Engineered to Speak

ALEXA S. CHILCUTT, PHD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Public Speaking Program at the University of Alabama and an Executive Education faculty member for Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. She has served as the Communication Instructor and developed curriculum for The University of Alabama's NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates program, "Fluid Mechanics with Analysis Using Computations and Experiments" (FM-ACE), from 2011-Present. Alexa and Adam provide professional development training for corporations. ADAM J. BROOKS, PHD, is an Assistant Professor and Director of The Speaking Studio at the University of Alabama, Department of Communication Studies. He is also a two-time national champion speaker who has helped coach numerous presenters to national acclaim. His work has been recognized by the National Speech and Debate Association, and The National Forensic Association.

• A Note From Series Editor xiAbout the Authors xiiiAcknowledgments xvPART I: RECOGNIZE COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITIES1 WHY THIS BOOK? 31.1 Why Now? 51.2 Managers 61.3 Engineers and Technical Professionals 61.4 Students 71.5 Embracing Your Power as a Presenter 71.6 How to Use this Book 81.7 Calls to Action 92 DEMYSTIFYING COMMUNICATION AND ENGINEERING 112.1 The Place to Start 122.2 Rejecting Stereotypes 132.3 Debunking the Myths 142.3.1 Myth 1: Good Communicators Are Not Anxious 142.3.2 Myth 2: Some People Are Naturally Great Speakers 152.3.3 Myth 3: Winging it Works 162.3.4 Myth 4: Need to Be the "Sage on Stage" 162.3.5 Myth 5: Data Is Supreme 172.3.6 Myth 6: Time - I Must Fill It 172.3.7 Myth 7: Extroverts Make Better Speakers 182.4 Calls to Action 182.4.1 Communication Assessment Questions 182.4.2 Level of Anxiety in Public Speaking Situations 192.4.3 Putting Knowledge into Practice 203 RECOGNIZING COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITIES 233.1 The Sphere of Influence Model 243.1.1 Internal Interactions Quadrant 253.1.2 Leadership Interactions Quadrant 263.1.3 External Interactions Quadrant 273.1.4 Personal Interactions Quadrant 283.2 Communicating to Connect 283.3 Listening Hang]Ups 293.4 Active Listening Tactics 313.4.1 Paraphrasing 313.4.2 Priming 313.4.3 Expressing Understanding 313.4.4 Use of Nonverbal Body Language 323.5 Putting it into Practice 323.6 Calls to Action 344 ASKING THE QUESTIONS 374.1 Asking the Questions 384.1.1 Who Am I Speaking to? 394.1.2 What Is the Purpose of My Presentation? 394.1.3 What Is the Desired Outcome? 394.1.4 What Information Matters Most? 404.1.5 Why Should they Care? 404.1.6 When Am I Speaking? 414.1.7 Where Am I Speaking? 414.1.8 How Should I Present? 414.2 Analyzing your Audience 424.2.1 Captive Verses Voluntary Audiences 424.2.2 Knowledge 434.2.3 Technical and Nontechnical Audiences 434.2.4 The Jargon Barrier 444.3 Competing for Attention 454.4 Opposing Viewpoints 464.5 Calls to Action 47PART II: APPLY THE PROCESS5 ORGANIZING AND OUTLINING YOUR PRESENTATION 515.1 Benefits of Organization – Decreasing Uncertainty 525.2 Engineering the Outline 525.2.1 Informational Organizational Pattern 535.2.2 Put it into Practice 545.2.3 Persuasive Organizational Patterns 565.2.4 Transitions 575.3 How to Begin your Presentation 575.4 How to Close your Presentation 595.5 Preparation Outline 605.6 Calls to Action 606 PERFECTING YOUR PITCH 636.1 Lead with Meaning 646.2 Start with an Essential Truth 646.3 Use Evidence to Tell your Story 656.3.1 Building Compelling Narratives 666.3.2 Applying the STAR Method 666.4 End with the Call to Action 686.5 Calls to Action 697 VISUALIZING YOUR MESSAGE 717.1 Understanding why Visuals Work 737.2 Designing your Slides 757.2.1 Storyboard Design 767.2.2 Keep it Simple 777.3 Handling Handouts 797.4 Physical Objects/Demonstrations 817.5 Real]time Writing and Drawing 827.5.1 The White Board 827.5.2 The Flip Chart 837.6 Calls to Action 858 CREATING CHARISMA 878.1 Dynamic Delivery 888.2 The Voice 888.2.1 Tone 898.2.2 Volume 908.2.3 Rate 918.2.4 Pausing 918.2.5 Articulation 928.3 Body Language 948.3.1 Eye Contact 948.3.2 Gestures 958.3.3 Stance 968.3.4 Using the Space 978.4 Calls to Action 98PART III: COMMIT TO IMPROVEMENT9 PRACTICE, FEEDBACK, AND ANXIETY REDUCTION TECHNIQUES 1039.1 Practice Makes Better, not Perfect 1049.2 Giving and Receiving Feedback 1079.2.1 Requesting Real Feedback 1089.2.2 Providing Feedback to Others 1109.3 Managing Anxiety Through Uncertainty Reduction Tactics 1129.3.1 Get Outside of Yourself 1129.3.2 The Audience Is There for You 1139.4 Fielding Questions 1149.4.1 Addressing Opposing Viewpoints 1159.4.2 Stumped? 1159.5 Calls to Action 11610 PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING 11910.1 Embracing your Influence 12010.2 Taking the Lead 12110.3 Being Part of the Strategy 12210.4 Breaking out of Bad 12310.5 Reading the Signs 12410.6 Listening 12610.7 Finishing Strong 127APPENDICES 129Appendix A: Self-Assessments from Chapter 1 130Appendix B: Sphere of Influence/Active listening from Chapter 3 132Appendix C: Asking the Questions from Chapter 4 135Appendix D: Organizing and Outline Your Presentation from Chapter 5 136Appendix E: Perfecting Your Pitch from Chapter 6 141Appendix F: Visualizing Your Message from Chapter 7 144Appendix G: Creating Charisma from Chapter 8 147Appendix H: Practice, Feedback, and Anxiety Reduction Techniques from Chapter 9 150Appendix I: Ten Session Communication Curriculum 153Index 169