How can people boost their credibility when delivering bad news?
Bear responsibility for their own r____ in the s____
Try to l____ the n____ i____ on others who are involved
T____ the t____ in difficult situations
role
situation
lessen
negative impact
Tell
truth
One important aspect of delivering bad-news messages is to give the news without w____ t____ l____
waiting too long
Which of the following are ways in which you can make the situation better for recipients of bad news?
Deliver the news in a t____ m____
Understand how the news a____ r____
Use the right mix of c____ c____.
timely manner
affects recipients
communication channels
When important decisions must be made, but there is not yet much information available,
leaders lose credibility if people think they are w____ i____
people tend to s____ r____ about what is happening
people f____ assume the w____.
withholding information
spread rumors
frequently
worst
When making decisions concerning bad news, you should
collect information from d____ s____.
r____ d____ and f____ from your
judgment.
evaluate your own e____.
different sources
remove defensiveness
favoritism
emotions
When delivering bad news, it is important to be h____ and o____
honest
open
When delivering most bad-news messages, you should e____ into the bad news to give the recipient time to a____ to the s____.
ease
adjust
shock
Which of the following statements are true about bad-news messages?
They should be d____ p____.
They can be delivered through d____ a____ c____.
They should s____ g____ toward the r____.
delivered promptly
different appropriate channels
show goodwill
recipients
One major difference between direct and indirect bad-news messages is that the o_____ of d_____ the n_____ and p_____ a r_____ are switched
order
delivering
news
providing
rationale
Bad-news messages require more of an effort to s____ others than other message types
serve
In a bad-news message, a buffer should appear at the _____ of a message.
beginning
Which of the following considerations in timing the delivery of bad news are true?
If you deliver bad news without knowing the details, you can c____ u____ w____.
You can lose credibility if others think you have w____ w____ to d____ b____ n____.
create unnecessary worry
wrongfully waited
deliver bad news
To soften the blow of bad news in written communications. you could use
a n____ s____ l____ for the message.
a b____ s____.
neutral subject line
buffer statement
Why is it important to gather facts from a variety of sources so you can make fair, objective decisions before delivering bad news?
Your initial interpretation of the situation might not be the o_____ v_____ w_____ to l____ at
it.
Since the consequences of the bad news might be severe, you should be sure of the f_____ and p_____ s_____.
Although the situation might be upsetting, usually the solution should not be based on e_____.
only valid way
look
facts
possible solutions
emotion
Which of the following would be a good example of a buffer in a bad-news message?
a n____ s____ in the subject line of an email
neutral statement
True or false: For most bad-news messages, the rationale for the bad news is given first.
True
Which of the following is a recommended guideline for delivering bad news?
Get to the bad news f____ q____.
fairly quickly
Which of the following were findings from research on the delivery of bad news in the financial industry?
Customers suspect banks that use v____ l____.
C____ e____ drastically increased customers' trust in the banks
C____, s____ l____ promotes trust
vague language
Complete explanations
Clear
specific language
In direct bad-news messages, the b____ n____ is delivered, then a r____ is provided.
bad news
rationale
provided
The statement designed specifically to soften the blow at the beginning of a bad-news message is known as a
buffer
Which of the following are true about discussing the short-term effects of bad news?
Skipping a discussion of the negative impact on the recipients will make them see you as d____ from
their n____.
It is important to discuss what the b____ n____ means to recipients, instead of m____ it.
detached
needs
bad news
minimizing
To express sympathy for people who are receiving bad news, you should s____ g____ c____ and a____.
show genuine concern
appreciation
Which of the following are common types
of buffers for bad-news messages?
a____
g____ a c____
a n____ s____
appreciation
giving
compliment
neutral statement
During the delivery of bad news,
a positive tone can make people feel p_____ about receiving n_____ f_____.
it is important to notice the recipient's n_____ b_____.
a negative tone can make people feel n_____ about receiving p_____ f_____.
positive
negative
feedback
nonverbal behavior
negative
positive feedback
Delivering bad news with the feelings of the recipient in mind involves
stating the bad news q____.
explaining why the d____ was m____.
keeping any buffer statement s____.
quickly
decision
made
short
The most effective way to deliver bad news with medium to high severity to a long-time business partner or client would be to communicate
in person
Research indicates that when banks told customers why they reached bad-news decisions, it i____ the t____ that customers felt toward the banks
increased
trust
The failure to share bad news within an organization
leads to l____ m____ within the
organization
sometimes happens because employees don't want to be b____ when things go wrong
gives top-level officials the impression that things are m____ p____ than they actually are.
lower morale
blamed
more positive
In a business situation, after delivering bad news and explaining why things turned out this way, you should d_____ what this d_____ m_____ for the r_____.
discuss
development means
recipients
It makes sense to provide bad news in writing to someone when you are r____ to a w____ r____.
replying
written request
One important consideration when delivering bad news to customers is to a____ p____ the b____ for the s____ on them.
avoid
placing
blame
situation
When discussing bad news, the d____ of the m____ can be m____ i____ than the c____.
delivery
message
more important
content
Face-to-face performance reviews are o____ i____ s____ for m____
often intensely stressful
managers
Which of the following are appropriate for an effective delivery in person of bad news to a client?
a r____ followed by the b____ n____
a b____ to let the person get ready e____ to hear the n____
an explanation of how the news will i____ affect the person's s____
rationale
bad news
buffer
emotionally
news
immediately
situation
What are some differences between evaluating excellent performers and evaluating poor performers?
Poor performers should be told that they must i____.
The message for excellent performers should be g____ p____.
improve
generally positive
The filtering of bad news at each level of an organization is known as
the mum effect.
Which three of the following should be done when giving a negative performance review?
Seek solutions that e_____ o_____ for the employee's f_____ with the company.
Explain how poor individual performance a_____ the o_____.
Ask the employee why their p_____ is not b_____.
emphasize optimism
future
affects
organization
performance
better
When is it is usually acceptable to provide written notice of bad news to external partners?
When your
audience prefers c____ in w____ f____
When the bad news is not s____
If you are r____ to a w____ r____
corresponding
written form
severe
replying
written request
When giving a negative performance review of an employee, you should comment only on things that you have o_____, not t_____ and f_____.
observed
thoughts
feelings
Which of the following are recommended practices for written bad-news communications to customers?
Point out alternatives that the customer can c_____.
Include the s_____ b_____ e_____ as other bad-news messages
control
same basic elements
Seeking performance feedback at work helps you d_____ s_____ to m_____ a_____
develop
skills
move ahead
Face-to-face performance reviews
are stressful for both m_____ and e_____.
are a r_____ o_____ for most professionals.
tend to be more stressful when they are n_____.
managers
employees
regular occurrence
negative
True or false: Reviewing bad-news messages is important only for written bad-news messages.
False
When reviewing a poor performer, you should make sure the person understands the n____ for i____.
need
improvement
Why might you write a bad-news message and then wait to read it again a few days later before sending the message?
S____ e____ from having just learned about the bad news may have influenced the t____ you used when writing the message
Strong emotions
tone
Which of the following are good strategies to use when delivering negative performance reviews?
Investigate reasons for the person's i_____ w_____.
Explain that the employee's u_____ affects the organization.
Mention that poor performance l_____ the person's o_____ at the company
inadequate
work
underperformance
limits
opportunities
company
Considering how bad news affects others is one application of the
FAIR test
Why should you give feedback only on observable behaviors during a performance review?
You can never be sure that you know someone's t____ and f____.
The employee is less likely to b____ d____.
If you focus on attitudes,
you will s____ j____.
thoughts
feelings
become defensive
seem judgmental
Which of the following statements about performance feedback are true?
It helps you i____ your s____.
It can be counterproductive if you r____ to it i____.
It is i____, even if it is n____.
improve
skills
react
improperly
important
negative
You should review bad-news messages
before the bad news is s____.
because recipients may m____ the news
to make sure you are b____ r____.
sent
misinterpret
being respectful
Rereading bad-news messages several times before sending them
can allow you to remove e_____ c_____ w_____ and s_____ the tone.
can prevent time b_____ w_____ due to m_____.
helps you try
to see the message from the p_____ of the r_____.
emotionally charged words
soften
being wasted
misunderstandings
perspective
recipients
Which of the following questions should you ask when applying the FAIR test?
How f____ is my communication?
How a____ or t____ are my motives and reasoning?
How does my communication impact s____?
factual
accessible
transparent
stakeholders
In terms of maintaining credibility, the most important quality to convey when delivering bad news is
honesty.
What is a likely consequence of a person waiting a long time to deliver bad news?
The bad-news recipients will s____ and g____.
speculate
gossip
Selena, an IT manager, needs to communicate to all of the company's long-term customers that their consulting rates will be increasing in the new year. Which guideline should Selena follow while communicating this bad news?
She should u____ s____ and s____ l____.
use specific
simple language
You are the hiring manager at Intranet, a major IT services firm. What is an effective buffer statement you can use to reject a recent job applicant?
Intranet will not be able to hire you because you have insufficient experience.
We are sorry that you do not suit the requirements for the system administrator position.
Your lack of experience in this field means that you are not the best person for our position.
Thank you for your interest in the system administrator position at Intranet.
Intranet is looking for a candidate with better expertise than yours.
Thank you for your interest in the system administrator position at Intranet.
To keep an organization free of the mum effect, it is necessary to foster a t____ and o____ w____ c____.
transparent
open work culture
Ideally, which action should a manager avoid when delivering negative performance reviews?
s_____ the bad news
Sugarcoating
Nathalie, customer relations manager at Digital Media, Inc., must inform her clients of a 15 percent price increase for all services. In doing so, she should be sure to emphasize client's options for s____ m____, such as b____ s____ or choosing l____ c____ p____.
saving money
bundling services
less comprehensive plans
To avoid counterproductive responses to negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and anger, you should learn to r_____ and n_____ these e_____.
recognize
name
emotions
When delivering negative feedback in person, you can potentially leave your message recipient feeling better by using a[n]
positive tone.
Which statement is an example of reframing thoughts in order to respond to negative feedback constructively?
I am doing fine, so I do not need anyone else's feedback.
My boss does not pay enough attention to my work to evaluate it.
Getting an honest assessment of my work will help me succeed.
I am too busy to respond to feedback.
My boss is not perfect and has no right to criticize me.
Getting an honest assessment of my work will help me succeed.
When planning a research-based business report, you should talk with decision makers to:
determine what they e____ from the report
find out what they want the research to a____
understand their m____ b____ g____
expect
accomplish
main business goals
Decision makers depend on business reports to
a____ the information p____.
r____ a____ based on the data.
provide the c____ i____.
analyze
properly
recommend actions
correct information
To define research problems, the project's stated goals should be
t_____.
s_____.
a_____.
targeted.
specific.
achievable.
A survey would provide a relatively easy way to obtain information from which of the following groups?
-people who work for the s_____
c_____ as you do
-people who participate in an o_____ f_____ created for a s_____ p_____ g_____
-people who have purchased your p_____
same company
online forum
specific professional group
product
Which of the following statements are true for most surveys?
The best surveys address an average of three ideas.
The survey should be detailed enough to require the respondent's attention for at least 10 minutes.
The survey should be short.
The questions should be vague to generate unexpected answers.
The survey should be short.
In preparing a business report based on research, the first step is to understand what the decision makers want the r_____ to d_____
report
do
Which of the following statements about lengthy surveys are true?
Respondents who are paid are m____ c____ in completing them.
They commonly are l____ i____ by impatient respondents
more careful
left incomplete
Because people use business reports to make high-stakes decisions, the research should be:
t____ and c____.
based on d____ gathered over w____, m____, or even y____, if necessary
thorough
careful
data
weeks
months
years
Survey questions should:
not take much effort to a_____
address o____ o____ i____.
not have a d____ m____.
answer
only one idea
double meaning
Which two of the following are the most effectively stated research objectives?
Collect up-to-date employee ratings and feedback.
Determine why 80% of our hotel guests post negative reviews online.
Analyze visitor complaints.
Identify ways to provide advancement opportunities for our receptionists.
Determine why 80% of our hotel guests post negative reviews online.
Identify ways to provide advancement opportunities for our receptionists.
What is a leading question?
a q____ that h____ at an a____
question
hints
answer
What are some advantages of online surveys?
The data can be d____ a____ into a s____.
The surveys can reach a v____ l____ n____ of respondents.
They are generally r____ a____ to survey responders
downloaded automatically
spreadsheet
very large number
readily available
If a survey question addresses more than one idea,
the results cannot be p____ a____.
the respondent is likely to b____ c____.
properly analyzed
become confused
True or false: An important way of developing survey research skills is by conducting actual surveys.
True
What are two reasons why studying statistical analysis is useful in the field of business communication?
It helps the researcher avoid s_____ the results to accommodate p_____ i_____ and b_____.
It helps prevent i_____ r_____ during the analysis of survey data
skewing
preconceived ideas
biases
inaccurate results
In general, a consumer research survey should
take no longer than ____ m____ to complete
contain fewer than ____ or ____ questions
5 minutes
5
6
Typically, numerical information is most effectively presented through which two of the following?
t____
c____
tables
charts
To be effective, what qualities should survey questions have?
They should be n_____
They should be e_____
non-leading
exhaustive
Which of the following statements about business presentations using numerical data are generally true?
The m_____ m_____ in such presentations will likely not be numerical
Most audiences will not remember a l____ of s____.
main message
lot
statistics
Which of the following statements is true about leading questions in a survey?
They manipulate participants into responding in a p____ w____.
preferred way
Charts are useful for:
presenting a m____ v____ i____.
presenting complex data in a s____ f____.
communicating n____ d____.
memorable visual image
simple format
numerical data
Why should the following survey question for the customer of a bank be rewritten? "How satisfied were you with our customer service and the interest rate we offer? [very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat unsatisfied, very unsatisfied]"
It is asking about m____ than o____ i____.
more
one idea
When a chart is being developed, the key component is
planning
To develop primary research skills for business communications, you should study
s____ and q____ a____.
s____ s____.
statistical
quantitative analysis
spreadsheet software
In creating a business chart, the most important consideration is the chart's t____ m____.
takeaway message
Which of the following statements about numerical information in business are correct?
Some management experts consider communicating with numbers to be a c____ c____.
B____ o____ e____, b____, and c____ b____ are expressed with numbers
core competency
business operating expenses
budgets
customer behavior
Labels and legends on a chart should indicate
what is b____ m____.
what u____ of m____ are depicted
being
measured
units
measurement
When presenting an audience with charts and tables and other numerical information, which of the following should be your primary concern?
Emphasizing the m_____ that you want the audience to remember
message
Which of the following are formatting guidelines for any kind of chart?
Make sure all text is h____
Avoid using
m____ b____ c____.
Avoid u____ f____.
horizontal
many bright colors
unusual fonts
For which two of the following situations would a chart be an effective way to present information?
c____ the a____ of viewers and readers and drawing them into your m____.
displaying complex numerical data in a way that is e____ to g____.
catching
attention
message
easy
grasp
When is it better to use a chart instead of a table?
When the goal is to illustrate o____ m____ p____ or r____
When there is a relatively s____ amount of i____ being shown
one main point
relationship
small
information
What is the central element that makes a chart effective and interesting?
The m____ that the chart conveys
message
Which of the following are advantages of secondary research in preparing a business report?
It provides access to m____ s____ of i____.
It is usually less t____.
It usually c____ l____ than primary research
more sources
information
time-consuming
costs less
When creating a chart, you should consider the five most important elements, including
the s____
of the information
the d____ of the title
how e____ a reader can process the i____.
sufficiency
descriptiveness
easily
information
Who generally makes the request for research in the workplace?
managers
clients
Which of the following conditions are met when a chart provides readers with sufficient information?
The u____ of m____ are clearly labeled
Readers can q____ grasp the m____ of what the chart is showing
D____ v____ are provided at each point on the chart as needed
units
measurement
quickly
meaning
data values
Which of the following statements about selecting a research topic is true?
You should spend a____ time e____ o____ before selecting your research topic
adequate
exploring options
Which of the following guidelines for various types of charts is correct?
Line charts should have only five or six lines representing different data series.
In a bar chart, the baseline should always be an odd number.
In a pie chart, the largest slice should be centered at the bottom of the chart.
The slices in a pie chart should complete a whole [add up to 100%].
The slices in a pie chart should complete a whole [add up to 100%].
Angela is a computer science major. Which of the following would therefore be the best topic for her to select for a college research paper?
c_____ t_____
cloud-based technologies
Which of the following is the best choice for conveying a large amount of precise data?
a table
A white paper is a r____ on an i____ by an o____, often with a s____ a____.
report
issue
organization
often
specific agenda
Primary research is usually preferable in preparing a business report because it can be c____ to s____ p____.
customized
specific
projects
Why are scholarly business articles seldom useful for researching problems in the workplace?
They focus on t____ and a____ i____.
They are h____ to u____.
theoretical
abstract issues
hard
understand
Which statements about workplace research projects are true?
You usually have some ability to define the s____ of your r____
p____.
Requests for research typically come from m____ or c____.
Many companies have guidelines for using s____ r____.
scope
research project
managers
clients
secondary research
True or false: A university library is an excellent resource when researching a business topic that requires access to expensive company and industry reports.
True
Tiffany was given a research paper assignment in her class. She had two months to complete the assignment but was eager to get started. She picked her topic that afternoon, spent the next two days researching, then began writing. Which of the following should Tiffany have done?
She should have spent more time c_____ her o____ for a r____ t____.
considering
options
research topic
Cindy has to write a research paper for a university class. Which of the following actions should she take during the planning process?
She should consider writing down ____ to ____ r____ t____ she is i____ in.
She should choose a topic that will help her in her a____ p____.
three
five research topics
interested
academic program
What are reasons that documenting sources of information for business reports is essential?
Accurate and complete documentation establishes that the r____ is c____.
People will be using the report to make h____ d____.
When you are writing the report, you might need to r____ to the s____ d____ again
report
credible
high-stakes decisions
refer
source document
What is the main concern when using white papers in research?
They tend to be b___
biased
What online sources are likely to provide quality information for business research?
o____ f____ and d____
b____ and i____ w____
online forums
discussions
business
industry websites
What are common problems with using business periodicals as sources?
They are not often applicable to s____
p____ and o____.
They often include a____ e____.
specific problems
organizations
anecdotal evidence
To prevent personal biases from influencing research, you should
frequently evaluate whether you are b____ f____
consider all a____ f____
consider the data from v____ v____
being fair
available facts
various viewpoints
Which of the following are resources for business research offered by most libraries?
s____ j____
o____ d____
b____ p____
scholarly journals
online databases
business periodicals
What are recommended practices for documenting your research sources?
Make d____ r____ i____ rather than going back later to find sources again
Record documentation s____ to avoid providing
an i____ s____.
documentation records immediately
systematically
incorrect source
What is the most reliable source for most business research?
b____ d____ and other materials at the l____
business databases
library
Personal biases sometimes cause a researcher to do which of the following?
interpret d____
i____
collect only data that s____ the researcher's b____
ask the w____ q____
data incorrectly
supports
biases
wrong questions
Which example is a type of primary research?
conducting survey research
extracting relevant information from the Internet
reading through newspapers
referring to a competitor's previous business reports
using information from government surveys and reports
conducting survey research
One advantage of open-ended questions is that they help researches understand an issue in m____ d____ than closed questions
more depth
Closed question:
R____ respondents to c____ a____
Restrict
certain answers
A survey question should have response choices that are exhaustive." This means that a____ p____ a____ should be i____ among the r____'s c____.
all possible answers
included
respondent's choices
"A survey question should have response choices that are unambiguous." This means that there should be n____ o____ between the r____ c____.
no
overlap
response choices
Nick wants to create a chart that shows how market share is divided among the top companies in his industry. Which option should he use?
a pie chart
Which statement about bar charts is true?
Bar charts cannot be used to compare amounts or quantities.
Bar charts can be used to represent only a few types of data.
Bar charts are typically used to illustrate the pieces within a whole.
Bar charts are more versatile than pie charts and line charts.
Bar charts must always have their baselines set at ten.
Bar charts are more versatile than pie charts and line charts.
Which guideline is most helpful for formatting tables?
Make n____ c____ to show comparative data
numerical conversions
The biggest disadvantage to using the Internet as a source of research, rather than business databases and other sources available at the library, is that information on the Internet is l____ r____ than information gathered in business databases.
less reliable
Experienced writers use word processing software, spreadsheets, or databases for recording information about their research sources during the research stage to increase the ________ of their research.
Credibility
Which guideline for creating chart titles is most effective?
Place the title vertically so it does not interfere with the visual.
Write the title in a bright color so it stands out.
The title should explain the primary point of the chart.
The title should be long enough to thoroughly explain the topic.
The title should always include a subtitle.
The title should explain the primary point of the chart.
Maintaining Credibility When Delivering Bad News
How to Be Effective
• H____ and o____ are key.
• Although people do not like to get bad news, they expect the t____.
• Research shows that honesty and openness can lead to more t____ in the b____ b____.
•
Delivering bad news the right way can strengthen c____ r____ and lay the foundation for i____ t____ when conditions improve.
Honesty
openness
truth
trust
bad-news bearer
customer relationships
increased trust
Guidelines for Bad-News Messages
• Deliver the bad news in a t____ m____.
• Choose the r____ m____ of c____.
• S____ with the bad-news recipients and s____ the blow.
• Provide
a s____, c____ r____
• Explain i____ i____.
• Focus on s____ and l____ b____.
• Show g____.
timely manner
right mix
channels
sympathize
soften
simple
clear rationale
immediate impacts
solutions
long-term benefits
goodwill
Deliver the Bad News in a Timely Manner
• No news is b____ n____.
• The rumor mill will cause you to lose c____ of the m____.
• Know the d____
before you deliver b____ n____.
bad news
control
message
details
bad news
Choose the Right Mix of Channels
• Bad news is best delivered in p____.
• Use r____ c____ with v____ and n____ c____ to show your concern and sensitivity.
• Placing it in writing can make it more p____ and a____.
person
rich communication
verbal
nonverbal
cues
precise
accurate
Advantages of Bad News in Verbal Form
- Can use and observe n____ c____
- Can more easily demonstrate i____
- Can more e____ c____ and e____ the bad news
- Can respond to c____ immediately
nonverbal cues
intentions
effectively clarify
explain
concerns
Disadvantages of Bad News in Verbal Form
- May hinder e____
d____, i____, and d____ of bad news due to s____ e____
- Requires more t____
- Less able to d____ the bad news
- Less able to provide d____ that bad-news recipients can r____ later
effective delivery
interpretation
discussion
strong emotions
time
document
directions
reference
Advantages of Bad News in Written Form
- Can c____ message more carefully
- Can d____ the message more
easily
- Can provide a message that serves as a r____ [provide d____, s____, and options for f____ a____]
- Can d____ message to more people more e____
craft
document
reference
directions
suggestions
future actions
deliver
efficiently
Disadvantages of Bad News in Written Form
- Unable to demonstrate c____ through n____ c____
- Unable to i____ r____ to concerns
- Unable to work
out m____ s____
- Less able to control l____ impacts on w____ r____
concern
nonverbal cues
immediately respond
mutual solutions
long-term
working relationships
Choose the Right Mix of Channels
Three Aspects
Severity
Controllability
Likelihood
Severity:
• How s____ or d____ the bad news
is
serious
detrimental
Controllability:
• The degree to which the bad-news message receiver can a____ the o____.
alter
outcome
Likelihood:
• Relates to the p____ of the bad event o____.
probability
occurring
Gather Information
from a Variety of Sources
• Makes you more likely to make o____ j____ and propose f____ s____.
• Be aware of your own e____ and how they impact your t____.
objective judgments
fair solutions
emotions
thinking
Components of Indirect Bad-News Messages
buffer.
rationale.
bad news.
impacts.
future
goodwill.
Components of Direct Bad-News Messages
buffer.
bad news.
rationale.
impacts.
future
goodwill.
Most people appreciate your h____.
• Harder to show in w____.
honesty
writing
Methods to help prepare emotionally:
• Use a n____ s____ l____.
• Use a ____- or ____ b____.
• Use a t____ m____.
neutral subject line
one
two-sentence buffer
teaser message
Teaser message
-Signal to recipients that an upcoming conversation or other communication may involve u____ n____
-Prepares recipients e____ yet does not reveal s____ i____
-Often w____
unpleasant news
emotionally
specific information
written
Use a one- or two-sentence
buffer.
• Establish c____ g____, show a____, state your s____, or otherwise express g____.
common ground
appreciation
sympathy
goodwill
Types of buffers:
n____ s____
a____
s____
c____ g____
c____
neutral statement
appreciation
sympathy
common ground
compliment
During Delivery
• Find ways
to express c____, but don't be e____.
• Get to the p____.
• Don't d____ or b____ the message.
concern
excessive
point
downplay
bury
Build Trust
• Use c___, s___, and s___ l___ to build trust.
• Whereas v___, g___, and l___ l___ create suspicion and anger.
• Recipients are more likely to interpret the information as h___ and u___
clear
specific
simple
language
vague
general
legal language
honest
up-front
Explain Immediate Impacts
Be H____
• Your focus should be on the b____ r____.
• Resist the impulse to m____ the negative impact.
Other Tips
• Focus on s____ and l____ b____.
• Show g____.
honest
bad-news recipients
minimize
solutions
long-term benefits
goodwill
Getting the Tone, Style, and Design Right
Tips
• Aim for a tone of g____ c____ in a p____ m____.
• Inject some p____ d____ to the message, but don't provide f____ h____.
• Use a writing style that is s____, a____, and j____.
• Maintain a s____ d____.
genuine concern
professional manner
positive direction
false hope
simple
accurate
jargon-free
simple design
Mum Effect
• Occurs
when the c____ of m____ within an organization is filtered at each level to l____ o____ or i____ s____ the bad news.
• The message that top executives often hear ends up being u____ r____.
chain
messages
leave out
inaccurately state
unrealistically rosy
Turning Down Requests and Ideas
Tips
• Preserve p____ and c____ w____ r____ by using richer communication channels.
• Avoid t____
a____.
• Appeal to v____ and p____.
• Avoid turning down requests and ideas in a way that c____ the conversation.
productive
comfortable working relationships
token appreciation
values
principles
closes
Token appreciation:
an expression of t____ or g____ for a r____ or i____ while immediately dismissing the r____ or i____ as i____ or even i____
thanks
gratitude
request
idea
request
idea
implausible
inappropriate
Delivering Bad News to Customers
- Contains the same essential components as other b____ m____
- Emphasize the o____ available, or solutions the customer has c____ over.
- In most bad-news situations, customers are interested only in s____.
bad-news messages
options
control
solutions
Deliver Negative Feedback
Things to Keep in Mind
• Adopt a t_____
orientation.
• Avoid s_____ the bad news.
• Explain the impacts of the individual's poor performance on o_____ p_____.
• Link to c_____.
• Probe for reasons p_____ is not higher.
• Emphasize p_____ rather than b_____.
• Be f_____.
team-centered
sugarcoating
organizational performance
consequences
performance
problem-solving
blaming
firm
Deliver Negative Feedback
-
Give C____ and T____ Feedback
- Focus on A____ and R____, Not A____ and I____
- Establish M____ E____
clear
targeted
actions
results
attitudes
intentions
measurable expectations
Seeking and receiving feedback, even when it's negative, will help you:
• Develop the s____ you need to make an i____ in the w____.
• Move into n____ p____.
• Learn to manage e____.
skills
impact
workplace
new positions
emotions
Receiving Negative Feedback
- R_____ Your Thoughts to Initiate F____ C____
reframe
feedback conversations
Reviewing Bad-News Messages
Things to Consider
• When writing bad-news messages, always r____ them carefully.
• Imagine how the recipient may f____ and r____.
•
Consider asking t____ colleagues to r____ your message and give f____.
• Apply the ____ t____.
review
feel
react
trusted
review
feedback
FAIR test
FAIR Test
Facts
Access
Impacts
Respect
Facts [How f____ is your communication?]
• Have I gathered all the r____ f____? Have I examined various
accounts of the s____ e____?
• Is my perspective of the facts influenced by d____, f____, or some other b____?
• Is the rationale for this bad news based on s____ f____ and c____?
factual
relevant facts
same events
defensiveness
favoritism
bias
sound facts
conclusions
Access [How a____ or t____ are your motives, reasoning, and information?]
• Are my motives c____, or will others
perceive that I have a h____ a____?
• Is it clear how the d____ was made?
• Am I giving enough i____ to bad-news recipients for them to r____ well?
• Am I hiding any information that casts me in a b____ l____ or c____ the real reasons for the bad news?
accessible
transparent
clear
hidden agenda
decision
information
respond
better light
concealing
Impacts [How does your
communication impact s____?]
• Have I considered all the ways in which this message will i____ others in the n____ and l____?
• What have I done to lessen the n____ i____ on recipients?
• Am I doing what I can to provide o____ — as a____ — to the bad-news recipients?
stakeholders
impact
near-term
long-term
negative impacts
opportunities
appropriate
Respect [How r____ is your
communication?]
• Would recipients consider my communication r____?
• Have I stated the message in a way that recognizes the i____ w____ of others?
respectful
respectful
inherent worth
A document that explains why a business goal is beneficial and details how resources and funds will be allocated to meet the goal is known as a business
Proposal
The conclusions and recommendations in a business report should be focused on a c____ b____ p____.
clear business problem
A report without a problem statement is likely to
be considered u____.
wander a____.
unimportant
aimlessly
Which of the following actions tend to increase the credibility of a business report?
citing r____ s____
being p____ when c____ facts
including details that s_____ the report's c_____
research sources
precise
citing
support
conclusions
Which of the following are essential features of a thorough, detailed approach to research?
documentation of s____
m____ a____
sources
methodical
analysis
Which of the following statements about business proposals are true?
They may vary in l____ and f____.
They address the a____ of r____ for business activities.
length
format
allocation
resources
True or false: Citations should be used throughout your business report.
True
Excellence in thinking leads to reports that
are a____.
d____ all f____.
accurate
document
facts
Which of the following are typically used to document sources for a business report?
a r____ l____
c____
reference list
citations
A business report problem statement should establish
the p____ of the report.
the v____ of the report.
purpose
value
Which two of the following have reliable guidelines for documenting sources in a business report?
the P____ O____ W____ L____
the ____ s____ w____
Purdue online writing lab
APA style website
Which of the following sentences should be rewritten to be more appropriately fact-based and precise?
Hardly anyone has a negative opinion of the company's products.
Among customers who purchased light fixtures, 23% exchanged the fixtures within two weeks.
Banks that opened two branch offices within the first five years averaged $3.5 million more in revenues by the end of the decade.
If the company invests in this venture, profits are sure to increase.
Hardly anyone has a negative opinion of the company's products.
If the company invests in this venture, profits are sure to increase.
In which of the following cases could a sentence that a writer takes directly from someone else's writing be considered plagiarism?
N____ of the words are placed within quotation marks, and a f____ of the words are altered.
Only h____ of the sentence is placed within quotation marks, and n____ words are altered.
N____ of the words are placed within quotation marks, and n____ words are altered.
None
few
half
no
none
no
Documenting sources for a business report helps decision makers
a____ the q____ of the data.
have confidence that the d____ was collected in a m____ w____.
trust the researcher's f____.
assess
quality
data
methodical
way
findings
Which of the following requires a source citation?
p____
d____ q____
i____ borrowed from a s____ s____
paraphrase
direct quotation
ideas
secondary source
Which of the following should be provided throughout your business report to indicate any information taken from other sources?
citations
Which of the following are conditions for choosing to use a direct quotation?
The text f___ w___ with the document you are writing.
The text is worded in an especially c___ way.
The text highlights the c___ of the person being q___.
flows well
compelling
credibility
quoted
What is included in the reference list of a business report?
s____ for all of the f____ that were c____
sources
facts
cited
When you weave together information gathered from a variety of sources and think up your own ideas, reach your own conclusions, and make your own recommendations, you are demonstrating
originality of thought.
Which of the following elements are part of the basic documentation of a book used as a source according to APA style and MLA style?
b____ t____
a____ n____
y____ of p____
book title
author name
year
publication
What should you do after compiling data for a report?
recommend a____ based on the f____ and c____ in the report
d____ c____ based on the f____ in the report
actions
facts
conclusions
draw
conclusions
facts
Which of the following actions are plagiarism?
copying a text w____ and passing it off as your o____
any l____ t____
s____ and p____ o____ the ideas of someone else as your o____
word-for-word
own
literary theft
stealing
passing off
own
Which of the following recommendations is the most specific and actionable?
Our company should increase inventory and revenues while lowering operating costs.
Our company should move to a better location and try to attract more customers.
Our company should improve employee training.
Our company should expand delivery capability by purchasing a new tanker truck and hiring three additional drivers.
Our company should expand delivery capability by purchasing a new tanker truck and hiring three additional drivers.
Which of the following are examples of what needs to be documented to avoid plagiarism?
the e___ w___ of text that you quote
other people's i___ that you b___ or r___
text that you p___
exact wording
ideas
borrow
reference
paraphrase
Text taken word-for-word from a source is called a[n]
direct quotation.
If the structure of a report is familiar to decision makers, then it will be e____ to n____.
easier
navigate
If a report is based on secondary research, it is appropriate to use information from n____ s____ to reach n____ and perhaps u____ c____.
numerous sources
new
unique conclusions
In general, how long should an executive summary be?
one page for every ___ to ___ p___ in the report
10
20 pages
True or false: Researchers should clearly show how their recommendations are connected to the facts in their report.
True
Headings are used in reports to
help readers n____
r____ through the document.
indicate the c____ of each section.
reveal the b____ l____ of the document.
navigate rapidly
contents
basic logic
Which of the following are items in a business report that tend to increase the effectiveness of the author's recommendations?
the c____ and other i____
a r____
c____ s____ that would help achieve an o____
cost
implications
rationale
clear
steps
objective
What are characteristics of the preview statement of a report?
It should give the reader a g____ i____ of what the report c____.
It should s____ the report's k____ m____.
general idea
covers
summarize
key messages
To support the story line of a report, you should
use c____ to simplify c____ n____ i____.
include c____ only
for s____ that are d____ related to the c____ t____.
charts
complicated numerical information
charts
statistics
directly
central theme
What should you do when designing a business report for a busy executive?
Make it e____ for the executive to n____ q____ through the document.
Assume that the executive will not r____ all of the t____.
easy
navigate
quickly
read
text
Which two of the following would likely benefit from being presented as a list with bulleting or numbering in a business report?
a detailed discussion of what went wrong with the company's failed launch of a new product
summaries of five surveys, with statistical information and source citations
the top 10 innovations that made our company the industry leader this year and how much profit each generated
unrelated recommendations for further action each based on information presented in the body of the report
summaries of five surveys, with statistical information and source citations
the top 10 innovations that made our company the industry leader this year and how much profit each generated
Where does an executive summary appear in most reports?
at the b____ of the d____
beginning
document
A table of contents is usually included in a business report if the document is m___ than ___ p___ long.
more
10 pages
As a general guideline, a report that is fewer than 5 pages requires at least f____ h____
first-level headings
True or false: In business reports, positivity is more important than objectivity.
False
Which component of a business report frames the overall message in order to help decision makers follow the text?
preview statement
What are several of the key features that should be included in all business reports?
v____ to d____
p____
d____
value
decision-makers
precision
documentation
What is the primary purpose of charts and tables in a business report?
to fit into the s___ l___ of the report
story line
When your report is almost finished, you should review it to make sure that
the report is as e____ as possible.
you have been f____ to y____ and your r____.
effective
fair
yourself
readers
In a business report, bulleting is used for which of the following?
to break up d____ blocks of t____
to group information v____ for e____ c____
dense
text
visually
easier comprehension
Which of the following might a business report's table of contents include?
f____ h____
s____ h____
first-level
headings
second-level headings
Although positivity is important in a business report, what are some common drawbacks of too much positivity?
It can make the report seem u____
It can make the report seem too e____.
It can i____ the writer's j____.
unprofessional
enthusiastic
impair
judgment
All business trend reports should have which of the following characteristics or features?
o____
d____
e____ n____
objectivity
documentation
easy navigation
What are the last steps in preparing a report?
P____ the document.
Check for f____.
Seek f____ f____ from colleagues.
proofread
fairness
final feedback
Most business proposals deal with decisions about a____ r____.
allocating resources
Gabby is writing a proposal on how to improve efficiency at an Amazon distribution center. In order to structure the proposal in such a way that increases the likelihood of it persuading the decision makers, Gabby should s____ with d____ ahead of time to find out what they w____ and e____
speak
decision-makers
want
expect
What should be provided throughout a document to indicate the information you have drawn from other sources?
citations
To use another person's ideas and pass them off as one's own is called
plagiarizing.
How does paraphrasing avoid becoming plagiarism?
It s____ alters the o____ w____ and s____ s____, but gives c____ to the o____.
significantly
original words
sentence structure
credit
originator
Your report is essentially plagiarized if the majority of i____ in your report are based on just ____ or ____ s____.
ideas
one
two sources
Which component of a formal report falls into the category of "back matter"?
the reference list
the title page
the table of contents
the cover
the executive summary
the reference list
The primary purpose of including tables and charts in a business report is to s____ the s____ l____ that you have established for your report.
support
story line
Which item is most likely to be included in an appendix?
financial statements and marketing materials
the report title, the names of those who wrote and/or are submitting the report, and a date
all first-level headings and sometimes all second-level headings
a summary of key findings, conclusions, and recommendations
a clear statement of the central business problem
financial statements and marketing materials
Which statement is a helpful guideline when creating business reports?
Business reports should state the central business problem at the end of the report.
A business report should not combine ideas from more than two sources of information.
A well-designed table of contents demonstrates the quality of the data used in the report.
Cover pages should be used to summarize the most important elements of a report.
Business reports should project objectivity first and positivity second.
Business reports should project objectivity first and positivity second.
Developing Research-Based Business Reports
• Identify what decision makers want to a____
• Consider your target audience of decision makers' p____ b____ g____, r____ o____, and e____
accomplish
primary business goals
research
objectives
expectations
Primary Research
• The analysis of data that y____, people from your o____, or others under your d____ have collected.
• Generally most useful for b____ r____.
• Common types include analysis of i____ d____, s____ r____, f____ g____, i____, and c____ s____
you
organization
direction
business reports
internal data
survey research
focus
groups
interviews
case studies
Secondary Research
• The analysis of data collected by others with n____ d____ from you or members of your o____
no direction
organization
Survey Research
• Increasingly common because of the e____ of administering o____ s____.
• Generally involves w____ q____.
•••••••• C____ q____.
•••••••• O____
q____.
ease
online surveys
written questionnaires
closed questions
open-ended questions
Defining research problems involves stating your research objectives in s_____, t_____, and a_____ statements
specific
targeted
achievable
Online Surveys
• You can q____ get the responses of d____ if not h____ of
colleagues, c____ or p____ customers, or members of other g____ of i____.
• You can dump the data into a s____.
quickly
dozens
hundreds
current
potential
groups
interest
spreadsheet
Principles for Survey Questions
• S____ to answer
• N____
• E____ and u____
• Limited to a s____ i____
Simple
non-leading
exhaustive
unambiguous
single
idea
Survey Questions Should Be Simple to Answer
• Should contain s____ q____ and s____ r____ o____.
••••••• Read in ____ to ____ s____ per question.
••••••• Answer in a f____ s____
short questions
short response options
10
20 seconds
few seconds
Survey Questions Should Be Non-Leading
• Do not suggest an a____
••••••• Otherwise, it will
produce u____ and u____ i____
answer
unreliable
unusable information
Survey Choices Should Be Exhaustive and Unambiguous
• Exhaustive: A____ p____ are available.
• Unambiguous: Only o____ c____ is available.
Survey Questions Should Contain O____ I____
all possibilities
one choice
one idea
Advice for
Analyzing Data
• Learn about f____ and other forms of s____ and q____ a____.
• Learn about s____, d____, and s____ s____.
• R____ on others in your analysis.
• Stay focused on your b____ p____ and look for the b____ p____.
forecasting
statistical
quantitative analysis
spreadsheet
database
statistical software
rely
business problem
big picture
Statistics and Figures
•
Don't o_____ your audience members with data.
• Focus on the m_____ [n_____] message.
overload
main
nonnumerical
Designing Effective Charts
• Can express a s____ m____ and leave a l____ v____ i____ on viewers and readers.
• Have the potential to d____ r____ into a document or presentation almost i____.
• P____ is key.
strong message
lasting visual
impression
draw readers
instantaneously
planning
Line Charts
• Useful for depicting e____ and t____ over t____
events
trends
time
Pie Charts
• Useful for illustrating the p____ within a w____
pieces
whole
Bar Charts
• Useful to c____ a____ or
q____
compare amounts
quantities
Create Effective Charts
Criteria:
1. T____ d____
2. F____ p____
3. I____ s____
4. Ease of p____
5. T____ m____
Title descriptiveness
Focal points
Information sufficiency
processing
takeaway message
Focal Points:
A chart should draw the reader's attention to the
m____ c____ r____ and i____
most critical relationships
ideas
Information sufficiency:
Charts should contain enough information for the reader to q____ and r____ u____ the ideas that are being displayed
quickly
reasonably understand
Ease of Processing:
A chart should convey c____ i____ as q____ as
possible.
complicated information
quickly
All charts/Formatting Guidelines:
• Ensure that all data is a____ l____.
• Avoid using too many b____ c____; they can be d____.
• Use d____ c____ to represent your most important data series.
• Avoid u____ f____ or too many s____ e____.
• Avoid ____ c____.
• Ensure that all text is h____.
• Avoid w____ t____ on dark backgrounds in most
cases.
appropriately labeled
bright colors
distracting
darker colors
unusual fonts
special effects
3-D charts
horizontal
white type
Line/Formatting Guidelines:
• Scale should be about _____ of the r_____ included in the chart.
• Series names should be p_____ o_____ or a_____ d_____ to lines.
• Only _____ or _____ data series [l_____] should be included.
two-thirds
range
placed on
attached directly
four
fewer
lines
Pie/Formatting Guidelines:
• Largest slice should begin at ____ ____ and go c____; second-largest slice should begin at ____ ____ and go c____.
• E____ s____ should be used sparingly.
• Pie slices should complete a w____ [add up to ____% of a d____ s____].
12 o'clock
clockwise
12
o'clock
counterclockwise
Exploding slices
whole
100
data series
Bar/Formatting Guidelines:
• Bars should be about _____ the w_____ of the s_____ in between bars.
• Baseline should always be _____.
• Bars should be arranged in a_____ or d_____ o_____ in most cases.
• Legend should only be used if the chart has _____ or _____ d_____ s_____
twice
width
space
zero
ascending
descending
order
two
more data series
Formatting Guidelines for Tables:
O____
I____
D____ s____
C____/r____ l____
G____ l____
Order
Indentation
Data series
Column
row labels
Grid lines
Order:
Order your entries a____ [a____ or n____ order of categories, or a____/d____ order of values of c____]
appropriately
alphabetical
numerical
ascending
descending
comparison
Indentation:
I____ or otherwise s____ a____ items within a category
Indent
set apart
Data series:
Present comparative data series _____
vertically
Column/row labels:
Label c____ and r____ effectively
columns
rows
Grid lines:
- Use grid lines for every ____ to ____ r____ at n____ b____ [n____ c____]; this simple design technique allows readers to e____ s____ rows
- Avoid grid lines on a____ b____; these tend to c____ the table
- Avoid a____ b____ c____ on rows in most cases; this is d____ and u____
three
five rows
natural breaks
new categories
easily scan
all borders
clutter
alternating background
colors
distracting
unnecessary
Choose a Research Topic
• Avoid settling on your topic too q____ and pace your r____
• Choose your topic s____
• Define the s____ of your project.
• Find ways to make your research more a____
• Talk to others who can h____ you.
quickly
research
strategically
scope
analytical
help
Important Issues in
Evaluating Data
• R____
• R____
• A____
• E____
• B____
Reliability
Relevance
Adaptability
Expertise
Biases
Adaptability:
How well the research can be a____ or r____ to meet your s____ b____ p____
altered
revised
specific business problem
Secondary Research Sources
• W____ p____
• I____
p____
• B____ p____
• S____ j____
• E____ b____
• B____ and m____ b____
White papers
industry publications
business periodicals
scholarly journals
external blogs
business
management books
White papers are r____ or g____ that generally describe research about solving a p____ i____
reports
guides
particular issue
Library Sources
• Books across a w____ range of d____ and t____.
• D____ r____.
• C____ and i____ r____ and s____ j____.
• O____ d____.
wide
disciplines
topics
digital resources
company
industry reports
scholarly journals
online databases
Strategies for Using Search Terms Effectively
- Use B____ o____
- Use a____ k____
Boolean
operators
alternative keywords
Document Your Research
- Excellent documentation helps decision makers e____ the c____ of your report.
- Use a system for d____ s____
evaluate
credibility
documenting sources
Use Online Information for Business Research
Strategies
• Always evaluate d____ q____
• Do more than just "G____ it."
••••••••• Go to
r____ b____ and i____ w____ and conduct s____.
••••••••• Find o____ d____ and f____ about your selected topic.
••••••••• Search beyond t____ i____.
• Be p____
data quality
google
reputable business
industry websites
searches
online discussions
forums
text-based information
persistent
Apply the FAIR Test to Your Research Data and Charts
• Examine all the a____ f____ and
interpret them from v____ p____.
• Don't make a____ or draw c____ beforehand.
available facts
various perspectives
assumptions
conclusions
Apply the FAIR Test to Your Research Data and Charts
Don't Mislead
• Don't c____ data.
• Provide all the r____ f____, even if they don't fit into c____ c____.
• Grant a____ to your data.
• Remember the i____ of your data on others and present it
with r____
cherry-pick
relevant facts
convenient conclusions
access
impacts
respect
Industry publications are written to cater to the s____ i____ of members in particular i____
specific interests
industries
Business periodicals [m____, n____] provide s____, i____, and a____ about c____ b____ i____.
magazines
newspapers
stories
information
advice
contemporary business issues
Scholarly journals contain b____ r____ that is e____ r____
business research
extremely reliable
External blogs and other online resources provide a p____ of information. Since most blogs are not formally edited or reviewed, the range in reliability is e____
plethora
enormous
Business and management books range greatly in terms of their o____ u____
overall usefulness
Which of the following are aspects of the AIM planning process?
i____
a____
m____
information
audience
message
What is the first step in the AIM planning process?
understanding the n____ of your a____
needs
audience
When preparing a speech about a business product, what should you find out about your audience?
what they k____ about the p____
the s____ of their i____ about the p____
know
product
source
information
product
Which statement about audience concerns is true?
The best way to deal with audience concerns is to encourage listeners to do their own research.
Speakers can prepare for audience concerns by considering them beforehand.
Audience members are unlikely to have concerns when listening to a presentation.
Speakers should be prepared to ignore audience concerns during a presentation.
Speakers can prepare for audience concerns by considering them beforehand.
When giving an internal presentation, you should focus your presentation primarily on persons who have the ability to put your i_____ into a_____
ideas
action
Which of the following are applications of the AIM planning process in presentations and speeches?
highlighting t______ c______
including s______
p______ to the k______ i______
conducting an a______ of the presentation's l______
topic-related conclusions
supporting points
key ideas
analysis
listeners
Compared to written proposals, speeches and presentations are better suited to capitalize on ______ appeals.
emotional
The first step of the AIM planning process may be difficult for a business presentation because you may not know the m____ of the a____
makeup
audience
When professionals with hub MVSs listen to business presentations, they respond best to which of the following?
Presentations that hold c____ b____ l____
Language that presents s____ o____
clear business logic
several options
True or false: When developing a presentation about a new product, you should spend more time giving information about the product if the audience is unfamiliar with it.
True
Speeches that are highlighted by slides full of illustrations appeal in particular to ______ learners.
Visual
When interacting with the audience during a presentation, you need to be able to reply q____ to q____ asked by a____ m____
quickly
questions
audience members
Which type of learner responds best to participation-focused presentations?
kinesthetic
When writing a presentation for clients and customers, you should primarily focus on
influencing which two of the following groups?
k____ d____ m____
prospects for f____ b____
key decision makers
future business
Which of the following are fundamental to any successful presentation?
s____
w____ c____
structure
well-formed content
Which kinds of appeals should be made when giving speeches and presentations?
e_____
a_____
emotional
analytical
The beginning of a presentation is the time when audience members form an o____ about the s____
opinion
speaker
If you want to appeal to a professional with a hub MVS, you should focus on which two of the following?
benefits to c_____ and c_____
o_____
l_____
clients
customers
option-oriented language
Which of the following are different learning styles that audience members may have?
k____
a____
v____
kinesthetic
auditory
visual
What should the preview of a speech accomplish?
attract the a____ of the audience
highlight the v____ of the speech to the
a____
attention
value
audience
In general, ______ learners believe that emotion is best conveyed through voice.
auditory
Which of the following are the main goals of a business speech attention-getter?
to get a____ m____ to consider the p____ i____
to engage a____ m____ e____
audience
members
presented ideas
audience members emotionally
Which of the following is the most critical factor in a successful presentation?
c____ d____
content development
The views you provide in a business speech are essentially attempts to convince audience members to c____ to some type of r____
commit
risk
Audience members typically decide which of the following during the preview of a presentation?
if they will p____ a____ and l____ to the presentation
if they think they have something to g____ from the presentation
if they are willing to a____ on what they h____
pay attention
listen
gain
act
hear
Which of the following methods is an approach to business communications designed to help presenters not make the mistake of presenting evidence without first stating a central position?
PREP
The review section of a business presentation contains which of the following?
a c____ to a____
a b____ s____ of the k____ m____
call
action
brief summary
key messages
Which
of the following elements of a speech are part of the preview?
the o____
the a____
the p____ s____
overview
attention-getter
positioning statement
True or false: Poorly designed electronic slides can have a negative impact on the effectiveness of business presentations.
True
What are traits of messages that are most likely to gain the attention of listeners?
They are delivered by a r____ s____.
They are formed around the listeners' i____
reliable source
interests
Ideally, the focal point of a business presentation should be the
speaker.
In a business presentation, the presenter's views are the k____ m____ of the presentation.
key messages
What is a guideline for the effective use of electronic slides in a business presentation?
Show no more than ____ s____ for every m____ or ____ of a presentation.
one slide
minute
two
True or false: A fatal error in a business presentation is to present evidence but leave out central positions.
True
The goal of the review in a business presentation is to compel a____ m____ to consider taking s____ a____
audience members
specific actions
Which of the following describes the effect of good visual aids on a presentation?
They s_____ improve the e_____ of the presentation.
significantly
effectiveness
Which two of the following are key strategies when creating slides for business presentations?
Make sure that the slide design is e____ to p____
Avoid making the slides too c____
easy
process
complicated
Electronic slides should serve simply as an a____ to a b____ p____
aid
business presentation
Which of the following people can help with designing electronic slides used in important business presentations?
p____ r____ e____
o____ p____
i____ s____
public relations experts
outside professionals
in-house specialists
You should arrange the slides that you use in a business presentation to create a
story line.
During a business presentation, audience members should be able to understand the information on slides within a f___ s___
few seconds
When audiences hear stories as part of a business presentation, they
retain i____ included in stories.
are more likely to a____ based on what they h____.
remember a____ i____ better
information
act
hear
abstract
information
Ideally, stories used in business presentations should be which of the following?
drawn from r____ l____
f____
h____
real life
factual
honest
When creating electronic slides for a business presentation, you should make sure that the data and ideas they present are as s____ and c____ as p____
simple
clear
possible
Which of the following criteria are part of the FAIR test?
Your real motives in making the presentation are a_____.
The presentation is f____ c____
accessible
factually correct
Which of the following can help improve the overall design of electronic slides used in business presentations?
developing s____ c____ and d____
focusing on k____ i____
using a d____
e____ when possible
simple charts
diagrams
key information
design expert
In a business presentation, the content of any slide should be e____ to r____ and u____
easy
read
understand
Why is using a story line approach in business presentations effective?
It helps a____ m____ better remember the p____
i____.
It creates an e____ c____ for a____ m____.
audience members i____ and u____ s____.
audience members
presented information
emotional connection
audience members
internalize
use stories
If a hypothetical story is used in a business presentation, the story should be which of the following?
a_____
b_____
applicable
believable
Which of the following should be verified when reviewing a business presentation?
Supplementary materials are w____ p____
Related technology is in w____ o____
The electronic slides have been p____
well prepared
working order
proofread
Most audience members expect your presentation to include a p____, v____, and r____.
preview
view
review
Latisha is giving a presentation on how summer hours programs—which allow employees to work an extra hour a day so they get a half-day off on Friday—affect morale. She begins her presentation with a funny story about how she lost her room key on her last vacation, and everyone in the audience laughs. How appropriate is this as an attention-getter?
It was i____ because it did not e____ the audience in thinking about her i____
inappropriate
engage
ideas
What is the last step of the PREP method for justifying your views in a presentation?
r____ your p____
restating
position
What is the main function of a review in a presentation?
to gain b____ on s____ a____
buy-in
specific actions
When designing presentation slides to make them easier to process, you should limit t____ to no more than ____ l____ of ____ w____ each.
text
six lines
ten words
What will help make presentation slides appear uncluttered?
plenty of w____ s____
white space
In the story line approach to business presentations, what is a resolution?
a s____ to the c____ or t____
solution
challenges
tensions
Delilah comes to the conclusion while reviewing her presentation that she has left out key information in order to shed a better light on her assessment. Which of the four steps for evaluation does this omission relate to?
access
Lucinda is giving a presentation to her manager, Glenn, who has a hub motivational value system. In order to appeal to his pragmatic and flexible nature in her presentation, she should
avoid discussing practical goals.
avoid being overly logical.
emphasize subjective decisions based on opinions.
use extremely confident language.
stress the benefits to different stakeholders.
stress the benefits to different stakeholders.
What is true of visual learners?
They dislike presentations given in loud, clear voices.
They learn well from illustrations and simple diagrams.
They need breaks at least every 20 minutes.
They need group activities or hands-on activities.
They make up the smallest portion of the population.
They learn well from illustrations and simple diagrams.
Which two of the following do speakers often do when they establish a presence during their business presentations?
They generate i____ in their ideas.
They gain the a____ of listeners.
interest
attention
When you make a presentation to colleagues, it offers a chance to improve your colleagues' opinions about your
abilities.
True or false: How audience members perceive a business presentation speaker's authenticity impacts how they regard the speaker's message.
True
When speakers choose not to rehearse before giving a business presentation, audience members will typically perceive which two of the following?
the speaker's v____
the speaker's d____
vagueness
disorganization
Which of the following statements are true about the fear of public speaking?
It is a c____ fear.
The fear is generally greater for i____ o____
common
important occasions
When a business speaker has presence, audience members tend to respond in which two of the following ways?
They admire the speaker's i____
They become motivated to t____ a____.
ideas
take
action
When giving a presentation, nervousness is only dysfunctional when a speaker cannot d____ the c____
deliver
content
During an internal business presentation, a speaker's credibility can be increased through which two of the following?
demonstrating knowledge about a b____ i____
explaining how a business idea will i____ the c____
business issue
improve
company
What are recommended relaxation techniques for managing nervousness in preparation for a presentation?
Listening to m____ that you enjoy.
S____
E____ a d____ or so before the event.
music
stretching
exercising
day
How do audience members typically respond when they hear an inauthentic speaker make a business presentation?
They feel u____
uncomfortable
Consistent deep breathing as part of a presentation is effective in
helping maintain a c____ p____
improving the t____ of the voice.
enhancing v____ t____
confident posture
tone
voice timbre
Which of the following are benefits that you obtain by rehearsing a business presentation?
increased f____ with the content
awareness of places to highlight with n____ c____
discovery of areas where content needs to be a____
familiarity
nonverbal communication
altered
In the context of a business speech, audience members primarily enjoy hearing about
people.
According to a 2014 survey of American adults by Geoffrey Brewer on Gallup Polls online, the fear of public speaking ranks even higher than which of the following sources of fear?
N____ and getting s____
Flying on an a____
S____
Needles
shots
airplane
spiders
Which of the following statements about nervousness and public speaking are true?
Experiencing nervousness in public speaking is
n____
Nervousness can result in a more p____ p____
Feeling nervousness in public speaking can be a b____
normal
passionate presentation
benefit
True or false: If adequately rehearsed, business presentations always go according to the speaker's plans.
False
Which of the following are relaxation techniques that can help limit nervousness before a presentation?
m____
emptying your m____
c____ b____ from ____
meditating
mind
counting backward
100
Which of the following are the benefits for a speaker of arriving early to a speech or presentation?
a____ the presentation if needed
seeing who will be a____
being able to assess the r____ and e____
adjusting
attending
room
equipment
Taking a few deep breaths has which of the following effects before a presentation?
It quells n_____
nervousness
As part of the preparation process, a business speaker should consider p____ q____ from the a____.
possible questions
audience
When a business speech is about people, which of the following generally occur?
The p____ of any s____ becomes livelier.
The audience becomes more c____ in the s____
presentation
statistics
confident
speaker
When you are deciding where to stand during a speech or presentation, you should choose a location that will do which of the following?
place you near the l_____
give you the b_____ e_____ c_____ with listeners
listeners
best eye contact
A speaker's nonverbal communication influences how audience members perceive which two of the following?
the speaker's c____
the m____ delivered by the speaker
credibility
message
A speaker can prepare for the unexpected during a business presentation by
maintaining an attitude of
f____
mastering the presentation's c____
flexibility
content
Which of the following are elements of the SOFTEN model of nonverbal communication?
t____
s____
n____
tone
smile
nod
Nancy is giving a presentation in a venue that she has never been to before. Which of the following is the most important thing she should do?
She should a____ at least an h____ before the presentation.
arrive
hour
Which of the following typically occur when you smile during a presentation?
Listeners are more likely to view you f____.
You make a p____ c____ with listeners.
favorably
positive connection
During a business presentation, a speaker might have to incorporate changes quickly if
audience members ask q____
listeners make c____
questions
comments
What is the significance of an open stance in a business presentation?
It is a w____ and i____ form of n____ c____
warm
inviting
nonverbal communication
If all the audience members are sitting in back rows for a speech presentation, which of the following are recommended steps to take?
Make a point of m____ c____ to the audience members.
Ask the audience members to m____ f____.
moving closer
move forward
For business speakers, attire influences how others p_____ them.
perceive
Which of the following are forms of nonverbal communication used by effective business speakers?
an o____ s____
e____ c____
open stance
eye contact
Using the SOFTEN model of nonverbal communication allows you to project
s_____
f_____
self-assurance
friendliness
To demonstrate competence when giving a presentation, a younger business professional should dress with greater
formality.
Which of the following best helps you connect with your audience members and convey enthusiasm for your topic?
smiling
The primary focus of a business presentation with visual aids should be
the speaker.
Which of the following are open-stance gestures for a business speaker?
keeping arms at the s____ of the b____
using p____ g____
sides
body
palms-up gestures
When showing slides for a business presentation in a room that allows you to dim only the lights next to the screen, you should remember to do which of the following?
Stand where you are in f____ l____
full light
Order the following categories of attire according to their level of formality, with the most formal attire at the top and the least formal at the bottom.
F____ b____ a____
B____ c____ a____
C____ a____
Formal business attire
Business casual attire
Casual attire
At a business presentation, a speaker should begin to use slides after a s____ o____
spoken opening
Which of the following is a common mistake made by speakers during a slide presentation?
They spend too much time with their b____ to the a____
backs
audience
When giving a business presentation, a speaker should dress with ______ than the members of the audience.
greater formality
A useful tool for advancing slides during a business presentation that allows you to keep more eye contact with an audience than a keyboard would allow is a slide
remote control.
Which of the following are visual aids that can be used in business presentations?
e____
s____
s____ v____
electronic slides
screencast videos
What are two disadvantages of distributing handouts during a business presentation?
You lose control over which d____ audience members are looking at during the p____.
Audience members will begin to p____ l____ a____ to you.
data
presentation
pay less attention
Which of the following can occur if the lights are turned off during a slide presentation?
Audience members can become s____
The s____ become the focus of the presentation.
sleepy
slides
True or false: A good speaker will involve the audience as much as possible without taking too much time or straying from the speech topic.
True
What is the main rationale for not starting to show slides as soon as you begin a presentation that features slides?
You should first make a c____ with your a____
connection
audience
It is beneficial for a speaker to take questions at a business presentation for which of the following reasons?
Audience members will feel that the speaker cares about a_____ their
n_____.
The speaker will have a better chance to e_____ p_____ of the m_____
addressing
needs
explain parts
message
When describing electronic slides during a business presentation, the speaker's ______ should be towards the audience.
face
What is a recommended practice when you are answering a question from a member of the audience that requires you to quickly come up with a response?
p____ before giving the a____
pausing
answer
What are some benefits of using a remote control to advance slides during a business presentation?
You are free to m____ a____ the room.
You can more e____ continue e____ c____ with the audience.
move around
easily
eye
contact
What result can a speaker anticipate by mingling with audience members after a business presentation?
developing p____ c____
professional connections
To minimize the disadvantages of handouts during a business presentation, the best time to give them out is ______ the presentation.
at the end of
Cleo's team will be giving a group presentation. Which of the following should the team do to ensure a cohesive team presentation?
Team members should c_____ with each other about the o_____ while preparing.
Team members should be u_____ in the team's k_____ o_____ and m_____
communicate
objectives
united
key objectives
messages
What are things that good speakers will do when involving the audience in their presentations?
make sure q____ and d____ stay on topic
limit the amount of t____ spent interacting with l____
questions
discussion
time
listeners
Sun's team is giving an important presentation on a new heart rate monitor. Pablo is energetic and charming but physically uncoordinated. Jisoo is an experienced yoga instructor who can lower or increase her heart rate by controlling her breath. Thorin is methodical, calm, and introverted. Sun has experience as a math tutor. Which of the following roles would be most appropriate?
Jisoo should d____ how the heart rate monitor w____
Sun should explain any n____ i____ about the heart rate monitor.
demonstrate
works
numerical information
In what ways can a question-and-answer session of a business presentation be a risk for the speaker?
The questions may throw the speaker o____ t____
Audience members' questions may be d____
off topic
difficult
Which of the following should you and your team members do to make your presentation the most effective?
You should p____ a____ to one another as you each p____
You should s____ c____ to one another.
pay
attention
present
stand close
Which of the following are benefits of pausing before answering questions in a business presentation?
It makes you seem more t_____
It gives you time to c_____ a r_____
It helps make you feel more c_____
thoughtful
contemplate
response
composed
Which of the following best explains what you should do during your team presentation to show your team is united?
You should r____ to one another throughout the p____
refer
presentation
What should you plan to do in the days after you have given a business presentation?
You should take steps to help develop o____ p____ r____ as a result of the presentation.
You should consider sending a b____ e____ n____ thanking the audience members for a____.
You should r____ to any audience members to whom you made promises about p____ a____ i____
ongoing professional relationships
brief email note
attending
reply
providing additional information
Which of the following would be effective transitions in a team presentation?
"I'm Gertrude, and now here's Char with the next section."
"Now, here's Samer to continue the discussion with a focus on achieving our sales goals."
"Hakim will now share some ideas about how to improve student engagement."
"Thank you for listening." Speaker then bows and waits for the next speaker to start.
"Now, here's Samer to continue the discussion with a focus on achieving our sales goals."
"Hakim will now share some ideas about how to improve student engagement."
Which of the following is the likely result if team members continually check in with one another about key objectives and messages while preparing a team presentation?
Their presentation will be c____ and more i____
cohesive
influential
Which of the following are ways an audience member can show support to a speaker during a business presentation?
maintaining e____ c____
asking m____ q____
eye
contact
message-focused questions
Constance's team was organized and efficient. When the team learned it would be giving a team presentation at the annual meeting, its members immediately divided up the work equally. The members worked independently but did not need to check up on one another, since each member was reliable and would not do anything to let down the team. The presentation itself was not particularly effective, and audience members appeared distracted. Which of the following is the most likely reason the presentation was unsuccessful?
The team did not c____ about the o____ p____
collaborate
overall presentation
Jacob's team is giving a presentation. Which of the following would be the best choice for presenting a united front?
Jacob should wear a bright color. The others should wear a dark color. Team members should stand by the back wall when not presenting.
The team should stand close together on stage and avoid looking at each other.
Team members not presenting should sit in the front row with the audience.
The team should wear the same formality of attire and stand close to one another on the stage.
The team should wear the same formality of attire and stand close to one another on the stage.
Which of the following are accomplished by referring to one another throughout a team presentation?
You ensure your comments c____ with your teammates' c____
You demonstrate that your team is u____
connect
contributions
united
Fran is finishing up her portion of the team presentation and passes the speaking role to Maia. She says, "Maia will now discuss the benefits of core strength exercises on running. She'll share her personal story about how strengthening her core resulted in fewer running injuries and how this led to a personal best in the local marathon last year. She'll also demonstrate some of the exercises, such as the side plank and the bridge." Which of the following best explains the effect of this transition?
Fran took o____ from Maia and prevented Maia from being able to showcase her m____ p____
opportunities
main
points
Which of the following are examples of unsupportive behavior by an audience member during a business presentation?
t____
y____
texting
yawning
During presentations, speakers show their ________ by knowing their content well.
competence
Hoda is skilled at reading the emotional signals of her audience and making quick, subtle adaptations to her presentation to connect with them. Hoda is good at showing her
caring.
Which tip will help you manage your nervousness before giving a presentation?
resisting the urge to envision yourself presenting
watching what foods and beverages you consume
avoiding talking to the audience before starting your presentation
focusing on people in the audience with skeptical expressions
arriving for your presentation at the last minute
watching what foods and beverages you consume
Which presenter is using the room to his or her advantage?
Jared positions himself slightly down the center aisle because the front rows are empty.
Nancy stands behind the podium, griping the edges so no one sees her hands trembling.
Kenji turns the lights off so everyone can focus on the presentation slides.
Juliette paces back and forth across the width of the room while speaking.
Adam frequently turns to read the text on his slides while presenting.
Jared positions himself slightly down the center aisle because the front rows are empty.
In which scenario is the speaker acting advantageously?
Louis sits casually on a table while presenting.
Harvey stands just in front of the podium to seem more accessible.
Diamond stares at her notes to deal with her nervousness.
Brianna grips the podium while she speaks to the audience.
Alyssa paces around the room while presenting.
Harvey stands just in front of the podium to seem more accessible.
Which tip is a helpful guideline for nonverbal communication during presentations?
Use facial expressions to connect with your audience and show enthusiasm for your topic.
Avoid gesturing with your hands, arms, body, and head as that can appear too dramatic.
Do not make too much eye contact because audiences interpret that as being aggressive.
Avoid smiling and nodding because it can make you seem fake and insincere.
Demonstrate warmth by standing with your hands on your hips or folding your arms.
Use facial expressions to connect with your audience and show enthusiasm for your topic.
Darius has to make a presentation at a fund-raising event. Which nonverbal behavior should Darius display during his presentation to build the audience's trust in him?
He should lean forward but keep an upright posture.
He should remain behind the podium.
He should use dramatic gestures.
He should speak more quickly than usual.
He should maintain eye contact with his audience.
He should maintain eye contact with his audience.
What accurately matches the type of attire with the attribute it projects?
Formal business dress projects authority.
Casual dress projects competence.
High-level business casual projects friendliness.
Formal business dress projects creativity.
Low-level business casual projects trustworthiness.
Formal business dress projects authority.
If you want to draw the audience's attention to you during your presentation, you should
avoid previewing your slides before showing them to the audience.
open your presentation with your slides.
explain and elaborate on the content in your slides.
keep your slides up even when not referencing them.
stand in front of the slide projection.
explain and elaborate on the content in your slides.
How can a team ensure that it gives a cohesive presentation?
Allow members to work independently as much as possible.
Divide up the presentation roles according to strengths.
Whoever is speaking should stand away from the team to command audience attention.
Avoid repeating each other's points to keep from boring the audience.
Be clear with one another about the team's objectives and key messages.
Be clear with one another about the team's objectives and key messages.
Developing Business Proposals
• Deal with a____ r____.
• Explain b____ g____.
• Vary in l____ and f____
allocating resources
business goals
length
format
Components
of a Business Proposal
• C_____ P_____
• E_____ S_____
• C_____ S_____
• S_____ O_____
• D_____ O_____
• T_____
• R_____ E_____
• P_____/B_____
Cover Page
Executive Summary
Current Situation
Specific Objectives
Deliverables Overview
Timeline
Results Enhancers
Pricing
Budget
Precision-Oriented Style
• The report offers a_____, w_____ f_____, g_____ r_____ for
conclusions, and a solid basis for r_____.
• Foundation must be a w_____ b_____ p_____ or c_____
accurate
well-documented facts
good reasoning
recommendations
well-stated business problem
challenge
Excellence in thinking for reports:
Business problem
facts
conclusions
recommendations
Precision-Oriented
Reports
• Start with a c____ s____ of the b____ p____ or c____
• Use f____ l____
• Document s____ r____ and avoid p____
• Base recommendations on f____ and c____ in the report.
• Provide s____ and a____ r____
clear statement
business problem
challenge
fact-based language
secondary research
plagiarism
facts
conclusions
specific
actionable recommendations
Problem statements are most effective when they provide the u____ c____ of the problem for the organization, and reflect an a____ sense of u____. Typically, such statements should be ____ to ____ p____ long
unique context
appropriate
urgency
one
three paragraphs
Use fact-based language
You can raise the credibility of your report by:
• Supplying the f____ with p____
• Providing s____ d____ for your
conclusions.
• Carefully dealing with p____ and c____/e____ s____
• R____ citing your r____ s____
facts
precision
supporting details
predictions
cause
effect statements
responsibly
research sources
Document Secondary Research and Avoid Plagiarism
- Provide a r____ l____ at the end of the report that contains all your s____
- Provide citations to indicate the i____ you have drawn
from other s____
- There are a variety of d____ s____, including ____ and ____ styles.
reference list
sources
information
sources
documentation systems
APA
MLA
Document Secondary Research and Avoid Plagiarism
Avoid Plagiarism
• Document all r____ to the i____ of others.
• Includes D____ q____, P____, B____ i____.
references
ideas
direct
quotations
paraphrases
borrowed ideas
Designing Your Reports to Help Decision Makers
Easy to Navigate
• Not everyone will read it from s____ to f____
• Provide a f____ s____
••••••••• F____ m____
••••••••• T____
••••••••• B____ M____
start
finish
familiar structure
front matter
text
back matter
Front Matter
• L____ or M____
of T____
• C____
• T____ P____
• C____ N____, C____
• T____ of C____
• List of T____ and/or F____
• P____ or F____
• A____
Letter
Memo
Transmittal
Cover
Title page
Copyright notice
Credits
Table
contents
tables
figures
preface
foreword
acknowledgements
Text
• E____ S____
• I____
• F____
• R____
• C____
•
Executive Summary.
• Introduction.
• Findings.
• Recommendations.
• Conclusions.
Back Matter
• R____ L____ or B____
• A____
• A____
Reference list
Bibliography
Appendices
attachments
Executive Summary
• Summarize the m____ i____ contents.
• Include k____ f____, c____, and r____.
• Should be about ____ p____ per ____ to
____ p____ in the report.
most important
key findings
conclusions
recommendations
1 page
10
20 pages
Providing Clear Headings That Support a Story Line
• Heading structure should stay c____ throughout.
• Title is d____.
• The story of the report includes:
•••••••• B____ p____ or c____.
•••••••• O____ and r____
•••••••• O____
•••••••• A____ [r____].
consistent
descriptive
business problem
challenge
opportunities
risks
options
advice
recommendations
Opt for d____ titles and headings that help your readers q____ recognize the v____ and c____ of any given section
descriptive
quickly
value
contents
Preview statements can help decision makers f____ the d____ of your t____. They also frame the m____, allowing readers to create a m____ m____ of your k____ t____ m____
follow
direction
text
message
mental map
key takeaway messages
The purpose of tables and charts is first and foremost to f____ into the s____ l____ you have established for your report.
fit
story line
Using bulleting and enumerated lists can help readers r____ p____ and g____ i____. On the other hand, when too much of the report is in bullet points, it can create a c____, s____ effect
rapidly process
group information
choppy
staccato-like
Cover Page
• Include a t____, n____ of those who w____ and/or are s____ the report, and a d____
title
names
wrote
submitting
date
Table of Contents
• Expected for nearly any report over ____ p____ l____
ten pages long
Appendixes
• Provide r____ m____
- F____ s____, m____ m____, d____ d____ t____, etc.
reference materials
financial statements
marketing materials
detailed data tables
Achieving
Objectivity and Positivity through Tone
• Achieve a p____, c____ tone.
• Project o____—the s____ that you are p____ i____, a____, and a____ that is s____, r____, and u____.
• Ensure that your e____ and s____ p____ e____ do not appear to cloud your judgment.
positive
can-do
objectivity
sense
providing information
analysis
advice
sound
reliable
unbiased
enthusiasm
strong positive emotion
Two Kinds of Business Reports
1. B____ t____ or b____ i____
•••••••••• Based on p____ and s____ r____.
2. Based on s____ r____ [p____ r____].
Business trend
business issue
primary
secondary research
survey results
primary research
Key Features of a Report
• V____ to decision makers.
• P____
• D____
• E____ n____
• O____
Value
precision
documentation
easy
navigation
objectivity
Slide Deck Format
• Works for s____ r____
• V____ s____ and m____ c____
survey reports
visually stronger
more creative
Reviewing Your Reports for Fairness and Effectiveness
• Discuss the report with the u____ d____ m____ so you can best tailor the f____ p____ to their needs.
• Run through it n____ t____, each time
considering a d____ p____.
• Review for t____ or m____ e____
ultimate decision makers
final product
numerous times
different perspective
typographical
mechanical errors
AIM Planning Process
- A____
- I____
- M____
- Audience
- Information
- Message
Audience
• A____ n____ and s____ to the
a____ in a way that is m____ a____ and e____ to l____
address needs
speak
audience
most appealing
easy
learn
Information
• I____ k____ f____ and c____
identify key facts
conclusions
Message
• F____ on k____ t____ c____ and p____ s____ p____ throughout.
Focus
key
takeaway concepts
provide supporting points
Principles of Audience Analysis
Identify the following:
• A____ b____
• E____ k____
• C____
• D____ m____
• A____
• C____ s____
• L____ s____
• Audience benefits.
• Existing knowledge.
• Concerns.
• Decision makers.
• Appeals.
• Communicator style.
• Learning style.
Analyze
Your Audience and Gather the Right Information
Seven Questions to Ask
• How will audience members b____ from the p____, s____, or i____ I am proposing?
• What do the audience members a____ k____ about my p____, s____, or i____?
• What are my audience members' c____ c____?
• Who are the k____ d____ m____?
• What will a____ to your audience?
• What is the l____ s____ of your audience?
• What i____ do I need to gather?
benefit
product
service
ideas
already
know
product
service
ideas
chief concerns
key decision makers
appeal
learning style
information
What will appeal to your audience?
Consider the m____ v____ s____ [____]
motivational value systems
[MVSs]
What is the learning style of your audience?
V____, a____, or k____ learners
Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic
Develop Your Message
This is the m____ c____ factor in p____ s____
• Identify a f____ t____ m____
• Structure your presentation with a c____ p____, v____, and r____
most critical
presentation success
few takeaway messages
clear preview
view
review
Provide a Compelling Preview
• An e____ a____
• A p____ s____
• An o____ s____
effective attention-getter
positioning statement
overview statement
Types of Effective Attention-Getters
- R____ q____
- V____ E____
- D____ d____
- T____ or q____
- I____ s____
- U____ e____
- C____
- Rhetorical question
- Vivid Example
- Dramatic demonstration
- Testimonial
- quotation
- Intriguing statistic
- Unexpected exercise
-
Challenge
Positioning Statement
• F___ your m___ in a___ t___ to your a___ m___
• Demonstrates c___ and v___ ___
• Ideally ___-___ s___
Frames
message
appealing terms
audience members
clear
valuable benefits
1
2 sentences
Providing an Overview Statement
F____ P____ of the P____
• Ideally ____ to ____ s____
• S____, c____
language.
Final part
preview
1
3 sentences
simple
conversational
Views
• Your _____, _____, or _____ k_____ m_____.
• Include s_____ support material.
••••••• S_____ c_____ or e_____.
••••••• S_____ and i_____.
••••••• A_____.
••••••• S_____ and f_____.
••••••• Q_____.
••••••• Your own e_____.
two
three
four key
messages
strong
specific cases
examples
stories
illustrations
analogies
statistics
facts
quotations
experiences
Components of PREP Method
• P_____
• R_____
• E_____
• P_____
• Position
• Reasons
• Example
• Position
Conclude with an Effective Review
• Have a s____ f____
• Gain b____ on specific
actions.
••••••••• R____ your message in a f____ s____
••••••••• Provide a c____ to a____
strong finish
buy-in
recap
few sentences
call
action
Design Appealing Slides
• Businesspeople frequently use P____ or other e____ s____ p____
• Can increase c____ e____ and p____ by about ____ p____
• Don't forget you as the speaker are the f____ of the p____
• Create a s____ with your s____
t____
PowerPoint
electronic slide presentations
communication effectiveness
persuasiveness
50 percent
focus
presentation
storyboard
slide titles
Design Your Slides for Ease of Processing
• Limit the amount of i____ on any given slide.
• Use font sizes that all audience members can r____ e____
• Focus on and highlight k____ i____
• Use plenty of w____ s____
• Use h____
b____ and c____
• Use c____ i____ in m____
• Develop s____ c____ and d____
• Get p____ d____ h____ when possible.
information
read easily
key information
white space
high-contrast backgrounds
colors
compelling images
moderation
simple charts
diagrams
professional design help
Applying the Story Line Approach to Your Presentations
• Allows your listeners to e____ on a
d____ l____, e____ and i____
• People remember s____ more easily than they do a____ i____, and they are more likely to a____ on what they h____ via stories.
engage
deeper level
emotionally
intellectually
stories
abstract information
act
hear
Stories for business contain the following elements:
• P____
• S____
• R____
• M____ or l____
Plot
Setting
Resolution
Moral
lesson
Reviewing Your Presentations for Fairness and Effectiveness
Final Review
• Check t____ works.
• Check for t____
• Seek feedback from c____ and c____
• Apply the ____ T____
technology
typos
colleagues
clients
FAIR test
Establishing Presence
Strategies
• Establish c____
•••••••••• I____ presentations.
•••••••••• E____ presentations.
•
Maintain a____.
•••••••••• Present your r____ s____ to the audience.
• Know your m____ and r____
• Overcome f____ and speak with c____
credibility
internal
external
authenticity
real self
material
rehearse
fear
confidence
Know your material and rehearse.
• Become m____ c____ with the content.
• Work out w____ c____ areas.
• Identify parts that you want to e____
through t____ and n____ c____
• T____ the presentation.
more comfortable
weakly connected
emphasize
tone
nonverbal communication
time
Overcome fear and speak with confidence.
• Everyone gets nervous s____ in p____
• Engage in r____ t____
• Become aware of your b____
• Practice v____
• Focus on f____ f____ initially to gain c____ and c____.
• Watch your f____ and b____
intake.
• Get c____ with a____ m____ before starting your presentation.
speaking
public
relaxation techniques
breathing
visualization
friendly faces
composure
confidence
food
beverage
comfortable
audience members
Establishing Presence
Focus on People
• Make p____ the subject of your sentences.
• Introduce c____ and refer to them by n____ during your presentation.
•
Use names of a____ m____ as appropriate
people
colleagues
name
audience members
Establishing Presence
Stay Flexible
• Arrive e____
• Focus on the n____ of your audience.
• When you lose your place, don't p____
• Never tell your audience things haven't g____ as e____
• Always have a p____ ____.
• Know what your k____ m____ are.
early
needs
panic
gone
expected
plan
B
key messages
Establishing Presence
Use the Room to Your Advantage
• Position yourself where p____ can s____ you e____
• M____ a____ but avoid d____ the audience.
• Use p____ and t____ strategically
people
see
easily
move around
distracting
podiums
tables
Establishing Presence
SOFTEN Model of Nonverbal Communication
•
S____
• O____ s____
• F____ l____
• T____
• E____ c____
• N____
• Smile
• Open stance
• Forward lean
• Tone
• Eye contact
• Nod
Formal business dress:
• Intended to project e____ p____ and s____
executive presence
seriousness
Business casual dress:
• Intended to project a m____ c____,
r____ f____ while still maintaining a h____ s____ of p____
more comfortable
relaxed feel
high standard
professionalism.
Casual dress:
• L____ f____ option.
• R____ in a business-related setting.
least formal
rare
Use Visuals without Losing Focus on You
• Avoid t____ out the l____ in most cases.
• Don't
s____ your s____ r____ a____.
• Speak to your a____, not the s____
• I____, don't r____ your slides.
• P____ the slides before s____ them.
• Use a r____ c____ to advance slides when possible.
• Avoid standing in front of the s____ p____.
• Use b____ s____ strategically.
turning
lights
start
slides right away
audience
screen
interpret
read
preview
showing
remote control
slide projection
blank
slides
Handouts
• Make sense for d____, n____, and other i____ that is difficult to p____ a____ onto a s____.
• Wait until the e____ of your p____ to distribute handouts.
detailed
numerical
information
project adequately
screen
end
presentation
Ways to Interact with Your Audience
• F____ q____.
•••••••••• P____ before
answering.
•••••••••• Be h____.
•••••••••• Show a____.
•••••••••• Be c____.
•••••••••• R____ the question to match your a____.
• M____ and f____ u____.
Field questions
pause
honest
appreciation
concise
reframe
agenda
mingle
follow up
How to Present
• Be clear with one another about your o____ and k____ m____
• Decide on your p____ r____
• S____ t____ and present a
u____ f____
• Refer to one another's p____
• T____ e____
objectives
key messages
presentation roles
stand together
united front
points
transition effectively
Being a Supportive Audience Member
- Take the role of audience member s____
- Avoid behaviors that may d____ the p____
- Make c____ and ask q____ that help the presenter stay on m____
seriously
distract
presenter
comments
questions
message
Professionals with red MPVS will appreciate your ability to s____ on p____ and discuss i____ g____. Emotionally and analytically, they are attracted to a____ and r____ l____. They generally think c____ and c____ presentations are more persuasive.
stay
point
immediate goals
action-oriented
results-oriented language
concise
confident
Professionals with blue MVS will appreciate your ability to discuss b____ r____. Emotionally, blues will connect to you with your use of "w____" l____ and other r____ t____. Analytically, blues will connect with your h____ a____ to business benefits. They are attracted to business logic that includes m____ than just b____ measures of performance.
business relationships
"we" language
relationship-centered terms
holistic approach
more
bottom-line
Professionals with green MVS will appreciate your ability to provide all of the f____ and avoid rushing to j____ about c____. Greens generally pride themselves on a d____ [n____] approach to decision making and may be turned off by what they consider b____ and i____ appeals to e____. Greens are often emotionally connected to p____ l____; w____ and c____ c____, m____, and other f____; and the ability to handle t____ q____
facts
judgment
conclusions
dispassionate
non-emotional
blatant
irrelevant
emotion
precise
language
well-designed
conceptualized charts
models
figures
tough questions
Hubs are by nature p____ and f____. They prefer a presentation that holds c____ b____ l____ with an emphasis on b____ to p____. They prefer o____ l____. Excessively confident language is often interpreted by hubs as a____ or r____
pragmatic
flexible
clear business logic
benefits
people
option-oriented
language
arrogant
rigid