BSBCRT401 Learner Guide

AISL Pty Ltd T/A Rosehill College
RTO No: 41257 | CRICOS Code: 03622A

Level 2 & 4, 616-620 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia
T: (02) 9211 1288 | E: info@rosehillcollege.edu.au
www.rosehillcollege.edu.au
BSBCRT401
Articulate, present and debate ideas
LEARNER RESOURCE
Table of contents
Table of contents..................................................................................................................0
Introduction..........................................................................................................................1
........................................................................................................................................................1
What Will I learn?............................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: ANALYSE IDEAS FOR COMMUNICATION TO OTHERS..........................................2
1.2 Reflect on different ways of communicating ideas for different purposes and to different
people..............................................................................................................................................9
1.3 Identify the enabling skills and attributes of individuals who can effectively participate in
discussions about ideas..................................................................................................................11
Self-check assessment.........................................................................................................17
CHAPTER 2: PROVOKE RESPONSE AND REACTION...............................................................18
2.1 Explore and use different techniques to engage, fascinate and involve others in the process of
communication and exchange.......................................................................................................19
2.2 Explore the ways that storytelling can be used to communicate ideas.....................................22
2.3 Create innovative approaches to different communication challenges....................................27
2.4 Be prepared to take risks in the way ideas are presented........................................................29
2.5 Identify specific ways to provoke and encourage response in particular individuals or groups 30
CHAPTER 3: DEBATE AND DISCUSS IDEAS............................................................................35
3.2 Be open to critical analysis of own ideas and to the ideas of others.........................................40
3.3. Identify and participate in conversations that challenge and explore different concepts and
approaches and generate new ideas..............................................................................................41
3.4 Respond to questions about ideas with confidence and relevant information.........................45
3.5 Reflect on and appraise the views of others, and use to refine ideas and to embrace new ideas
.......................................................................................................................................................48
............................................................................................................................................51
References..........................................................................................................................52
Introduction
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to articulate, present and debate ideas in a work
or broader life context using creative techniques in order to provoke response, reaction and critical
discussion. This unit applies to individuals who contribute and present ideas that may be complex in
nature and may relate to new products, services, processes or creative works using a degree of risk
taking and storytelling.
What Will I learn?

This learning guide will provide you the skills and knowledge required
to:
1. Analyse ideas for communication to others
2. Provoke response and reaction
3. Debate and discuss ideas
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CHAPTER 1: ANALYSE IDEAS FOR COMMUNICATION TO

OTHERS
In this chapter, you will learn about the following:
 Distil key themes, messages and positions to aid in clarity of thought and presentation
 Reflect on different ways of communicating ideas for different purposes and to different
people
 Identify the enabling skills and attributes of individuals who can effectively participate in
discussions about ideas
Communicating Ideas – Building stronger teams is every leaders dream, keeping the same
communicating ideas as base most of the organizations today plan to adopt effective methods for
communicating ideas. What matters down the line is not what you say, but how you say. Thus,
communication is the unique feature that helps in separating a bad leader from an effective leader in
the organization. Thus, the golden key to be an effective leader is ‘communication’.
Clear and perfect communication is need of the hour; we all remember very well that ‘Titanic’ sank
because of lack of communication. Had there been clearer communication, the tragedy could have
been prevented and many lives would have been saved. In the same way communication plays very
vital role in our lives and business. In a survey conducted by CIO magazine, to list the topmost three
skills needed in professional’s 70 percent readers listed communication as one of the vital skills.
So why not brainstorm and update our communication skills by following the below listed top ten
highly effective methods of communicating ideas in business environment. These are highly effective
tips that help in communicating not just with staff at work, but also with customers, superiors, co-
workers as well as subordinates. Some of the effective communication traits are being shared below
that when used in consistent manner will certainly help in getting better communication outcomes.
1. Be an Active Listener
Did you get the feeling of talking to walls while interacting with someone at workplace? This is really
an annoying feeling as you get heard but there are no signs of being heard from the listener. It’s a
personal suggestion avoid doing the same to your colleagues,
subordinates or superiors. The first and foremost rule of better
communication ideas is to be aware that you are being heard. You can
do so by creating an interactive session and keep the listeners involved
in the game. This will certainly help in strengthening your personal
knowledge as well as create a good impression. Showing reactions to
whatever is being said through a nod or by using an “I see” or by simply
paraphrasing sentence gives impact to whatever is being said. Another
good action is encouraging feedbacks from all the workers in the
organization.
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2. Avoid Disruptions and Negative Questions
Suppose you ask your subordinate “You don’t have the file or report?” and the reply you get is “Yes”.
This is very confusing because it can mean Yes, you are right, and I have don’t have the file or report.
Or it can also mean yes, I have the desired report or file.
This clearly indicates that asking negative questions will mostly get vague or unclear replies that will
result in confusions. Thus, it is better that you should always go for positively framed questions (like
“Do you have the have or report I asked for?”). If need be then you should always go for reaffirming
negative questions like “Am I correct, that you do not have the file or report?”
Interruptions result in disruptions, so simply avoid interruptions, mainly while communicating ideas to
your customers. It has been seen that customers mostly get upset, if you interrupt them frequently. If
need be, then just cut the chase and tell the other person your insight about the communicating ideas
and its importance. This way the other person has the option of either correcting or confirming your
idea and finally this will help in saving lot of time.
3. Avoid Being Casual
Being casual is a strict no- no. By being informal with the colleagues or subordinates you definitely
develop a good rapport, and this helps in getting the job well done. But setting the limit to being casual
is also very important while communicating ideas on the job. If it turns out to be pushy or angry, it can
give rise to an unintended reaction from the recipient side. So, better make the language clear and in
case of situations like anger, take a deep breath and keep your cool.
In case of written communication, it is better to maintain professionalism in your emails, letters, phone
calls or business meetings. By being very casual can lead to recipients feeling uncomfortable
sometimes. There is a major issue with electronic media like emails and social media, which is very
frequently used for communication these days. It is very difficult to ascertain which tone is being used
while communicating ideas through them. So, it is better to communicate ideas personally by
scheduling a meeting with the recipient or send message in professional manner.
4. Never Rush Communication
Never be in rush for anything while communicating; give yourself a pause before communicating.
Giving pauses, though short ones really works wonders, especially when you are communicating ideas
to the staff or at the workplace. Just a small break is what is required, and it gives you short span of
time to ponder. It has been found that rushing while communicating ideas never ever works rather it
makes all the things go wrong. It is usually seen that when we hasten the things, we either forget
something or are bound to misplace the information to be communicated. The same thing happens
while communicating also that we either forget few things important to be communicated all the
whole idea of communication goes haywire. So, while communicating your ideas in effective manner
just keeps the pace slow and always pays attention, because giving extra time will really make huge
difference in the way we communicate.
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5. Get Personal
Corporate communications can be sometimes really boring following the same standards, so why not
start organizational conversations. Think of dialogues rather than monologues. The mantra is making
the conversation more personal as well as engaging and the more effective it will be. As the axiom
goes “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” According to the
Classic Business Theory, leaders need to stay at an arm’s length. To
know what’s going on in the mind of people you need to develop
meaningful relationship with them. The best way to be personal while
communicating is to keep aside your ego and replace it with empathy.
Empathetic communicators show higher level of transparency as well
as authenticity and thus help in making them better communicators.
You can also add a personal touch to the conversation by talking about
something that is not connected with work but related to their lives.
This will help in letting their guards down for example you can ask
about subordinate’s soccer match on weekend. But interacting on personal levels should also be
within certain limits, but it will help in building trust for long term and effective communication as well.
6. Follow-up after Communication
Most of the times after communication conversation you assume that everything has been
communicated as desired. The message has been received as
intended, but most of the times it does not happen the way we think it
has to reach. So to ensure that the message has been communicated
in right way we should get into the habit of taking follow ups,
especially if it is related to something important. This will help in
avoiding confusion in understanding and make the communication
better between sender and receiver. Just assuming that the receiver
has heard your message and the message has been understood the
way it was intended to be is a strict no-no. In the world of effective
communication, you are supposed to go for follow ups howsoever
obvious the message is. Follow up just helps in making communication better and effective in two-way
manner as desired.
7. Be Determined to Understand
The concept of aiming to analyse and understand arises from the well-known author Stephen Covey.
These communicating ideas suggests that the communicator
needs to be good listener as well. Rather the speaker should try
and understand also what is being conveyed. By comprehending
the idea of communication even the toughest message can be
made easy one. Thus, it becomes all the more important to be
patient as well as open-minded during communication
interactions with staff or workers. Mostly we do not intend to
identify with what the person is trying to communicate; instead we
try to jump to our point of view. So next time while
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communicating work on understanding the communication part in better manner and then start
communicating. Knowing the value and understanding the communication is really very important
before communicating it.
8. Be Sensitive and Acknowledge Technical Differences
Sometimes the listeners are not very much aware of the technology upgrades, so there are many
possibilities that the customers lack the desired technical knowledge. Therefore, it is better to be very
careful in this case and explain them the things in easier and in layman language. Like avoid using
acronyms and make sure that they identify or understand the acronyms in better manner. For
example, in the information technology filed the acronym ‘ASP’
can mean both ‘active server page’ or ‘application service
provider’ so it’s better to clarify which one is you using while
communicating. So, try avoiding the common mistakes of either
making the entire conversation go over their head or making
them feel demeaned due to lack of technical knowledge.
A better way of explaining the technical concept is to make

effective use of analogies. Although analogies have certain
limitations but, they are useful to describe any unfamiliar or
lesser known concept. One example of analogy is comparing the
idea of firewall to a bank teller in a bank. Like when visiting a bank none of us go directly to the vault.
Rather we go to the teller window, get our details verified and once our identity is established the
teller gets the money from vault and gives it to us on the window.
9. Avoid using Misread Phrases/ words
Misinterpretations are a common problem while

communicating, we say something without bad intentions,
but it gets misjudged by the other person. We want to say
something else, but the way of pronunciation leads to
conveying something else. Like in case of Chinese language
the typical sound of “ma” with a higher tone indicates
“mother in law”, but with a falling and rising tone means a
“horse”. Be cautious while using the word “you” as over
usage of this word creates the feeling of threat or makes the
listener feel defensive. For example, instead of saying “you
need to speak louder”, it’s better to say, “I am having trouble hearing.” as the word you hold a dual
meaning.
10. Take Feedbacks
Once it’s all complete a finally done, one best method for effective communication is to ask the
receivers to give their feedback. Take extra time out to speak personally with whom you communicate
frequently. This will help you in finding how you can improve and what aspects you can improve
regarding your style of communication. Feedbacks are simple suggestions that help in developing
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better understanding with co-workers, staff or

subordinates. Feedbacks are very important, though
not easy to ask for.
Thus, basically think before you speak and follow the

dos and don’ts of the communication mantra to be an
effective communicator amongst your colleagues,
superiors and subordinates. There is no key to
become an effective communicator but by adopting
the above listed tips one can certainly improve and
enhance his/ her style of communication. Just pay
attention to the way others communicate with you
and the manner in which you communicate with others. By observing practically, the ways of
communication you can learn the effective communication styles in better manner. So, just go ahead
and communicate with the beautiful world around you and improve everyday your style of
communication by implementing these tips on effective communication. Most of the organizations
also encourage sharing both dialogues as well as inputs from employees to make the internal
communication within teams better and effective as it finally helps the organization as well.
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1.1 Distil key themes, messages and positions to aid in

clarity of thought and presentation
Ways to generate Idea
What makes the difference between a good idea and a great idea? Good ideas come along all the time
and help people solve minor problems in work and daily life. Great ideas appear a little less frequently
and require a little more work to execute. Great ideas aren't necessarily the result of highly-paid think
tanks or drug-induced vision quests in the desert. Often, they are unexpected moments of inspiration
that help keep the napkin companies in business.
The big challenge of generating great ideas is freeing yourself from the conventional, mundane
thoughts that occupy most of your brain time. Here are seven tips to help you open your mind and
stimulate your great idea generator.
1. Engage in Observation Sessions
Great ideas won't happen in a vacuum. You need some way of getting your brain to think in new and
creative ways. Commit time to specific sessions where you stimulate your brain into thinking
differently. Being a New Yorker, my favourite method is people watching. A simple walk through
Manhattan can introduce me to exciting activity and behavior that makes me think anew. Any crowded
urban area, mall or zoo can do the same.
2. Socialize Outside Your Normal Circles
Hanging around with the same friends and colleagues can get you in a thinking rut. Take advantage of
all those LinkedIn connections and start some exciting conversations. New people don't know all your
thought patterns and old stories, so you'll have to revisit your existing inner monologues. The
refreshing perspectives will help to surface new thinking and possibly a lightning bolt or two.
3. Read More Books
Books are wonderful for creating new thoughts and stimulating great ideas. For a long time, I didn't
read much. When I added business books to my routine, it helped me learn more and expand my way
of thinking. But several years ago, I started again reading fiction and histories. These stories really got
me out of my daily headspace and activated my idea generator. Even if you can't make the time for a
novel, go hunt down a bookstore and spend an hour browsing. You'll find plenty of thought
stimulation.
4. Randomly Surf the Web
Google is great when you know what you are looking for, but the best way to generate new ideas is
with unexpected learning. Take an hour each week and go on a web journey. Start with the I'm Feeling
Lucky button and just take it from there. Try to pick the stranger and more obscure references as you
surf and stretch your brain a bit.
5. Keep a Regular Journal
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A journal is great for recording thoughts, feelings and the history of your life. It also is a great way to
structure and develop ideation habits. If you don't keep a journal, start today. If you already do,
simply add the practice of finishing every entry with: Here is my new idea for the day ...
6. Meditate
It's hard to come up with great ideas when your mind is crowded with everyday thoughts and
concerns. You need quiet space. Meditation will help you clear your mind of daily business and stress.
Then you can quietly focus on your future -- or solving world issues. Commit to two hour-long sessions
every week and soon you'll find new ideas flowing.
7. Use Structured Exercises
Structure breeds creativity. Simple exercises can get your brain working in a focused manner to yield
great ideas. My favourite comes from author and Baylor University professor Dr. Blaine McCormick.
With a partner, take ten minutes (timed) to come up with 42 ideas on a specific topic or problem. You
may only think of 30 or 35 but no matter. You'll find that there are at least two or three gems in the
list.
All of these methods require a commitment of time and energy, but that's the key to great ideas. You
need to give your brain the time and space to work for you. If you try each of these methods, you are
bound to come up with a great idea or two. Make sure you record them and set a plan of
accountability. The execution is up to you.
Selling Creative Ideas
1. Start by understanding their perspective. You already understand and are excited by your
idea and its prospects. Remember that they aren’t there yet mentally (that is why you are
having a conversation with them). Don’t make a presentation, have a conversation. And don’t
make it about your idea, but about them and their needs. Understand what their perspective
is first and craft your whole plan based on them and their needs.
2. Connect your idea to pain they experience. You are likely enamoured by the benefits of your
idea. Others care less about that than about reducing the pain, frustration, and challenges
they face. Know what their pain is, then help them see how your idea will alleviate that pain.
3. Tell a story. Stories are a powerful communication tool. But don’t make it about you and your
idea (or how you came up with the idea). Make them the star of your story – and how your
idea solves their problems and makes their life better.
4. Show them the end result. Help people see the idea in action and what it will do in the world.
Once you have identified and alleviated pain, now you can talk bigger picture benefits of how
the world is different because of your idea. We think in pictures so if you help people see the
outcome in a vivid three-dimensional picture, your message will be more compelling.
5. Be enthusiastic. Be sold on the idea yourself. If not, you have already lost. Think about it –
are you drawn to people who have a genuine passion and belief in what they are talking
about? (So, will the people you are trying to persuade.) You can’t use your attitude and
passion alone – it must be connected to the other items on this list – but without it, you will be
far less successful.
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6. Be patient. Give people time. The minute you share your creative idea people may not
immediately jump up and say, “let’s do it!” Be patient both in the moment and as people have
time to think about it.
7. Be Persistent. Patience is important but patience with persistence is more effective. Follow-

up with people as they have time to think about your idea. Ask them follow-up questions to
better understand their concerns and to further clarify your vision. If your idea is worth the
effort, make the effort.
1.2 Reflect on different ways of communicating ideas for

different purposes and to different people
Effective communication in the workplace is imperative in a leadership role. An age-old aphorism goes,
“It’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Good communication is what separates a poor leader from
an exceptional one. Having effective communication skills is the key to good leadership.
When you communicate well with your team, it helps eliminate misunderstandings and can encourage
a healthy and peaceful work environment. Efficient and open communication with your team will also
let you get work done quickly and professionally.
The moment you get the lines of communication open with your team, the process of carrying out
tasks and projects will most likely go by smoothly. Plus, you will be surprised how meeting targets will
become a whole lot easier.
Ways to Create Effective Communication in the Workplace
1. Open Meeting
It is easier to communicate your passion and how you feel to your team via open meetings. In this kind
of forum, they will not only hear what you are saying, they will also see and feel it. This approach
remains one of the best approaches to communicate effectively with a team.
2. Emails
In official settings, communication via email remains potent. It will enable you to pass messages to
members of your team without pulling them out of their workstations.
3. One on One
Experts have been able to prove that some people understand better when you take them aside and
talk to them on a one-on-one basis. Ensure that you maintain eye contact with them to enable the
message to sink in.
4. Create a Receptive Atmosphere
To effectively communicate with your team, you must create a receptive atmosphere. Avoid a tense
environment at all costs because when you communicate in an overly intense manner, the message
you are trying to share might not be well understood or retained.
5. Communication via Training
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Your training should be tailored towards communicating certain information to your team members.
Most employees take training serious, especially when it’s part of their appraisal.
6. Display Confidence and Seriousness
Ensure that you display confidence and seriousness to ensure that you will not be taken for granted.
When your team members notice any uncertainty and lack of seriousness when you’re communicating
with them, they are likely to treat the information with disdain or disregard.
7. Use Simple Words
The truth is that everybody cannot be on same page when it comes to vocabulary. Therefore, to be
effective in your communications with your team members, use words that can be easily understood.
When ambiguous words are used, you can be misunderstood and/or waste precious time having to
explain yourself.
8. Use Visuals
Place visuals at strategic positions around the workstations of your team. They should not just hear the
message; they should also see it. This gives room for better comprehension.
9. Listen to Your Team Members
Communication is intended to be a two-way street. Don’t just talk because you are the leader without
listening to anyone else. Encourage them to open so you can be well guided when communicating in
the future with them. You have two ears and one mouth –so you must listen more than you speak.
10. Use Body Language
Your body language will pass your message faster and better. Master the art of using body language
when communicating with your team. Stand/sit up straight, use smiles, handshakes and eye contact.
11. Act Out Your Message
Someone once said, “Tell me what you want me to do and I might forget it but do it in front of me and
I will never forget it.” Acting out your message is a very potent way of communicating with your team.
Let them see you do what you want them to do, and watch their excuses disappear.
12. Use the Appropriate Tone of Voice
One word can mean a different thing when said in a different tone of voice. Make sure you use the
appropriate tone of voice to communicate your message to your team so that you won’t be
misunderstood and discourage or demotivate members or cause them to shut down completely out of
fear.
13. Avoid Unnecessary Repetition
If you want your team members to take you serious, never sound like a broken record and don’t beat a
dead horse. Tell your team members what you want them to know or do and ask them if they are clear
about it. If they are not, only then do you repeat what you have said.
14. Use Presentations
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Some people grasp messages easily when pictures and sounds are involved. Using presentations like
Microsoft PowerPoint to communicate with your team will give them the opportunity to refer back to
it if they aren’t clear about certain things.
15. Be Humorous
Using friendly jokes when communicating with your team members will help pass your message along
in a more relaxed way. This method of communication has been proven to be a highly effective way of
dousing tension. When the atmosphere is unfriendly and intense, being humorous does the trick. If
you must use jokes, please don’t overdo it. Remember, you are not a stand-up comedian.
16. Be Articulate
Communication is indeed a skill that must be learned by all, especially if you want to lead any group of
people. Being articulate when you communicate to your team members makes it easier for them to
understand your message.
17. Avoid Mumbling
Your team members should be able to hear you clearly. When communicating with them, try as much
as possible to speak clearly and not mumble words. When you mumble words or speak too quickly,
you may assume that they are clear on the subject. But the truth is, they might not be. It also shows a
lack of confidence on your part.
18. Encourage Feedback
Don’t just talk and walk away. Give room for feedback so that you can measure the effectiveness of
your style of communication. It will also afford you the privilege of knowing if your message was well
understood.
19. Gesticulate
Use your hands to demonstrate your message. Make hand motions and signals to establish the
seriousness of your subject matter when communicating with your team members. This shows that
you understand what you are trying to relay to them. Just don’t let your body movement become too
exaggerated and intense.
20. Be Appreciative
After every communication session, via whatever means you have decided, always remember to thank
your listeners for their time. It will cost you nothing and it’s a simple courtesy.
Remember that the point of working as a team is to share ideas and boost productivity. When effective
communication in the workplace is hampered, it can side-track the entire effort.
You must work hard at these communication tactics and create ground rules to keep everyone up to
date, which helps avoid confusion and ensure the completion of the project with ease.
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1.3 Identify the enabling skills and attributes of

individuals who can effectively participate in discussions
about ideas
Enabling Skills
Skills that enable you to perform much more efficiently and effectively
Accountants, engineers, architects, teachers all have specialist knowledge and experience that defines
their jobs, but they also need ‘enabling skills’ to communicate effectively, collaborate and cooperate in
order to achieve goals. They may need to write proposals to obtain funding or justify how funding was
spent. ·
Unfortunately training and developing ‘enabling’ skills is often neglected by employers because it is
assumed that these are things that have been learned during education. People who think concisely
and then can express and justify their decisions effectively may just be seen as more talented than
those who can't.
Enabling skills are often taken for granted in education. Educators are as impressed as anyone by
students who present ideas clearly and concisely. They often assume these are just better students
and give them better grades. But “weaker” students may have just as good a grasp of the basic
material as the students who get the higher grades, but they are less proficient in presenting their
knowledge and understanding.
Key Enabling Skills
 Working effectively within organisations
 Working effectively with colleagues
 Examining and assessing information effectively to make and justify decisions
 Communicating effectively within working relationships and to get a case across
 Knowing how to assess new job opportunities and present effectively when you apply
 Knowing how to use appropriate software most effectively to help get things done.
Don’t just sit back like an arse waiting to be trained up in these ‘enabling’ skills. Organisations may
sometimes help, but their interests are primarily with the strategic development of the organisation.
Students and employees have to take responsibility themselves for developing these aspects of their
studies or work. You will need to manage your own learning in order to start performing more
effectively and develop.
Discussion
A discussion is understood as an activity of sitting and talking about a specific subject. The word
‘discuss’ has been derived from the Latin root ‘discutere’, which means to shake or strike. Thus
‘discussion’ refers to thoroughly shaking up the subject, that is, examining it thoroughly to reach a
conclusion.
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Group Discussion
Group discussions are a very important aspect of group communication. Group discussions are a
creative and dynamic activity which stimulates reflective thinking among the members. Group
discussions may be defined as an activity in which a small number of persons meet face to face and
exchange and share ideas freely or attempt to reach a decision on a common issue.
Group discussions are unstructured and less formal compared to meetings or conferences wherein
specific roles are assigned to the participants. In a group discussion, an individual’s thought process is
influenced by the views and opinions of the other members. It also depends on where and in which
direction the mood of the discussion moves. In a group discussion, each participant is free to speak his
views. A successful discussion involves both listening and speaking
Characteristics of Group Discussions
(i) Interface:
10. A basic feature of group discussions is the interaction among the various members of the
group. They see, hear and communicate with each other orally by paying attention to each
other.
(ii) Leader and Members:
11. Group discussions are effective only when there is a group of members and a leader. The
leader has to summarize facts and information, integrate them, stimulate thinking and agree
to a unanimous solution of the problem. The members of the group become actively related to
each other in their respective roles.
(iii) Participation:
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12. The effectiveness and efficiency of a group discussion depend, to a large extent, upon the
active participation of the members.
(iv) Interpersonal Attraction:
13. Another characteristic feature of a group discussion is interpersonal attraction. As long as

interaction continues, the likes, dislikes, behaviour and temperament of members are known
to each other. Among them, empathy develops and as such they share each other’s problems.
(v) Pressure to Conform:
14. In a group discussion, there is always an element of pressure to conform to norms. The pre-
defined and established standards are always enforced and followed.
(vi) Conflict:
15. A conflict is a difference or disagreement among the members of the group, which often arise
during deliberations and discussions. A conflict is inevitable and usually develops when
alternative solutions are present. It can stimulate the members to find new solutions to the
problem. Thus, conflict is not necessarily bad. But if it arises due to the political behaviour of
the members it will have dysfunctional consequences.
Purpose of Group Discussions
 To reach a solution on an issue of concern
 To generate new ideas or new approaches to solving a problem
 For selecting candidates after the written test for employment or for admission to
educational institutes
 To provide us with an avenue to train ourselves in various interpersonal skills
Advantages of Group Discussions
 It provides a deeper understanding of the subject.
 It improves the ability to think critically.
 It provides different approaches to solving a problem.
 It helps the group in taking a decision.
 It gives an opportunity to hear the opinions of other persons.
 It enables a participant to put across his/her viewpoint.
 It enhances confidence in speaking.
 It can change your opinion and show you things from a different perspective.
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Participate Effectively in discussion
It isn't always easy to contribute to discussions, even if you have prepared thoroughly. Many students
worry that they may have got something 'wrong' in their preparatory work and that everyone else has
the 'right' answer. This is rarely the case. To help overcome nerves and anxiety, it is worth
remembering the following points:
 don't wait until you arrive at the 'big idea': say something simple and often to help
build discussion;
 share responsibility with the group: don't dominate or leave others to do all of the
talking;
 be positive and respectful of other people's ideas.
With these principles in mind, try using the following strategies to help build your contributions to
group discussions. They start with low stress approaches and build to full involvement.
a. Verbal/non-verbal acknowledgements
Show that you're a good listener by paying close attention to what is being said. Acknowledge other
people's contributions by saying "yes" or nodding your head. Speakers find such signals reassuring as
they show their ideas are being listened to and valued. These listening strategies will also keep you
active and involved, giving a good starting point for more substantial contributions.
b. Agreements
Agreeing with a point someone has made can take your contributions to the next stage. Statements
like "That's a good idea" or "I'd not thought of that" offer non-threatening speaking strategies. You can
then build this to more complex levels of agreement, stating where and why you agree, for example:
"Yes, it's important to realise that Kushner has been read out of context."
c. Observation
Try commenting on the discussion, showing other group members that you're aware of what's going
on and are playing an active role in listening and shaping the argument. This can be particularly useful
when trying to avoid distractions and keeping the discussion on course: "Haven't we moved away from
the point that Manjit was making about ...?"
d. Presenting alternative views
Offering alternative points of view indicates a high level of involvement and can be a very effective way
of helping to develop your own ideas and the ideas of others. Don't be afraid to disagree with
someone, simply make sure that you do so in a constructive way. First express your disagreement by
showing you understand the point that was being made and then explain why you disagree. If you are
unsure as to why you disagree, try doing so with a question: "But doesn't that contradict with...?"
e. Involvement
This level shows very strong levels of engagement. In addition to all of the above strategies, the
involved student will also try to make new points, leading the discussion into new ground: "I think we
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need to look more closely at the impact of...". The involved student will also try to bring other people
into the discussion, inviting comment or drawing upon someone with relevant experience.
Using Openers
It can be difficult to begin making a contribution to the discussion, particularly when other group
members are already contributing fully. Using a simple opening statement will get you started and
draw people's attention to the fact that you want to speak. Examples include: "I think...", "I
disagree…", "That's a good point...", "Can I say that...?"
If the discussion is going really well, you might need to repeat your opening statement, even drawing
attention to the fact that a particular point is being overlooked: "Hold on; haven't we ignored...."
Coping with Conflict
In some instances, discussions can become so lively that they lead to strong disagreement between
group members. It is important to remember that discussion in an academic environment should
remain objective and impersonal: ideas should be challenged, never people. If you feel your own anger
levels rising, take a deep breath and stop talking for a while. If you see other people getting angry try
to play an active role in the group, intervening with some of the above strategies. Observation or
agreement (as described on page 2) can be very effective ways of drawing attention to disagreement
before it gets out of hand, for example: "We appear to be saying the same thing here".
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Self-check assessment
QUESTION 1
Discuss some ways to generate Idea.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 2
What are the ways to Create Effective Communication in the Workplace?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 3
What are the Characteristics of Group Discussions?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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CHAPTER 2: PROVOKE RESPONSE AND REACTION

In this chapter, you will learn how to:
 Explore and use different techniques to engage, fascinate and involve others in the process of
communication and exchange
 Explore the ways that storytelling can be used to communicate ideas
 Create innovative approaches to different communication challenges
 Be prepared to take risks in the way ideas are presented
 Identify specific ways to provoke and encourage response in particular individuals or groups
Much of our lives is spent in reaction to others and to events around us. The problem is that these
reactions might not always be the best course of action, and as a result, they can make others
unhappy, make things worse for us, make the situation worse.
Why would we want to make things worse?
The truth is, we often react without thinking. It’s a gut reaction, often based on fear and insecurities,
and it’s not the most rational or appropriate way to act. Responding, on the other hand, is taking the
situation in, and deciding the best course of action based on values such as reason, compassion,
cooperation, etc.
Let’s take a quick example:
React: Your child breaks something. You immediately react by getting angry, perhaps yelling, upsetting
the child and yourself, worsening your relationship, not making anything better.
Respond: Your child breaks something. You notice your anger reaction, but pause, take a breath, and
consider the situation. First response is to see if your child is OK — is she hurt, scared? Second, realize
that the object that is broken, in the larger view, is not that important. Let it go, adjust to a world
without it. Third, help her clean up, make a game of it, show her that mistakes happen and that it’s not
something to dwell on. Fourth, calmly talk about how to avoid mistakes like that in the future and give
her a hug.
This choice presents itself to us all the time, whether it’s our mother nagging us, our co-worker being
rude, our husband not being kind enough, and so on. There will always be external events that bother
us, but if we learn to respond and not just react, we can make things better and not worse.
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2.1 Explore and use different techniques to engage,

fascinate and involve others in the process of
communication and exchange
Most of the times, when the word communication comes to the mind of the people, they think about
exchanging ideas and information by means of words, but such type of verbal communication is just a
small component of communication. In the 21st century, businesses have access to a number of
methods of communication which can be used with internal and also with external audiences. The
main methods of communication which the businesses can use include the traditional business
meetings as well as print to the videoconferencing and social media of the new age. Several tools can
be utilized by the businesses for addressing audiences who are in locations which are both near and
far. While a lot of attention is received by the methods of effective communication that are new, the
value along with the relevance of the traditional methods of communication still exists. Thus, several
different methods of communication exist and the determination of the method that is right for the
organisation is a vital decision that needs to be taken.
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication involves the usage of words while the delivery of the intended message is being
made. It can be one-on-one, over the phone or in group settings, etc. it is a method of effective
communication that is personal and has to be used more than only phone calls and emails whenever
possible. The medium of the message in case of verbal communication is oral. Simple speaking is
verbal communication. Seeing the person with whom face-to-face communication is taking place helps
in gauging the response of that person by understanding their body language and also assists in active
participation of the dialogue. Thus, written as well as oral communication are the two main types of
verbal communication.
1. Storytelling:
Storytelling is a form of verbal communication that is effective. A vital organisational function is served
by it as it helps in the construction of common meanings for the individuals in the organisation. Stories
assist in clarifying key values and also help in demonstrating the way thing are done in an organisation.
The tone, strength and frequency of the story have a relation with higher organisational commitment.
The quality of stories that are told by the entrepreneurs is related to the capability of securing capital
for their organisations. Stories can help in serving to reinforce as well as perpetuate the culture of an
organisation.
2. Crucial Conversations:
Even though the process is similar, more skill, reflection and planning is needed for high-stakes
communications in comparison to daily interactions at work. Examples of communication that involves
high stakes consist of presenting the venture capitalist a business plan and asking for a raise. Apart
from these, at several times in our professional lives, we have conversations that are crucial –
discussions in which stakes are high, emotions run strong and opinions may differ.
Written Communication
Written communication cannot be avoided in the workplace. It is present everywhere and consists of
traditional paper and pen documents and letters, text chats, emails, typed electronic documents,
reports, SMS and anything else that might be conveyed by the use of written symbols like language
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which includes any documents that are a part of the day to day business life. Such methods of
communication are indispensable for any formal business communication and also for the issue of
legal instructions.
The methods of communication that mainly make use of written communication consist of formal
business proposals, press releases, memos, contracts, brochures, handbooks and the like. How
effective the written communication is will depend on the style of writing, vocabulary, grammar along
with clarity. Written communication is most suitable in cases that require detailed instructions, when
something has to be documented or in situations where the person is too far away to speak in person
or over the phone. Some of the written methods of communication include –
1) Social Media:
Tools of the social media such as Facebook can be used in an effective way in the organisations for the
purpose of communicating between locations, divisions, departments and employees. Certain tools
such as Yammer are specifically designed for creating social media networks in the confines of a
particular domain of business.
2) Email:
The email communication in organisations has become very common and is a highly essential tool for
sharing of information with one, hundreds as well as thousands of employees. It is usually a significant
component of the communication plan and even though it may not be a replacement for face-to-face
or other methods of communication, it is easily accessible and inexpensive.
Oral Communication
The other type of verbal communication includes the spoken word, either over the phone or face-to-
face, videoconferencing, voice chat or any other medium. Different types of informal communications
like the informal rumour mill or grapevine and formal communications such as conferences and
lectures are the forms of effective oral communication. The use of oral communications is made in
discussions as well as conversations that are informal and causal. How effective the oral
communication is will depend on the speed, volume, pitch, voice modulation, clarity of speech and
also the non-verbal communications like visual cues and body language.
I. Face-to-Face Communication:
This is usually preferred methods of communication although it is not realistic all the time, especially in
organisations that are based in several locations around the globe. However, tools like
videoconferencing make approximate face-to-face communication possible and help even the large
organisations in creating personal connections between the management and the staff.
a. Meetings:
Meetings are common in almost all the business settings and now it has become possible to augment
them via use of the tools of technology which allow the participants in the remote locations to
participate in the discussions, although they are not present physically on the meeting site.
While using verbal communication, the person needs to be aware of his tone of voice, inflection as
well as speed. Use of sarcasm and angry tones should be avoided otherwise the person with whom
you are communicating will go on the defensive. While speaking to your team or to a group of people,
you should ensure that you speak loudly as well as clearly so that everyone is able to understand what
you are saying. Use of the microphone should be made if a group in is being addressed in a large room.
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Verbal communication is best used when something has to be discussed in detail or when someone
has to be complimented or reprimanded. Verbal communication makes the conveying of thoughts
faster and easier and is the most successful methods of communication. However, it makes up just 7%
of all the human communication.
Nonverbal methods of Communication
Communication by sending as well as receiving wordless messages is a part of nonverbal

communication. Such messages are a vital part of any communication and generally provide
reinforcement to verbal communication. However, they can also convey their own feelings and
thoughts.
Physical Nonverbal Communication
A major role is played by the nonverbal communication in the way you communicate with other
people. It cannot be relied as a sole means of communication except in cases where the person makes
use of sign language. Physical Nonverbal Communication or the body language consists of body
posture, facial expressions, eye contact, gestures like a pointed finger, wave and the like, touch, tone
of voice, overall movements of the body and others.
You need to be aware of the nonverbal communication. Your movements, eye contact and gestures,
the way you sit and stand all help in conveying a message to the person with whom you are
communicating. Gestures should be used appropriately, or the hands should be left at your sides. You
should avoid fidgeting as it is distracting, and the arms should not be crossed as it sends a signal of
being closed off or angry. You should always look in the eyes of the person to whom you are speaking
and never stare or roll your eyes when they are talking.
The most common among all the nonverbal communication are the facial expressions. For example, a
frown or a smile conveys emotions that are distinct and are difficult to express by means of verbal
communication. Research has shown that nonverbal cues or body language along with facial
expressions, tone of voice and body stance account for almost 55% of all the communication that
takes place. As per the research, only 7% of the message’s comprehension by the receiver is based on
the actual words of the sender, 38% is on the basis of para language (the volume, tone and pace of
speech) while 55% is on the basis of nonverbal cues (body language).
Research has also revealed that nonverbal cues may also have an effect on whether you are successful
in getting a job offer. Judges who examine the videotapes of the applicants were able to make
assessments of their social skills even when the sound was off. They had a look at the gesturing rate,
time that was spent on talking and the dress formality for determining the candidates who would be
most successful for the job socially. Thus, it is essential to consider the way one appears in the
business and also what one says. Our emotions are conveyed by our facial muscles. A silent message
can be sent without uttering a word. A change in our emotional state is visible in the change of our
facial expression.
For example, if we focus on being confident prior to an interview, the confidence will be conveyed to
the interviewer by our face. Putting up a smile even when feeling stressed can reduce the stress levels
of the body.
Paralanguage
A significant component of nonverbal communication is the way something is said, instead of what is
said actually. This consists of style of speaking, tone, emotion, stress, pitch, intonation and voice
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quality. It helps in the communication of interest, approval or the absence of it. According to research,
38% of all communications are accounted for by the tone of the voice.
The other nonverbal communication forms generally communicate the personality of a person. These
consist of –
 Aesthetic communication or creative expressions like painting, dancing, etc.

 Appearance or the style of grooming and dressing that communicates the personality of a
person.
 Space languagelike landscapes and paintings communicate taste as well as social status.
 Symbols like ego-building, status and religious symbols.
For being effective communicators, it is important to align our tone, appearance and body language
with the word that are being conveyed by us. Research has indicated that when individuals lie, they
blink more often, shrug and shift their weight. Tone is another element of communication that is
nonverbal. A tone that is different can alter the message’s perceived meaning. The emphasis on a
particular word illustrates the way a tone can convey a lot of information.
Visual Communication
Visual communication is the third methods of communication which takes place through the help of
visual aids like colour, illustration, graphic design, drawing, typography, signs and other electronic
resources.
Visual communication comprising charts and graphs generally reinforces written methods of
communication and in majority of the situations replaces written communication completely. “A
picture is worth a thousand words” is an adage which shows that verbal communication can on several
occasions be more powerful than verbal as well as nonverbal communication. The developments in
technology have made expression of visual communication easier than what it was before.
There is no one correct way of communicating but you need to have awareness about what is
appropriate and in which situation. The chosen methods of communication depend on the situation.
Put yourself in the shoes of the employees. If there is a need to communicate a certain message to
you, then you should first think of the way you are going to receive it. By using your good judgment
regarding the situation and being considerate of your employees will make you an effective
communicator. A better understanding of the various methods of communication along with the
different communication styles will help in knowing as well as dealing with people in a better way,
clear any misconceptions or misunderstandings that may exist and thus contribute to the
organisation’s success.
2.2 Explore the ways that storytelling can be used to

communicate ideas
Stories can be heard everywhere in an organisation. There are stories being shared in the cafeteria
line, just outside the boardroom, in the boardroom, at the water cooler, in the elevator and just about
anywhere else one can care to stop and listen. We have been telling stories ever since we can
remember, then why is it that there is so much attention being given to stories in organisations since
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the last few decades? And more importantly as human resources professionals why should we give
this new wave of communication our due attention?
Storytelling can be described as the art of communication using stories and narratives. This practice
has been derived from the age-old practice of folklore and cultural stories which have been passed
down generation after generation verbally and often in the written form. Commonly they are called
grandmother stories and they are narratives of identity, history, individuality and culture.
Ways of storytelling
1. Monomyth
The monomyth (also called the hero's

journey), is a story structure that is found in
many folk tales, myths and religious writings
from around the world.
In a monomyth, the hero is called to leave

their home and sets out on a difficult
journey. They move from somewhere they
know into a threatening unknown place.
After overcoming a great trial, they return

home with a reward or newfound wisdom –
something which will help their community.
Lots of modern stories still follow this
structure, from the Lion King to Star Wars.
Using the monomyth to shape your presentation can help you to explain what has brought you to the
wisdom you want to share. It can bring your message alive for your audience.
Good for:
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 Taking the audience on a journey

 Showing the benefit of taking risks
 Demonstrating how you learned some newfound wisdom
2. The mountain
The mountain structure is a way of mapping the tension and drama in a story. It's similar to the
monomyth because it helps us to plot when certain events occur in a story.
It's different because it doesn't necessarily have a happy ending. The first part of the story is given to
setting the scene and is followed by just a series of small challenges and rising action before a climactic
conclusion.
Good for:
 Showing how you overcame a series of challenges

 Slowly building tension
 Delivering a satisfying conclusion
3. Nested loops
Nested loops are a storytelling technique where you layer three or more narratives within each other.
You place your most important story –

the core of your message – in the centre
and use the stories around it to
elaborate or explain that central
principle. The first story you begin is the
last story you finish, the second story
you start is second to last, etc.
Nested loops work a bit like a friend

telling you about a wise person in their
life, someone who taught them an
important lesson. The first loops are
your friend's story, the second loops are
the wise person's story. At the centre is
the important lesson.
Good for:
 Explaining the process of how you were inspired/ concluded

 Using analogies to explain a central concept
 Showing how a piece of wisdom was passed along to you
4. Sparklines
Sparklines are a way of mapping presentation structures. Graphic designer Nancy Duarte uses
sparklines to analyse famous speeches graphically in her book Resonate.
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She argues that the very best speeches

succeed because they contrast our
ordinary world with an ideal, improved
world. They compare what is with what
could be.
By doing this the presenter draws

attention to the problems we have in
our society, our personal lives, our
businesses. The presenter creates and
fuels a desire for change in the
audience.
It's a highly emotional technique that is sure to motivate your audience to support you.
Good for:
 Inspiring the audience to action

 Creating hope and excitement
 Creating a following
5. In medias res
In medias res storytelling is when you begin your narrative in the heat of the action, before starting
over at the beginning to explain how you got there.
By dropping your audience right into the most

exciting part of your story they'll be gripped from
the beginning and will stay engaged to find out
what happens.
But be careful – you don't want to give away too

much of the action straight away. Try hinting at
something bizarre or unexpected – something
that needs more explanation. Give your audience
just enough information to keep them hooked, as
you go back and set the scene of your story.
This only works for shorter presentations though

– if you string it out too long your audience will
get frustrated and lose interest.
Good for:
 Grabbing attention from the start

 Keep an audience craving resolution
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 Focusing attention on a pivotal moment in your story
6. Converging ideas
Converging ideas is a speech

structure that shows the
audience how different strands
of thinking came together to form
one product or idea.
It can be used to show the birth of a

movement. Or explain how a
single idea was the culmination of
several great minds working
towards one goal.
Converging ideas is similar to the nested loops structure, but rather than framing one story with
complementary stories, it can show how several equally important stories came to a single strong
conclusion.
Good for:
 Showing how great minds came together

 Demonstrating how a development occurred at a certain point in history
 Showing how symbiotic relationships have formed
7. False start
A 'false start' story is when you begin to tell a seemingly predictable story, before unexpectedly
disrupting it and beginning it over again. You
lure your audience into a false sense of
security, and then shock them by turning the
tables.
This format is great for talking about a time

that you failed in something and were forced to
'go back to the start' and reassess. It's ideal for
talking about the things that you learnt from
that experience. Or the innovative way that you
solved your problem.
But best of all, it's a quick attention hack which

will disrupt your audience's expectations and
surprise them into paying closer attention to
your message.
Good for:
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 Disrupting audience expectations

 Showing the benefits of a flexible approach
 Keeping the audience engaged
8. Petal Structure
The petal structure is a way of organising multiple speakers or stories around one central concept. It's
useful if you have several unconnected stories you want to tell or things you want to reveal – that all
relate back to a single message.
You tell your stories one by one before returning back to the
centre. The petals can overlap as one story introduces the
next, but each should be a complete narrative in itself.
In doing so, you can weave a rich tapestry of evidence

around your central theory. Or strong emotional impressions
around your idea.
By showing your audience how all these key stories are

related to one another, you leave them feeling the true
importance and weight of your message.
Good for:
 Demonstrating how strands of a story or process are interconnected

 Showing how several scenarios relate back to one idea
 Letting multiple speakers talk around a central theme
2.3 Create innovative approaches to different

communication challenges
Key Messages
Key messages are the main points of information you want your audience to hear, understand, and
remember. They are bite-sized summations that articulate what you do, why you do it, how you are
different, and what value you bring to stakeholders.
Key messages clarify meaning and provide the takeaway headline of the issue you want to
communicate.
Key messages are important because they serve as the foundation of an organization’s branding and
marketing efforts and should be reflected in all written and spoken communications.
Communications cannot always be controlled, but key messages can. They help you to:
 Prioritize and define information;
 Ensure consistency, continuity and accuracy;
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 Measure and track success; and
 Stay focused when speaking with the media or stakeholders.
What are the attributes of good key messages?
Effective key messages are:
 Concise: Focus on three to five key messages per topic; write one to three sentences for each
key message; should be read or spoken in 30 seconds or less.
 Strategic: Define, differentiate, and address benefits.
 Relevant: Balance what you need to communicate with what your audience needs to know.
 Compelling: Design meaningful information to stimulate action.
 Simple: Use easy-to-understand language; avoid jargon and acronyms.
 Memorable: Ensure that messages are easy to recall and repeat; avoid long, run-on sentences.
 Real: Use active voice, not passive; do not use advertising slogans.
 Tailored: Communicate effectively with different target audiences by adapting language and
depth of information.
Impromptu Situations
Impromptu speaking may not be as glamorous as prepared speaking, but it is an equally vital skill
simply because there are so many scenarios where you find yourself speaking without more than a few
moments of preparation. It’s no surprise that “impromptu speaking sessions” are found within
Toastmasters meetings, college communications courses, and public speaking seminars.
Consider just a few situations where you find yourself speaking off the cuff:
 The scheduled speaker is unavailable (or late), and you’ve been asked to fill in.
 You are sitting on a panel answering questions from the audience.
 You are fielding questions after your own talk (yes, your Q&A session is impromptu
speaking)
 You are being interviewed on television, radio, webinar, or telephone.
 You are invited (at the last moment) to say a few words at a company gathering.
 You are asked to provide a brief status report for your project at a department meeting.
 You are motivated to join the debate at the parent association meeting for your child’s
school.
 You decide to give an unplanned toast at an event with family or friends.
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It’s also worth noting the irony that the better you are at giving prepared speeches, the more often
you will be invited to speak with no time for preparation at all. Your friends and colleagues will
recognize your speaking skill, and when they need “someone” to say a few words… you’ll be that
someone!
Strategies for Impromptu Speeches
Anticipate situations where you may be called upon to speak. For example, if you are attending an
engagement party for a close friend or family member, there’s a reasonable chance that you might be
asked to speak. Similarly, if one of your close colleagues is scheduled to speak (e.g. your boss, your
peer, or your report), it’s also reasonable to assume that you will find yourself speaking. As you head
to the event, do a few mental exercises, trying to guess what you might be asked to speak about, and
how you would respond. Even if your guess isn’t accurate, it’s amazing how those prior thoughts will
help you think on your feet when you are asked to speak.
Wrap your response around a simple template, or framework. If you practice this a few times, you
will find that your mini speeches are much more polished and coherent. A few easy frameworks
include:
 P.R.E.P. (Point. Reason. Example. Point) – Start off by clearly stating your point. Share the
primary reason (or reasons, if you have more time). Then, share an example (preferably in
story form) where your main point or reason is supported. Finally, conclude by summarizing
your central point again. The template works well in many situations and is easily adapted.
 Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions – Start off by framing the issue. Talk about the benefits, and
then talk about the drawbacks. Conclude with your recommendation.
 5W – In this pattern, you cover your topic by addressing the Who, What, When, Where, and
Why elements. For example, if you’ve been asked to speak briefly about a fundraising
initiative, you could talk about [1] who started it, and who is involved now; [2] what the goals
are; [3] when it started, and the schedule for the future; [4] where does it take place; and [5]
why are you involved. This template works nicely, largely because the “why?” comes last,
because this is often the most critical information.
2.4 Be prepared to take risks in the way ideas are

presented
Many are turned off by risks. It is actually easier and more comfortable to sit down in the safe spot and
wait. But this is what distinguishes the doers from the dreamers. While the dreamers are still sleeping
and waiting for the best moment to take action, the taker has caught the rewards. Risk takers are
more likely to be successful because they do not limit themselves and are willing to put in their energy
when every other person is hesitant.
They experience a passion in every risk they take
With risk comes a fire, a burning push to keep you going and reach the finish line. Most times people
who are adventurous are the ones who take risk. They are ignited with a zeal to reach new heights and
such zeal empowers them to be more creative and prepared to win.
They stand out
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People who take risk are bold. Somehow this courage is shown and endearing. With courage also
comes confidence and alertness. When every other person withdraws, they are willing to stay in. This
makes risk takers leaders as they are anointed to be by their own self.
They gain knowledge
The pain that you know doesn’t hurt. It is actually what you don’t know that hurts you. Knowledge is
vital to success. Risk takers are able to identify such knowledge because they are willing to undergo a
process that will provide such knowledge. Through such knowledge they can navigate future steps and
sail through difficult waters.
They pursue success
Risk takers know that success won’t fall in your lap. You have to chase and hunt for it. That is what
they do when they take risks. They are shooting for the sky amidst the storm. Through that chase they
find seemingly rare opportunities that may never have been found if they had waited. Risk takers are
active and ready for the pursuit of success.
They are not afraid of failure
The more risk you take the less you see anything that can stop you. You are practically unstoppable
because risk taking has strengthened your will to keep on going no matter what. Fear is a mental block
that hinders many from achieving their dreams and becoming successful. But risk takers do not feel
that fear. They are unstoppable.
They set a higher standard
Risk takers are prided with dreaming big. It all starts from a particular reward attained from a
particular venture. Risk takers want to get more after attaining something worthwhile from previous
actions they took. With every risk comes the will to be above average and trudge into newer and
undefined territories.
They learn all the way through
It is not simply about knowledge. They discover themselves and harness their own inner strength. The
truth is that against certain opinions it will be important to know that risk takers are not stupid. They
are smart. Because of the learning and knowledge, they garner through many processes they are able
to understand what they can take and what they cannot take. They don’t just dip themselves into
every risk, rather they dip themselves after perusing the areas and dimensions of what they are about
to pursue. Then they go for it.
They change
There is nothing static with risk takers. They attain more freedom and flexibility. They are not found
wanting as risk helps them to either define a change or adapt to a change. Risk takers can never be
stuck with the tide. Rather they move with it and set the tone for even bigger changes. Granted, doing
something different could mean discomfort and redirection, yet getting out of that comfort zone is
that which will bear a mark and bring to you the life you want. This is why risk takers will always rule!
2.5 Identify specific ways to provoke and encourage

response in particular individuals or groups
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Fostering creativity can range from simple team-building exercises to complex, open-ended problems
that may require a semester to solve. An instructor that presents innovative and challenging prompts
will encourage students to work creatively through a problem to a solution. These creative techniques
must be done in a supportive course environment with appropriate time allocated for students to
discover and develop creative ways to solve a problem. Here are 14 creative ways to engage students
in discussions, problem-solving, critical thinking, and more:
Assumption Busting
Assumption busting is particularly effective when one is stuck in current thinking paradigms or has run
out of ideas. Everyone makes assumptions about how the world around us, which in creative
situations, can prevent seeing or generating possibilities. Deliberately seeking out and addressing
previously unquestioned assumptions stimulates creative thinking.
How: List assumptions associated with a task or problem, for example, that a solution is impossible
due to time and cost constraints; something works because certain rules or conditions; and people
believe, need or think of certain things. Then ask under what conditions these assumptions are not
true, continue the process of examination as old assumptions are challenged and new ones are
created.
Brain-sketching
To solve a specific problem, students make sketches and then pass evolving sketches to their
neighbours.
How: Students sit in a group of 6-8 around a table or in a circle. Questions or problems should be well
explained and understood by each student. Each participant privately makes one or more sketches and
passes the sketch to the person on the right when it is finished or when a brief set time has passed.
Participants develop or annotate the sketches passed to them or use them to inspire new sketches
which are also passed in turn.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming, a useful tool to develop creative solutions to a problem, is a lateral thinking process by
which students are asked to develop ideas or thoughts that may seem crazy or shocking at first.
Participants can then change and improve them into original and useful ideas. Brainstorming can help
define an issue, diagnose a problem, or possible solutions and resistance to proposed solutions.
How: Define the problem clearly lay out any criteria to be met. Keep the session focused on the
problem but be sure that no one criticizes or evaluates ideas during the session, even if they are clearly
impractical. Criticism dampens creativity in the initial stages of a brainstorming session. Ideas should
be listed, rather than developed deeply on the spot; the idea is to generate possibilities. Accordingly,
participants should be encouraged to pick up on ideas offered to create new ones. One person should
be appointed as note-taker, and ideas should be studied and evaluated after the session.
Concept Mapping
Concept maps represent knowledge graphic form. Networks consist of nods, which represent
concepts, and links, which represent relationships between concepts. Concept maps can aid in
generating ideas, designing complex structures, or communicating complex ideas. Because they make
explicit the integration of old and new knowledge concept maps can help instructors assess students’
understanding.
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How: Create a focus question specifying the problem or issue the map should help resolve. List the key
concepts (roughly 20-25) that apply to the area of knowledge. Put the most general, inclusive concepts
at the top of the list, and most specific at the bottom. Build a hierarchical organization of the concepts,
using post-its on a wall or whiteboard, large sheets of paper, etc. Revision is a key element in concept
mapping, so participants need to be able to move concepts and reconstruct the map. Seek cross links
between concepts, adding linking words to the lines between concepts.
Exaggeration
Exaggeration includes the two forms of magnify (or “stretch”) and minimize (or “compress”), part of
the SCAMPER heuristic. This method helps in building ideas for solutions. It is useful to illustrate a
problem, by testing unspoken assumptions about its scale. It helps one think about what would be
appropriate if the problem were of a different order of magnitude.
How: After defining a problem to be addressed or idea to develop, list all the component parts of the
idea or if a problem, its objectives and constraints. Choosing one component, develop ways of
exaggerating it and note them on a separate sheet.
Fishbone
The fishbone technique uses a visual organizer to identify the possible causes of a problem. This
technique discourages partial or premature solutions and demonstrates the relative importance of,
and interactions between, different parts of a problem.
How: On a broad sheet of paper, draw a long arrow horizontally across the middle of the page pointing
to the right. Label the arrowhead with the title of the issue to be explained. This is the “backbone” of
the “fish.” Draw “spurs” from this “backbone” at about 45 degrees, one for every likely cause of the
problem that the group can think of; and label each. Sub-spurs can represent subsidiary causes. The
group considers each spur/sub-spur, taking the simplest first, partly for clarity but also because a
simple explanation may make more complex ones unnecessary. Ideally, the fishbone is redrawn so
that position along the backbone reflects the relative importance of the different parts of the problem,
with the most important at the head.
Laddering
Laddering or the “why method” involves toggling between two abstractions to create ideas. Laddering
techniques involve the creation, reviewing and modification of hierarchical knowledge. In a ladder
containing abstract ideas or concepts, the items lower down are details or sub-sets of the ones higher
up, so one moves between the abstract and concrete. Laddering can help students understand how an
expert categorizes concepts into classes and can help clarify concepts and their relationships.
How: Beginning with an existing idea, “ladder up” by asking, of what wider category is this an
example? “Ladder down” by finding more examples. Then “ladder up” again by seeking an even wider
category (big picture) from the new examples obtained from step 2. Generally, “laddering up” toward
the general allows expansion into new areas while “laddering down” focuses on specific aspects of
these areas. Why questions are ladders up; so-what questions are ladders down.
Negative (or Reverse) Brainstorming
Negative brainstorming involves analysing a short list of existing ideas, rather than the initial massing
of ideas as in conventional brainstorming. Examining potential failures is relevant when an idea is new
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or complex or when there is little margin for error. Negative brainstorming raises such questions as:
“What could go wrong with this project?” Reverse brainstorming is valuable when it is difficult to
identify direct solutions to a problem.
How: After clearly defining a problem or challenge, ask “How could I cause this problem?” or “How
could I make things worse?” As with brainstorming, allow ideas to flow freely without rejecting any.
Evaluating these negative ideas can lead to possible positive solutions.
Role-playing
In most role-playing exercises, each student takes the role of a person affected by an issue and studies
an issue or events from the perspective of that person.
How: Role plays should give the students an opportunity to practice what they have learned and
should interest the students. Provide concrete information and clear role descriptions so that students
can play their roles with confidence. Once the role play is finished, spend some time on debriefing.
SCAMPER
SCAMPER is a check list that promotes ways to think about an existing product/issue/problem to
create a new way to think about it. The method uses action verbs to stimulate ideas and creative
thinking.
 Substitute: What can you substitute?
 Combine: What can you combine or bring together somehow?
 Adapt: What can you adapt for use as a solution?
 Modify/minify/magnify: Can you change the item in some way? What can you remove? What
can you add?
 Put to other uses: How can you put the thing to different or other uses?
 Eliminate: What can you eliminate?
 Rearrange: What can be rearranged in some way?
How: By providing a list of active verbs that may be associated with your problem and hence will
create ideas. The verbs are about doing to get students to think about the action.
Post-up
Post-up can gather ideas from large groups, numbering from the dozens to the hundreds. Participants
are given slips of paper (or Post-it notes) and asked to write down ideas which are discussed or
evaluated. Instructors may collect a large number of ideas swiftly and creates a sense of participation
and/or ownership at the same time.
How: Each student is given a stack or note-pad of at least 25 small slips of paper or Post-it note pad.
The pads can contain idea-jogging graphics or be designed so that ideas can be sorted and separated
easily. A question or problem is read to the group (e.g., “How do we?” or “What would it take to?”).
Students write down one idea per sheet, in any order. Once the writing begins to slow down students
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can post their ideas on a wall or flip-chart paper. Then, the students work as a group to discover and
explore themes.
Storyboarding
Storyboarding can be compared to spreading students’ thoughts out on a wall as they work on a
project or solve a problem. Story boards can help with planning, ideas, communications and
organization. This method allows students to see the interconnections, how one idea relates to
another, and how pieces come together. Once the ideas flow, students become immersed in the
problem and tag-team off other ideas.
How: Use a cork board or similar surface to pin up index cards or use Post-it notes on a whiteboard.
Begin with a set of topic cards, and under each place header cards for general points, categories, etc.
Under these, place sub-heading cards that will be contain ideas and details generated that support the
headers. During a story board session, consider all ideas relevant, no matter how impractical they
appear.
Reversal
The reversal method takes a given situation and turns it around, inside out, backwards, or upside
down. Any situation can be “reversed” in several ways. Looking at a familiar problem or situation in a
fresh way can suggest new solutions or approaches. It doesn’t matter whether the reversal makes
sense or not.
Example: If a room is dark look for ways to make it lighter. Instead of looking for ways of adding light,
look for ways to remove the dark — for example by putting mirrors or white paint in darker corners.
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QUESTION 1
Explain some ways of storytelling.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 2
What are the attributes of good key messages?
___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 3
Write a short note on Negative (or Reverse) Brainstorming.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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CHAPTER 3: DEBATE AND DISCUSS IDEAS

In this chapter, you will learn about the following:
 Present and argue substantiated positions on ideas

 Be open to critical analysis of own ideas and to the ideas of others
 Identify and participate in conversations that challenge and explore different concepts and
approaches and generate new ideas
 Respond to questions about ideas with confidence and relevant information
 Reflect on and appraise the views of others, and use to refine ideas and to embrace new ideas
Reasoning, research and even public speaking skills are just some of the positives behind learning how
to be a great debater. From planning your argument (even if you don’t agree with it) to choosing your
words wisely, debating will help you take on whatever life chooses to throw at you.
Debating is by no means the same as entering into a full-on argument. In fact, you will need to develop
a succinct, effective argument, which will gain you support and kudos, rather than blindly attacking
your opponent.
1. Be a better critical thinker
While you might not debate on a day-to-day basis, chances are you will get involved in small
disagreements and differences of opinion. Debating, instead of arguing, can help you defuse a rapidly
escalating situation. Rather than raising your voice, take a step back and choose your words wisely.
Debating helps you to develop essential critical thinking skills – the ability to make reasoned and well
thought out arguments in addition to questioning the evidence behind a particular stance or
conclusion. Critical thinking will help you become curious about new ideas while also retaining a level
of scepticism and building a healthy attitude to questioning. It will also help you to become humbler –
well, you can’t be right all the time!
2. Articulate your thoughts
Ever had that feeling when you just can’t get your words out quickly enough? Debating can help you
become even better at explaining a whole variety of topics. From explaining complex mathematical
equations to the plotline of your favourite book, debating helps you to identify your audience and
choose the appropriate tone. Too formal a tone will only alienate you from your listeners, while being
too relaxed might undermine your own arguments. The ability to articulate and plan your thoughts is
key in debating, producing a well- planned out and sharp argument.
3. Education is key
In any debate the argument matters, even if you don’t agree with it on principle. The manner in which
you deliver your winning speech is also incredibly important: keeping calm and maintaining eye
contact are all proven as effective debating techniques. Last but not least is the method in which you
put your debate together. Are your arguments coherent? Do they make sense?
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A good debater will keep all of these in mind in addition to the core elements they have acquired
through education (reading and finding sources, writing and drafting a speech, speaking confidently
and being able to listen) – useful both inside and outside the classroom.
4. Think on your feet
Think outside of the box, challenge your opponent and be ready to identify any loopholes in their
counterargument. The ability to think on your feet and respond to questions and comments is
essential while debating – hesitating could cost you precious time and points. In fact, the ability to
think on your feet could stand you in good stead in any situation which life throws at you, when time is
of the essence and a decision needs to be made fast.
5. Conflict resolution
A good debater will remain focused and won’t stray from the issue they are discussing. Just like any
successful orator, remember who it is you want to keep on side, and present a personable argument –
you will appear instantly much more amenable and likeable.
Knowing how to lose graciously and accept your failings are important skills, both in debating and
during everyday life. This will also help resolve any conflicts before they have a chance to begin. So,
accept any criticism that comes your way. It will make you a much more polished and proficient
speaker – and human being – in the long term.
6. Show some empathy
A successful speaker will always maintain a degree of empathy while debating – you might not believe
in what you have been assigned, but empathy will help you understand and accept the beliefs of
others. Nobody is asking you to agree with the other party’s argument, but empathy is an important
life skill, helping you to improve your relations on a personal and professional level.
7. Keep your emotions in check
A good debater will also remember to retain an element of poise and composure – addressing the
issue rather than getting carried away emotionally. In fact, managing your emotions will not only stand
you in good stead while debating. It is no easy skill to manage but will gain you respect in every walk of
life.
8. Construct meaning out of complex situations
Debating will also help you learn how to construct meaning out of, what are usually, rather complex
topics. From world peace to banning nuclear energy, taking the time to research the subject and
carefully construct the points you want to make will help you construct a better argument.
Finding solutions to a previous problem and compiling creative solutions and ideas are also key skills
for any good debater. Thinking outside of the box and making the best of a bad situation are excellent
traits to have, meaning you are prepared and ready to take on any challenge, no matter what the size.
9. Presentation skills
Presentation plays a crucial part in how others perceive you as an individual, and more importantly, as
competition.
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Consider what you are going to say, speak slowly and with clear enunciation. It will make for better
reasoning and a clearer understanding of what you say. Good presentation skills will earn you instant
respect both while debating and in future situations.
10. Confidence boost
Good presentation skills will also help boost confidence – helping you to shine at interviews or work-
related events. If you are confident you feel more able to take on increased responsibility and even
take some risks – helping you to stand out as an individual. A polished overall presentation and
confident speaking manner will make you a memorable individual.
11. Be more socially conscious
Debating is a skill which requires any individual to be much more politically and socially aware of
current affairs. In fact, debating also requires you to address a whole range of diverse social issues and
viewpoints. Being more socially and politically aware is not only important while debating but it will
also ensure that you connect and relate better to others, both socially and in the workplace.
12. An expanded worldview
Debating not only touches on political and social topics, it can also help individuals acquire a totally
different worldview too. Debating means students study topics that they wouldn’t normally consider,
meaning they have a deeper understanding of the society and the world which we live in. An expanded
worldview also encourages students to be proud of their talents and achievements, in addition to
being more appreciative of the opportunities that await them.
Being more conscious of the world we live in will stand you in good stead for the future – even if you
don’t win the debate this time.
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3.1 Present and argue substantiated positions on ideas

In the age of blogging and social media, everyone wants to share their opinion. However, it has
become abundantly clear to me that many people simply do not or cannot argue a point in a
meaningful way. As a blogger for The Huffington Post and an educator that enjoys pushing the
boundaries of traditional thinking, I get my fair share of people who disagree with my stand on a topic.
I love those people because that helps me grow and gives me an opportunity to hear valid points
opposing my position. I am not so closed minded to think that at times, I may be wrong (ask my wife,
she tells me I am wrong quite often).
But, if you are going to disagree or debate a blog post, Facebook post or any of the other mediums we
now have to share our opinions, there is a wrong way and a right way to present your ideas. I hope
these 5 points will help you share your ideas in a more meaningful way. If you do not like these ideas,
share your own ideas below.
1.Argue the point, not the person.
Someone states their opinion and it makes your blood curdle. You immediately want to attach this
person. Honestly, do you think this person cares what you think of them? Do you think that others in
the line of comments really care what you think of this person? That is not a way to win an argument
or even how to defend your position. If you want to score points, you have to hit where it counts and
that is against their position. Argue why their point is wrong and your point is right. Anything less and
you are actually giving them ammunition to use against you. For example, I had a person start to attack
me because of my views on the importance of early childhood education. This person started to attack
me personally and was saying what an awful educator I must be if I felt that way and so forth and so
on. This took me about two minutes to come up with my response: “You apparently did not learn
everything you needed to know in Kindergarten. Thank you for proving my point”. You must always
argue the point not the person.
2.Use data and research as much as you can.
If you read a post and disagree, before you respond, do a little research. Maybe you can find some
data that supports your position. Maybe you can find an article that you can quote in your response.
Again, a debate is about an idea. You can attack the idea with data, statistics and research. Your
opinion will be supported by using data that has been confirmed as valid.
3.Don’t put words in your opponent’s mouth.
When you are quoting your opponent while using their blog post or Facebook post, use the statement
as it was intended to be used. Do not try to fabricate what the meaning of a sentence was or
add/subtract words to suit your needs. Again, that just leaves the door open for you to be ridiculed. All
your opponent has to do is to show your error and people will negate any of the previous good points
you may have made. Your opinion will not be trusted if you do not stress accuracy.
4.Don’t go on a tangent
This is actually a strategy that can be reversed and used against your opponent. But be careful because
it can backfire very easily. When you present your argument, you want it to be organized and specific
to your point. You do not want people to become confused after reading your post. You want to
persuade people to take your side, not confuse them and push them away. If you stay focused on your
topic and continue to make valid points, it will make it difficult for your opponent to debate your
position.
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5.Stay positive, polite, and professional
Everyone who is reading your debate is judging you and your opponent. When people start to rant and
go off on tangents or attack the other person, the audience quickly loses interest. No one wants to
back the person that turns rude or becomes mean-spirited. They want to follow the professional,
because they are professional. They want to follow the person who is positive and polite through the
entire debate.
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3.2 Be open to critical analysis of own ideas and to the

ideas of others
A critical analysis examines an article or other work to determine how effective the piece is at making
an argument or point. These reviews are usually applied to articles or books, but you can also analyse
films, paintings, and other less traditional works. While you can examine the author's use of rhetorical
appeals, your focus for a critical analysis should be on the overall ability and effectiveness of the
article.
Framework of Critical Analysis:
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The critical evaluation of ideas, arguments, and points of view is important for the development of
students as autonomous thinkers. It is only through this critical evaluation that students can
distinguish among competing claims for truth and determine which arguments and points of views
they can trust and those of which they should be sceptical. This work lays the foundation for students’
progressing to staking their own claims in an intellectually rigorous fashion. Learning how to analyse
and critically evaluate arguments thus helps them to develop a sound framework to test their own
arguments and advance their own points of view.
Please use link Given below for more information:
https://youtu.be/dbD2gnrLSMU
https://www.ideaedu.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/IDEA%20Papers/IDEA
%20Papers/Idea_Paper_40.pdf
https://www.ideaedu.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/IDEA%20Papers/IDEA
%20Papers/IDEA_Paper_37.pdf
3.3. Identify and participate in conversations that

challenge and explore different concepts and
approaches and generate new ideas
From an organizational or a business context, creativity is not a fancy nice to have feature anymore. In
fact, without it very few companies would have survived today. When solving our work challenges,
without a creative idea, we would be looking at the same problem day in and day out, without viewing
it from a different frame of mind. Old problems would still remain.
We may just accept the need for creativity and acknowledge it by recruiting a few creative people from
the market to serve our needs. It is good in a way, but we are missing to solve our work challenges
through our own creative ideas. We may not know; our ideas may be the best and we are the ones
who know the problems better than the paid external talent.
Everyone has the creative potential and it is just that we are not aware of it and therefore not using it.
Some have even suppressed it. There could be many reasons.
The reasons for not using our creativity could be many. It could be that we are not in the right mood,
or it is the wrong timing and also it could be in the way we have been educated. We know it or not the
major emphasis on today’s education is focused on getting the right answer or the required answer
rather than coming up with a creative solution.
Many of us would have come through an education system which lays emphasis on regurgitation. Our
examinations force us to write answers which the examiners want rather than writing creative answers
or offering creative solutions to problems. Even in the corporate business environments there is no
chance for failure the focus is more on quick results.
Simple Approaches to Generate New Ideas
1. New pathways
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Here, this method is used to find the real work challenge or the problem underlying the problem
statement. We need to keep asking the question “Why” when somebody uses the question “How to”.
We keep asking “Why” a lot of times. This keeps continuing for some time till we reach a situation
where each ‘Why” question becomes a “How to” question on its own.
2. Event triggers
We generate a random series of triggers in the in the form of a connected concept, product or a
service. We then use this to generate fresh set of creative ideas.
We usually start with the current work challenge we are working on and then trigger a chain of events
in the form of an associated concept or a product which is connected to the original problem at a
higher level or at a lower level. We then stop whenever the event trigger makes us think of a new
creative idea.
3. No action taken
What would happen if you don’t act? Just be still. There are possibly two outcomes for this. One, we
will have a clear and a better idea of the benefits that we will accrue for not acting. The benefits so
accrued will be cues to our creative ideas. Two, we might also know the difficulties for not taking the
action.
4. The three charts
Hang three charts or white boards. In the first chart, mention briefly the current situation. In the
second chart, mention the obstacles for achieving your goals and in the last chart, mention where you
want to be. We would begin to notice as we write down that most of the obstacles can be converted
to “How to” problem statements on their own.
5. Read articles and stories
Now and then we should keep reading articles and stories that we have not read before. We need to
be aware that we are following this method. Creative ideas bounce off when we come back. We need
to keep the problem statement active in our sub-conscious mind.
When we come back and look at the current problems, we would be finding it in a totally different
light. It would be a surprise that we have not thought about this before.
6. Take a walk
Take a walk in the park and come back to revisit the challenge. You will notice something different
already.
7. In others’ shoes
Whenever you are in your organization, spend some time observing your organizational hierarchy.
People work in different roles and grades. You can start visualizing the problem from a senior’s
perspective. For e.g. “How the CEO of the company would look at the challenge” then go on to do it in
the middle management positions of the company and also how the same problem would be handled
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by an employee at the lowest level. See yourself in their shoes and view the problem and see how it
would affect them and their world.
8. Deadlines
Generally, when a deadline is imposed, we would look at the problem differently. We would state the
problem and its requirements in a different manner. It is good to view this under different time scales
in days, weeks and months.
9. Consider “What if” scenarios
Consider different scenarios that would make a different assumption about the problem. Ask “What if”
to generate different “How to” statements. For e.g. “What if a war broke out” and how would you see
the problem now?
10. Go beyond the normal
Look for scenarios where you deliver beyond the normal. Kind of being extraordinary. Instead of the
usual 10-20% improvement, go for 70-80% improvement in your product or service and then see how
you would rephrase or look at the problem in a totally different view.
11. Huge resources at your disposal as a gift
Visualize what you would do if you had huge resources at your disposal given to you as a gift to handle
the problem. How would you view the problem? How would you direct your staff to get your work
done? What work would they do? What can you learn from this? These are some the scenarios to
consider to view the problem in new light.
12. Shout the drawbacks of your best product or service
Find faults and drawbacks of your best product or service in market areas and niches where they are
actually hopeless. This way you will end up finding far more useful ideas for improvement. You will be
seeing the problems in new light.
13. Twist existing service or product attributes
Most of the attributes of a product or service are measurable. It begins by twisting your key attributes
and see what the result would be. We can choose one of the attributes like size or weight and twist it a
bit, either increase it or decrease it and see what the results of such twists would be or making
changes are. How does it impact the customers? What are the benefits that come out of such twists in
the attributes? What effectiveness and efficiency can we bring in with such changes or twists?
Let us say that your company is making airline seats. Take up one key attribute and work with it till the
end. For e.g., if we make a change (Increase) in the “size” of the seat, to a disproportionate level
(Either too big, like a bed or like a kid’s seat) then in these scenarios, how would it affect the customer
satisfaction? Would we have to compromise on the number of seats on the plane? The answers to
such questions provide us clues as to the direction we need to take to make our decisions.
14. Imaginative downgrade or invert
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Let us say if our question is “How to increase the brand awareness the product”. Then how you would
answer, if you totally invert the question or put it in opposite way for e.g., “how to downgrade the
product”. The answers to such inversion would generate creative ideas to actually increase the brand
awareness of the product in this case.
15. Practical Day Dreaming
Just relax! Sit back and say, “Wouldn’t it be so beautiful, if I were to…”. Image yourself to be having
limitless capabilities, then what would you do in this scenario?
Sometimes you need to move out of your analytical mind and see things more intuitively. Move
slightly away from your left brain to your more artistic right brain. Creativity, creative ideas for
answering and a way out of your problems come easily when you perceive and see through your
intuitions.
16. In someone else’s shoes (Dead or Alive)
Taking another person’s opinion for providing a creative solution is another practical way. Here, we
can choose a person, it could be a historical figure, celebrity or a fictional person. It does not matter
whom you are choosing as long as you know a bit (characteristics) about that person. Now imagine
yourself to be that person. How would you respond? How would you find a way out?
17. Creating an analogy
By creating an analogy for the problem we can generate creative ideas and associate with the problem
For e.g., if our main problem or question is “How to reduce costs by 10%” then an analogy for that
problem could be “It is like riding a roller coaster ride” or it could be “Holding a hot potato in your
hand”. So, once after we have made this analogy, we can justify its associations with the main
problem. We can also justify its validity. By doing this we can generate create associations with the
main problem and there by some creative ideas.
18. Identify a word off-hand
We can quickly choose a random word or a word that comes to your mind off-hand. Then generate
associations with that word and we can relate it back to the problem or question.
19. Pick an object
If you are working in a group, allow the group to be split for a few minutes and tell them to come back
with any object they have found on the way back. Ask the group to talk about the object they have
picked up on the way. Make associations with the main problem. You are bound to have some creative
ideas on the way out for the problem.
20. Create meaning out of gibberish sentences
The human brain has the natural ability to make meaning out of the disorderliness and chaos. So, take
a random gibberish sentence and force a meaning out it. For e.g.: - “the beast in the forest of bees” try
to make a meaning out of this sentence. Then make associations with the main problem. See, how we
can relate the meanings you make out the sentence with the main problem.
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21. Making random scribbles
Just close your eyes make some random scribbles for a minute. Allow yourself to flow and see what
associations you can make with the problem at hand with the drawings you have made. What does
this remind you of? See what is interesting and does it relate to your problem?
22. Spend time with kids
Kids come up with all kinds of possibilities without any pre-conceived ideas. Kids can be given a
context; we need to phrase it in such a way that they understand the problem or question. We can ask
their inputs and take suggestions.
23. View in its constituent parts
All problems can be split into components or various parts. We can then handle each of the parts one
by one to make it more manageable.
24. Learn from nature
There is lot to learn from nature. By observing how nature works, many great associations and ideas
have been adapted. We can think about an analogy to the problem in a way how it occurs in the
natural world. We can then look for ways in which plants or animals would solve and have found a
way out of the problem.
3.4 Respond to questions about ideas with confidence

and relevant information
The background work that you undertook whilst planning your presentation is the key to handling
questions effectively. If you have defined a precise focus for your presentation and have explored this
thoroughly in your background research and planning, you are more likely to be able to respond to
questions with precise answers. If you have been unfocused in your preparatory work, this will come
across in the way you answer questions.
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When planning your presentation, you will need to:
 identify when questions will be invited in your talk and plan to inform your audience of this;
 plan to leave plenty of time for questions so that the audience doesn’t feel rushed (this
might involve having to reduce the content of your talk);
 prepare prompts for questions that are open and straightforward: “That’s the end of my
presentation. I would now like to stop and take questions from the audience”.
As a further part of your planning you may decide to:
 define the topics for discussion: “Have you any questions on the four principles that I’ve
outlined?”;
 avoid answering questions that fall outside of the remit of your talk: “I’m afraid that really
falls outside of my objectives for today’s presentation. Perhaps we can resume discussion of
that particular point later?”
Responding to questions
One of the main problems with question and answer sessions is that the presenter’s nerves frequently
force an inappropriate response. This could be because a question has been misinterpreted or that
only key words from the question have been heard rather than the full content. The following steps
will help you respond more effectively to questions from your audience.
Step One - Listen
It is important to listen to all parts of a question before drawing premature conclusions about your
‘best’ response. Frequently questions can change direction at the last moment, particularly if the
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questioner is thinking on her/his feet. This can throw you if you have already started to leaf through
your material for the ‘appropriate’ response. Remember that questioners will frequently try to make a
point whilst asking their question: “Surely a more meaningful interpretation of X is that it ...?” It is
therefore important to both hear the content of the question and try to decipher the questioner’s
intention.
Step Two - Understand
If you are worried that you haven’t understood a question, clarify the area of enquiry before going any
further. Check for direct confirmation by paraphrasing the question back to the questioner “You want
me to explain the process of …?” or check that your reply will be heading in the right direction “Do you
mean in relation to factor X or factor Y?”.
Step Three - Communicate and involve
It is important to remember that even though you are taking a question from one member of the
audience, as a presenter, you are still responsible for the interest and engagement of the other
audience members. This is particularly important in large groups as the audience will become bored if
the presentation descends into a series of one-to-one discussions. To involve the rest of the audience
(and avoid potentially extended dialogue with the questioner) make sure the whole audience has
heard and understood the question by outlining the area of enquiry: “I’ve been asked to outline my
thinking behind …”
Step Four - Respond
When you reply to a question, direct your answer to both the questioner and other members of the
audience. Try to keep your responses as focused as possible. This will help keep them brief and
preserve space for other questions. To avoid going into too much detail, stop and check back with the
questioner to see if you have answered his/her query: “Does that explain why we chose to …?”.
Allow follow-up questions
A particularly effective technique encourages your audience to ask questions after the event has
finished through email discussion or telephone comments. This shows a particularly high level of
respect for your audience’s ideas and implies that the topic still has much further scope for enquiry.
Things to avoid
When handling questions and answers, you will still need to be as polished and professional as you
have been for the main delivery of your presentation. There are some common dangers that are useful
to avoid.
Answering the question, you wished you’d been asked
A common trick played by politicians, this strategy ignores the precise nature of the question and uses
a predetermined answer to the broad topic area. If handled ineptly, this technique is very obvious to
the audience and frustrating to the questioner.
Making a second ‘mini’ presentation
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This is the process whereby you make a lengthy response, including all the information you’d left out
in planning the main presentation. Remember, you left that information out for a reason! Your
unplanned response will be unstructured and rambling, so keep things focused and brief (check the
time as you respond). You can always offer to forward lengthy detail after the event.
Passing the blame
“That wasn’t my idea, my supervisor did the preliminary work, I’ve simply attempted to …” Passing the
blame to others comes across as weak and evasive. If an idea from the audience is a good one,
acknowledge its value. If it isn’t, make a polite rebuttal and move on.
Defensive answers
Occasionally, questions can really put you on the spot, but it is important to remain calm and in
control. An aggressive or defensive reply will be seen as weakness on your part and will spoil the effect
of an otherwise successful presentation.
Handling difficult questions
It is important not to start responding to a difficult question before you have thought about the
answer. Repeating the question and asking for clarification will help create some space for your
thoughts.
Sometimes you will need to think about a question for a moment before responding. You may be able
to buy a little bit of thinking time to help focus your response. Useful strategies include searching for
an appropriate visual aid to help focus your response or simply pausing for a moment or two to think.
For even more time, suggest that you’ll come back to the topic later (but don’t forget to do this).
Sometimes questions are too difficult to answer. Don’t worry about admitting that you don’t know
something or haven’t considered an alternative approach. An enthusiastic “That’s an interesting idea,
I’d not thought of that” is much more positive than a mumbled “I don’t know”. Remember that a
presentation is a two-way process and it is important to show that you are learning from your
audience as well.
Occasionally, questions will fall outside of the remit of your talk and it would be too much of a
diversion to tackle them in front of the whole audience. Respond positively to any such questions and
suggest that they best be tackled by a quick chat after the event.
Finally, you can come across a questioner who disagrees strongly with your argument. Although this
can feel very awkward, remember that you are still responsible for the whole audience and that you
cannot allocate all of your question time to one individual (no matter how passionate her/his views). If
you feel that you have answered the initial question, announce that you will move on and suggest that
you might continue discussion after the presentation. If the questioner persists, use an assertiveness
technique called ‘broken record’ to assert your position calmly: “I’m afraid I need to move on ... I do
need to move on ... I would like to move on now.” Your final sanction is to take another question or
even close the presentation.
3.5 Reflect on and appraise the views of others, and use

to refine ideas and to embrace new ideas
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One of the many strategies that organizations are using to enhance the traditional performance
appraisal process is to incorporate feedback from multiple sources. Traditional performance appraisals
that simply rely on manager ratings tend to focus on outcomes or individual achievements. As a result,
the collaborative work that individuals do on a daily basis made be overlooked.
In peer review, teammates, colleagues, and peers are anonymously asked to provide input on specific
aspects of an individual’s performance. Typically, peer feedback is provided to an employee's direct
supervisor to inform the overall performance review process. However, some organizations also share
(Peer feedback directly with the individual)
Peers have a unique opportunity to observe employee performance and can offer great insight into an
individual's interpersonal, collaboration, and influence skills. While there has been some controversy
over whether 360-degree feedback should be used for the purpose of performance appraisal,
organizations are increasingly integrating the principles of multi-rater feedback, and in turn, peer
appraisal into performance review to take advantage of these four key benefits:
1. Encouraging Recognition
Peer appraisal and feedback is not just about gathering more information for the performance review.
Providing vehicles for individuals to offer feedback to others encourages a culture of feedback and
recognition and supports collaboration.
2. Facilitating Accountability for Performance Improvement
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Individuals who receive feedback on their performance from peers gain valuable insight into their
strengths and development needs. Soliciting feedback from one’s peers makes the process of
improvement and development visible and public. Once the feedback is received, individuals are more
likely to take action on developmental feedback as they become accountable to their peers.
3. Increasing the Accuracy of Performance Ratings
Integrating feedback from multiple sources in performance appraisal not only increases the
perceptions of fairness, but also improves the manager’s ability to provide accurate ratings. As
previously mentioned, managers have a limited ability to observe performance. Peer appraisal helps to
provide a more complete picture of employee performance so that accurate judgments can be made.
In addition, organizations can surface potential issues by examining the differences between manager
and peer review data. For example, individuals who receive high ratings or great feedback from peers
and low ratings from their managers may be at flight risks. This gap may be a sign of a poor employee-
manager relationship and can be addressed before it leads to attrition.
4. Surfacing Hidden Talent
Given the complex nature of working relationships, the insight offered by peer’s sheds light on unique
skills and capabilities. Managers and organizations will be better able to identify individuals with team
leadership, networking, and influence skills that would otherwise be missed in a traditional
performance appraisal process. This insight can be used in building teams, making decisions on job
rotations, and succession planning.
Peer appraisal is a good way to begin the process of integrating 360-degree feedback into the
performance review process. Collecting performance feedback from peers, direct reports, and even
customers provides managers with information they would otherwise not have in the performance
appraisal process.
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QUESTION 1
Discuss simple approaches to Generate New Ideas.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 2
How to respond to questions?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 3
How will you share your idea with the other person?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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References
https://www.educba.com/10-ways-of-communicating-ideas-effectively/
http://www.kwikfixskills.com/kwikfixskillsena.html
https://www.managementstudyhq.com/characteristics-and-purpose-of-group-discussion.html
https://zenhabits.net/respond/
https://www.educba.com/different-methods-of-communication/
https://www.sparkol.com/en/Blog/8-Classic-storytelling-techniques-for-engaging-presentations
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/how-to-impromptu-speech/
https://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2016/06/01/24-simple-approaches-to-generate-new-
ideas-in-the-workplace/
http://web.viapeople.com/viaPeople-blog/bid/99056/4-Benefits-of-Using-Peer-Appraisal-in-Employee-
Performance-Reviews
http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/teaching-format/14-creative-ways-to-engage-students/
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AISL Pty Ltd T/A Rosehill College

RTO No: 41257 | CRICOS Code: 03622A

Articulate, present and debate ideas

What Will I learn?

1. Analyse ideas for communication to others

2. Provoke response and reaction

3. Debate and discuss ideas

CHAPTER 1: ANALYSE IDEAS FOR COMMUNICATION TO

2. Avoid Disruptions and Negative Questions

3. Avoid Being Casual

4. Never Rush Communication

6. Follow-up after Communication

8. Be Sensitive and Acknowledge Technical Differences

A better way of explaining the technical concept is to make

9. Avoid using Misread Phrases/ words

Misinterpretations are a common problem while

10. Take Feedbacks

better understanding with co-workers, staff or

Thus, basically think before you speak and follow the

1.1 Distil key themes, messages and positions to aid in

1. Engage in Observation Sessions

2. Socialize Outside Your Normal Circles

3. Read More Books

4. Randomly Surf the Web

5. Keep a Regular Journal

7. Use Structured Exercises

Selling Creative Ideas

7. Be Persistent. Patience is important but patience with persistence is more effective. Follow-

1.2 Reflect on different ways of communicating ideas for

Ways to Create Effective Communication in the Workplace

4. Create a Receptive Atmosphere

5. Communication via Training

6. Display Confidence and Seriousness

7. Use Simple Words

9. Listen to Your Team Members

10. Use Body Language

11. Act Out Your Message

12. Use the Appropriate Tone of Voice

13. Avoid Unnecessary Repetition

14. Use Presentations

17. Avoid Mumbling

18. Encourage Feedback

1.3 Identify the enabling skills and attributes of

Key Enabling Skills

 Working effectively within organisations

 Working effectively with colleagues

 Examining and assessing information effectively to make and justify decisions

 Communicating effectively within working relationships and to get a case across

Characteristics of Group Discussions

(ii) Leader and Members:

(iv) Interpersonal Attraction:

13. Another characteristic feature of a group discussion is interpersonal attraction. As long as

(v) Pressure to Conform:

Purpose of Group Discussions

 To reach a solution on an issue of concern

 To generate new ideas or new approaches to solving a problem

 To provide us with an avenue to train ourselves in various interpersonal skills

Advantages of Group Discussions

 It provides a deeper understanding of the subject.

 It improves the ability to think critically.

 It provides different approaches to solving a problem.

 It helps the group in taking a decision.