about a time when you had to sell an idea to someone who was not interested
Tell us about the most remarkable movie you have ever seen.
Discuss your idea of a perfect day.
If you can live anywhere, where would it be?
What is your most vivid childhood memory?
The expression / slogan / motto that best describes my view of life is…
What social cause means the most to you?
What management characteristic or trait would you most like to learn or improve upon?
Explain how a smart person might not be wise.
Tell us about the hardest thing you have ever done.
Tell us how to make a new friend.
Discuss a way you have helped a colleague.
If you sang performed with a professional musician, which one would it be with?
What is your favorite piece of art?
Do you prefer poetry, drama, or opera?
What would make the world a safer place?
What fear have you overcome?

Let’s see, choose a folder piece of paper, and you get one chance to toss it back in if your immediate assessment determines it does not feel right (I do not want this to cause any more stress than we all already have). 2 minutes to prepare. 2 minutes to speak. The rubric will include 5 elements:

Strategy:

Gets audience attention

Intent is clear from the beginning.

Dynamic close leaves audience at high point

Delivery:

Eye contact and Gestures

Energy and engagement

I am really looking forward to this . . .