Lecture Notes on Effective Communication

Introduction

• The Uniform Code of Military Justice: court martial for officers sending soldiers into battle unarmed.
• Analogy for students: must not go into life without communication skills.
• Success determined by:
  • Ability to speak
  • Ability to write
  • Quality of ideas

Communication Skills Formula

• Success = Knowledge (K) + Practice (P) + Talent (T)
  • Talent is minimal; knowledge and practice are key.
• Personal anecdote: skiing with Mary Lou Retton illustrates knowledge and practice over inherent talent.

Objectives of the Lecture

• Present techniques for effective speaking.
• Promise: One technique may be the key to securing a job.
• Process is nonlinear; exposure to various ideas.

Rules of Engagement

• No laptops or cell phones during the talk.
• Distraction affects both speaker and audience.

Starting Your Talk

• Avoid starting with a joke; audience not ready.
• Empowerment Promise: tell the audience what they will learn by the end of the hour.
  • Example: "At the end of this hour, you will know things about speaking that will make a difference in your life."

Heuristics for Effective Speaking

1. Cycling on the Subject
   • Repeat key points multiple times to ensure understanding.
2. Building a Fence Around Ideas
   • Clearly define and distinguish your ideas from others.
   • Example: Clarifying algorithms by comparing them.
3. Verbal Punctuation
   • Use clear markers and enumerations to guide the audience.
   • Example: "The first thing we will discuss is..."
4. Asking Questions
   • Engage the audience and prompt interaction, while being mindful of pauses (up to 7 seconds).

Importance of Time and Place

• Best time for lectures is 11 AM (most alert).
• Room should be well-lit to avoid inducing sleep.
• Familiarize with the speaking venue beforehand to manage potential challenges.

Tools of the Trade: Boards, Props, and Slides

• Blackboard: preferred for informing.
  • Allows use of graphics and speed of writing aligns with audience absorption.
• Props: enhance understanding and engagement.
  • Example: Using a bicycle wheel to demonstrate principles.
• Slides: good for exposing ideas, not for teaching.
  • Minimize text on slides; slides should complement, not dominate.
  • Eliminate background clutter and reduce font sizes for clarity.

Special Cases of Presentations

• Informing: convey knowledge effectively; start with a promise and express passion.
• Job Talks: need to convey vision and accomplishments quickly (within 5 minutes).
  • Establish the problem you care about and your unique approach.

Getting Famous

• Importance of recognition for ideas and work.
• Winston Star: framework for memorable presentations.
  • Include a symbol, slogan, surprise, salient idea, and a narrative.

Conclusion of the Talk

• Final slide should focus on contributions, not just conclusions.
• Avoid weak closing remarks like "thank you"; instead, acknowledge the audience or summarize key takeaways.

Key Takeaways

• Effective communication is critical for success in personal and professional life.
• Knowledge and practice outweigh inherent talent.
• Engage your audience through structured, clear, and visually appealing presentations.