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Speaking:
One evening while sipping coffee when Mark Twain
peeped out of his window, the sight terrified him. He
deserted his coffee and he dashed towards the house
across the rood forced spin the door, surprising the
owner of it said, “Sir, I am Mark Twain. I and my wife
live in the house opposite to yours. We have learnt that
you’ve shifted here last week. Since then we both think
of inviting you to our place for a cup of coffee, but I am
extremely sorry as we could not do so neither drop in
to ask for any help that we can give. I sincerely
apologise for the and certainly will be pleased if you
drop in to our place for a coffee coming Sunday.
Anyway I have right now come to tell you that the first
floor of your house is on fire.
Speaking is a natural mode of expression. We
speak more than we write. We spend our time speaking
to one another. The language and manner of our
speech depend up on the audience and the speaking
situations. Sometimes we converse with someone, we
make an oral presentation, sometimes we instruct
someone, sometimes we attend, sometimes we brief a
team and even sometimes we speak to ourselves. The
matter and the manner both change from one speech
activity to another speech activity.
When we communicate through speaking we are
judged by the audience in terms of how well we
communicate. We enjoy listening to a person who
impresses us, who gives us something new, who relates
us things and ideas properly, who imports knowledge
to us, who knows how to choose words, who knows
what we want to listen to or what we want to learn
from him or her, who knows how to bind us to himself
or herself emotionally by his or her expression and
style. It is the personality or the identity of the person
that gets manifested through our speech.
Aids to Effective Speech:
(i) Speech Styles: Some of these are the formal,
informal, polite, blunt, tentative and direct styles.
These styles are context bases and it is important for
speakers to strike the right attitude and choose the
right language. As with many other languages, in
English too, you have different ways of expressing
the same content and message. The style you
choose will depend upon some or all of the
following:
 The relationship you have with the people
you are taking to (whether they are close
friends, strangers, people in authority and so
on)
 The situation you are in; (at a friend’s party,
at an official reception, etc.)
 The mood you are in; (angry, happy, nervous)
 The mood of the people you are talking to;
(you will probably be careful when talking to
a friend who is in a bad mood)
 What you are talking about; (you will be more
careful in your choice of words if you want to
complain to a friend about his/her behaviour
than you would if you were inviting him for
dinner)
It is important to choose appropriate ways of saying
things according to the situation you are in. In many
situations it will be appropriate to use normal or neutral
language. In other situations, it is necessary to use
language items that are appropriate to special
situations.
 We use tentative language when we are unsure
of our facts or of how we feel in order to be tactful
and diplomatic.
Example: It’s very kind of you to invite me, but I’m not
sure if I can come.
I hope that you can make it to my place this evening.
 Direct language is the opposite of tentative
language; it gives the impression that the speaker
is very sure. But it can sound rude and
inappropriate in many situations, like inviting a
superior to a party.
Example: No. You are mistaken. The statistics cannot
be this high.
 We use polite language when we want to sound
particularly polite without being tentative.
Example: I’m sorry, but I feel there is a mistake
somewhere. According to my calculations, the
statistics should not be so high.
 Formal language creates the impression of social
distance between people. It is used mostly in
official situations; e.g. business meetings and
official receptions.
Example: I’d be delighted if you could make it to the
party. We’ll all look forward to it.
 Informal language is usually used between
friends, it is generally inappropriate to use it with
anyone else.
Example: Cut it out, will you? I’ve had enough of this.
The best style to be used while conversing is a mixture
of all these styles depending upon the situation and not
the dominance of any one tone.
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(ii) Audience: One has to successfully judge the historian of expressions make a speaker
audience their level of knowledge, aptitude and so his times has effective.
on. remarked for
Looking at the Audience or making
his speaking
In making a speech or even in our day-to-day an Eye-Contact: The effective
ability that
conversation the audience has a great role to speaker looks straight into the eyes
he appeared
determine the material to be used and the of the members of the audience to
2 feet taller
approach to be followed. We have to look into find out the reactions of the
when he
following factors that decide the nature of listeners. It also shows the speaker’s
stood to
audience for the speech. confidence in himself or herself and
speak among
his or her interest in the listeners. In
1. Number of members. people.
an oral presentation an effective
2. Nature of purpose.
speaker keeps on changing his or her
3. Age
eye-contact with the member of the
4. Sex
audience, becomes alert while
5. Academic background.
listening to the presentation.
6. Present knowledge in the subject
Drooping head and a slouched and
of the talk.
fidgety stance hint at sloppiness.
7. Interest
The quizzical gaze and the lifting of
8. State of mind.
eyebrows also influence the
9. Physical state.
audience. Furtive glance show
10. Expectations
nervousness.
Speak to 11. Cultural background-religious
the and regional. Hand Movements: The hand
people. 12. Social background-community, movements indicate both
caste and class. psychological states of one’s being
13. Biases and prejudices. highly emotional and animated or
relaxed and carefree. An efficient
(iii) Body Language: The audience gets as much speaker gives an indication about his
information from our body language as from our
other relaxed state or animated
verbal means. We keep on making body pictures
state depending, upon the subject
of what we feel or thing at the time of speaking.
matter of the speech in an oral
When our visuals match our verbals we make an
presentation. The free use of
authentic presentation of what we speak. Body
gestures through hands reflects a
language is highly individualized. Our first
positive attitude towards the
impressions are bases of non-verbal
listeners. The efficient speaker
communication. Body language is helpful when a
shows his or her neutral thinking or
problem is complex; it also speeds up the
evaluation by stroking or rubbing of
problem-solving in an oral presentation. Some of
the chin or forehead. Sagging hands
the significant means of body language are as
display nervousness effecting low
follows:
credibility.
Smile: The smile is a very powerful Standing Posture: The comfortable
gesture. If it is used appropriately it posture for standing is to stand erect
may hide the inner nervousness and with the hands out of pockets and
make the audience response with a the feet slightly apart. One should
smile. When we smile we relax our not stand behind a desk.
vocal cords which, in effect, make
An upright posture indicates
our voice much interesting.
confidence. Walk among the
However, not only smiling but other
audience generates caution among
facial expressions showing anger,
listeners.
Napoleon interest, happiness, disgust,
Bonaparte, contempt, surprise, fear and love
(iv) Attention: The attention of the audience during a
the 5 feet can be effective in communicating
presentation generally goes through an attention
tall French information. It is very difficult for
curve. It starts on a high, drops a little first and
emperor is many to communicate false
more steeply later. It rises again towards the end
known in information through contrary facial
and further up for the last few minutes. Some of
history for expressions. Positive expressions
the ways the audience can be kept interested are
his speeches. like interest, happiness, surprise etc.
the following;
A French too communicated by facial

I. Look into points where the attention curve
drops and consider ways of varying the
texture, (If your presentation has been largely
oral, bring in an audio visual slide or have an
interactive session that will ensure
participation.)
II. Divide speech into parts a sections keep each
section short.
III. Involve audience into your speech; decide
what you want from them.
(v) Prepare in Advance:
Researching the subject: It is important to be clear
about the objectives of the presentation to the
audience you are presenting to.
Selecting the content: Once the information has been
gathered, it is necessary to filter out the non-
essential points. One has to then group the ideas
under separate headings; classify the information
depending on the available time and keep the
matter strictly to the point.
Planning for the talk:
To get the message effectively
across, one has to carefully draw out
a presentation layout. A well-
planned presentation is always a
well-received one. The important
Opening
factors to be considered at this
should so
stage are the following:
arouse
interest and (1) The beginning: During a
curiosity of presentation one is always sure of
the reader the first few minutes of the
that it takes audience’s attention. One therefore
him to the has to be very careful about the
middle, beginning. Make an impression that
which will hold the attention of the people.
should be One can start with a quotation, a
so web that question, a dialogue or even an
it lads him anecdote, a fable or a parable. A
to the end joke, an unusual definition or a
startling statements or statistics too
can be an effective beginning.
(ii)The middle: After making
impressive beginnings one has to be
able to deliver the contents
effectively. The contents should be
well structured, be logically
connected and effectively lead
towards a specific goal. To sustain
the interest of the audience, it is
important to include examples and
personal experiences, which will
make the material authentic and
interesting.
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(iii)The end: The way a presentation
ends is again very important,
Primarily, this is what the audience
will remember the presentation as.
(vi) Language: Other than style language should have at
least two more qualities:
Word Order: There should be a logical and systematic
order of words in our speech. We should an order
of words so that our speech is both relevant and
good, largely this use can be studied in two heads
relevance; important words come first or at the
beginning. Decoration to enrich what we write by
using words – this can be done by a fitting use of
synonyms and antonyms.
 Use similar words with different
antonyms.
 Use synonyms combined by
‘and’ or ‘to’
 Use opposite words together.
Signposting: We should have several signposts in our
speech. Signposts mean certain marks in our
speech that we refer to again and again. We
normally have such marks when.
 We introduce an example or a
typical explanation
 We refer to a quotation,
reference or a part or section of
our speech.
 It can be between different parts
of speech or between your
present and previous speech. It
may also be used to relate your
speech with some other speech.
 Signposts are useful to a large
extent. They enrich and bring
variety in our speech.
 By using signpost we avoid
repetition of words thoughts and
examples. We rather use
signposts to refer to an example
quoted earlier.
 We not merely speak less but
also make the impression of our
more grouted in the listener.
 We keep the audience interest in
our speech by signposts.
 Signposts help the audience
recall what is said earlier thus
catching their attention and
holding their involvement in the
speech.

 It may also be also be used as an
advanced skill of rotating or
moving the audience in past,
present and future at the will of
speaker.
Referred below are some examples of signposts.
- My purpose of speech is ………
- My lecture is divided into ………
- You will note that ………..
- As I have said earlier ……….
- In addition to ………
- We may again look at ……..
- Let us return to …………
- We can relate this to ………
- We come again to ……….
- To sum up my main points ……….
Presentation Skills:
Presentation is an audio-visual form of
communication with an aim to deliver the message to
the audience. The most important aid to prepare for a
presentation is to decide what to say. Find out the
required information and give it a proper shape. The
speech prepared must have a logical and smooth flow
of words.
Following points should be heeded to while preparing
for presentation.
 Divide your speech into points.
Points into sub points. It is easier
to remember points than long
sentences & paragraphs.
 Prepare notes – take jottings brief
words / sentences/ thoughts
 Arrange notes into logical order
 Include examples, illustrations,
statistics & other similar matter to
make it effective.
 Question audience frequently. Do
not stress on them answering it.
 Organise speech well.
 fit your speech in the time
available
 Conclude towards the end.
To bring in variety and make our speech
effective one has to choose the RIGHTS – a style that
suits the personality of the speaker and is suitable to
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audience’s level of understanding. Dress appropriately.
Choose language wisely. Make use of aids.
Style:
A talk is not a written text being read out; it
must sound like conversation. The style of speech is
different from the style of writing. In writing, long
sentences can be used since the reader can refer back
to the earlier part of the sentence. But in speaking,
sentences must be short to enable the listener to grasp
them at once. Vocabulary should consist of simple
words, which can be easily understood.
Audience:
One has to carefully judge the audience their
level of understanding, knowledge, social, background,
interest and altitudes and so on finding out as much as
you can about the audience is what is going to make
your speech successful.
Dress:
The first impression that we make is often
crucial. So is it in presentation, we shall note how -
- We reach the audience
- Always check in the dress code
- Dress formally – neat and tidy
Any untoward act can remove the audience’s
interest in your speech. Remember they’ve come to
hear you not to see you. Do not reverse the case.
Language:
Words: The speaker should use positive words. He
or she should avoid words like “but”, “try”
“may be” “perhaps” etc. use words that are
clear and not [prejudiced with the feelings
of religion and superiority.
Expression: The speaker should lay stress on those
words that effectively highlight the key
expressions of the theme. The choice of
expression shows how authentic, sincere
and enthusiastic the speaker is a about his
or her subject matter of the speech.
Pace of the voice: The speaker should so arrange the
matter of the speech that during delivery a
fact passage should be followed by a slow
passage. However, the text itself should
determine the appropriate pace. The
variation in the pace of the speech makes
the speech interesting to the listeners. The
listeners lose interest when the average
speed of speaking is too fast for the listeners
to understand if the average speed is slow
the listeners may get bored.

Pitch of the Voice: The speaker can make his or her
speech or an oral presentation effective by
starting deep down the notes. According to
the nature of the text he or she should
modulate his or her voice between high and
low. The speech becomes more meaningful
when the speaker makes use of tonal
variations. For effective speaking a speaker
needs practice in increasing the range of his
or her voice. None likes a monotonous tone.
Power of the voice: The speaker should vary the power
of his or her voice. For thought provoking
passages he or she should drop the power
as it has a surprisingly greater influence on
the listeners than raising power.
Pausing: An efficient speaker does not rush through the
speech while making an oral presentation.
He or she makes pauses to give the audience
adequate time to collect and digest the
contents of the speech.
Aids to Effective Presentation:
Audio-visual Aid: Audio-visual aid supplements our
message making our speech vivid and interesting. An
effective speaker with right use of these instruments
can make a presentation effective arresting the
attention of the audience. Use of these aids leads to a
better effect on the audience. It helps them remember
the contents better and assimilate the matter more
effectively. Sometimes visual aids save presentation
time and also make the presenter’s work easier. Some
of the commonly used visual aids are:
 Flip charts
 Overhead projectors
 Slides
 Power Point presentations
Flip charts: These are the blank or prepared sheets of
charts that are put up during a presentation as visual
aids. They can be used to generate ideas or quickly
record the responses that can be later organised and
ordered.
Overhead projectors (OHP): Like the flip chart, the
OHP, can be used in two ways. It can either be prepared
in an advance or written during the presentation as an
alternative to using the flip chart, like writing in the flip
chart, the transparency sheet too has to be carefully
prepared. Some of the factors to be kept in mind while
making an OHP presentation are:
 Use transparencies to show only
important points.
 Do not crowd the transparency sheet with too
many points on a single sheet.
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 Learn in advance to use on OHP.
 Rehearse thoroughly, so that you get used to
placing and removing the slides without any
awkward movement.
 Take care to see that you use colours that are
bright and aid clarity.
 Organise the information you have to give
under heads and subheads. Remember that
the organization you give will help organize
the matter in the participant’s mind.
Power point presentations: They are today the most
common form of presentations. Power Point operates
through slides which have to be prepared vary carefully
as they can make or mar a presentation. Power Point
creates a lot of interest and brings in variety and life
into a presentation.
Body language: As we communicate more through our
body we should cultivate the language of our body too.
 Body movements: need to be monitored. They
should rather show our confidence and
preparation.
 Gestures, expressions & eye contact: Assertive
attitude with right postures of gestures is
required eye contact helps in forming a
rapport with the audience.
 Space: Depending upon the situation make
use of the space between you and audience.
Preferably commute this space or decrease it
by standing close to audience. Public space
denotes lot of distance. Social space brings in
familiarity.
Language: This section has been dealt with detail in
writing (chapter) while in presentation special
attention should be paid to the following.
 Words: Choice of words is demanded in all
spoken exercises. Avoid vague words. Prefer
using active voice. Use second person pronoun
in speech rather than I and always instead of
III person pronoun.
 Brevity: Use simple & clear language as it can
be understood by all. Ease of language and
understanding can be maintained by
observing brevity.
 Organise: Your speech well. Divide it into
parts. It should have an opening elaborate the
definition you laid at the onset of your speech
and always conclude with what you began.
the

Group Discussion
The term group dissuasion is used to refer to
an oral communication situation in which a small
number of members discuss problem or an issue to
arrive at a consensus. The purpose of Group Discussion
is to elicit views of all participants through intense
interaction and evolve a consensus.
Group Orientation: ‘‘Group” is a social unit
differentiated from the whole on basis of certain
characteristics. A group can be studied as
 Conventional or large
 Organised and non organised
 Official and unofficial
 The basic parameters of group traditionally
studied by social psychology are
 Composition (member)
 Structure (of communication)
 Groups processes (interpersonal relations)
 The dynamics of group norms (standards of
behaviour)
 Values – the level of group development.
Group Cohesion: A quality characterizing the strength,
unity and stability of personal interactions and
relationships in a group.
Group compatibility: A socio-psychological group
characteristics that manifests itself in the ability of
group members to coordinate their actions and
optimize their relationship in various types of joint
activities.
Group Consensus: Unity of views characterizing people
making up a group.
Group Dynamics: This is used to convey different
meanings.
i. Denotes a trend investigating small groups
along the principles of psychology.
ii. Describe the process occurring in a group as
it grows & change.
iii. Describe the cause-and-effect relationship
explaining these processes.
iv. Study social attitudes and inter personal
relations in a group.
v. Study inter group and inter group conflicts,
leadership etc.
vi Investigates correlation between
individuals and group motivation.
Group Decision-making: The choice of a solution from
among a range of alternatives made by a group under
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the conditions of information exchange when solving a
common task.
Group formation: A process in course of which an
accidental aggregation of individuals turns into a
separate isolated group with a certain structure and
characteristic.
Group conformity: A person’s tendency to change his
behaviour under the infolded of other people so that it
would correspond to the opinion of one’s associate or
a group.
Group Norms: Standards of behaviour in a given
community and governing human relationships.
Objectives of GD:
Group discussions have several objectives which
can be arranged in order of their need and relevance
as:
 Studying group behaviour.
 Coordination & cooperation in a group
 Leadership qualities in an individual
 Present a platform of group learning
 Creating on opportunity to discuss a problem.
 Share findings of group members, analyse
classify and establish those findings.
 Bearing group dynamics.
Process of Group Discussion
(i) Participants: For a successful GD there should be an
appropriate number of participants.
The nature and effectiveness of
discussion also depends upon the
number of participants. For a large
group the significance of the discussion
may be lost if all members do not
participate. Contrary to it a small group
may lack in diversity of opinions.
Therefore an optimum number of
participants for a group is between 5 to
10. (Largely an average 7 or 8
members).
(ii) Time: A discussion too long will be wayward
and one short may end in advance.
Ideal time limit for a GD is 30 minutes.
Participants should divide this time
among them and not merely discuss but
also conclude.
(iii) Topic: Sometimes the topic to be discussed is
made known to the participants
beforehand so that they can ponder
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and formulate the views before the  Display your cooperation.

discussion starts. And sometimes the
 Don’t be rigid always seek to modify your view
topic is announced after the
by incorporating other people’s views into
participants have assembled. In this
yours.
case, a few minutes are allowed for
thinking and preparation. The  Use soft, polite and courteous language even
participants generally sit in a circle in case of disagreement.
round a table so that each participant is
 Try to convince others or rather convert them
able to observe the expression and
to your views instead of opposing them.
make eye contact with the others.
(iii) Controlling: It is a quality that largely displays
(iv) Process: Unlike a meeting, the group discussion
leadership skills in an individual.
is not structured. There is no
chairperson, no secretary and no  Ensure that everyone is given an opportunity
detailed agenda. Only the problem or to speak & express himself.
issue is stated and any member can
 Check that the members are on right track. If
initiate the discussion and deal with any
they deviate from the topic bring them.
aspect. Similarly, a member can give a
preview of what points are likely to  Use the allotted time for discussion wisely.
arise, provide an internal summary of
 Look at the topic from various angles and all
the views expressed up to a point of
possible perspectives.
time and summarise the discussion
towards the end. However, it is the duty (iv) Summing up: When you know that the time of
of each member to ensure that the discussion is almost up, it is necessary to give an
discussion to the emergence of a appropriate conclusion.
solution, a common viewpoint or a
 Quickly recap the important points.
course of action. Obviously, display of
anger, emotion and excitement has no  Emphasise the point where there are
place in a group discussion. differences.
 Frame a group conclusion.

Trek:  Get approval from all members over the final

decision taken by the Group.
(i) Initiating: Always initiate with the right note.
 Without summing up no GD can be concluded
 Ensure that you present a proper fitting as successful.
definition of the topic given.
Summary
 Never be wayward. Always present a
definition or an opinion. Never attempt to do  Analyse the topic word by word.
so.  Make brief remarks rather than
 It may also be sometimes referred to as speeches.
“breaking the ice.”  Be open minded and conciliatory rather
 Initially talk about the topic briefly rather than than rigid.
in detail.  Back your arguments with evidence and
 Divide the topic into some subtopics. It is authority.
better to do so as discussion on parts is easier.  Be group-centred rather than self-
(ii) Group behaviour: is what is tested in a G.D. centred.
Therefore,  Avoid personal attacks.
 Always cherish the right approach.  Maintain eye contact with group
 Coordination and cooperation of a member is members.
largely tested in a GD.  Present a group conclusion towards the
 Give all the participants a chance to speak. end not your individual views.

 Ensure that everyone not merely gives his  Look at the topic from all possible angles
views but they are also incorporated with and viewpoints.
yours when a final outlook is being accepted.
 P a g e | 62

Debates: team, in which they are allowed additional time to

respond to the opposing team's arguments and sum up
Debate (American English) or debating (British their own case, but may not introduce new arguments.
English) is a formal method of interactive and position Therefore, the speaking order and timings of each
representational argument. Debate is a broader form of debate is generally:
argument than logical argument, which only examine
the consistency from axiom, and factual argument, 1. Prime Minister 7 Minutes
which only examine what is or isn't the case. Though 2. Minister of the Crown (or Member of the
logical consistency, factual accuracy as well as some Government) 8 Minutes
emotional appeal to audience are important elements
3. Leader of the opposition 8 Minutes
of the art of persuasion, in debating, one side often
prevail over the other side by presenting superior 4. Member of the Opposition 8 Minutes
"context" and/or framework of the issue.
5. Leader of Opposition Rebuttal 4 Minutes
British Parliamentary style:
6. Prime Minister Rebuttal 5 Minutes
This style of debate is a common form of
academic debate. It has gained support in the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Europe, Africa, and United Ideas for Debate topics
States, and has also been adopted as the official style
of the World Universities Debating Championship and  Television is better
than books.
European Universities Debating Championship.
Speeches are usually between five and seven minutes  Cats make better
in duration. The debate consists of four teams of two pets than dogs.
speakers, called factions, with two factions on either
side of the case.  Animals should not
be kept in cages.
Because of the style's origins in British
parliamentary procedure, the two sides are called the  Computers should
Government (more commonly called "Proposition" in replace teachers.
the United Kingdom) and Opposition. The speakers are  Beauty is only skin
similarly titled: deep.
Australasia style Debate:  The Olympics are a
Australasia style debates consist of two teams waste of money.
who debate over an issue, more commonly called a
topic or proposition. The issue, by convention, is
presented in the form of an affirmative statement
beginning with "That", for example, "That cats are
better than dogs," or "This House", for example, "This
House would establish a world government." The
subject of topics varies from region to region. Most
topics however, are usually region specific to facilitate
interest by both the participants and their audiences.
American Parliamentarian Debate
This style consists of two teams, with the
following speakers:

Government Opposition
1. Prime Minister 1. Leader of the
opposition
2. Minister of the
Crown (or 2. Member of the
Member of the Opposition
Government)

American Parliamentary style debating

includes an additional speech from the Leader of each
 P a g e | 63

Meetings:  Discuss the issues one by one

A meeting is a formal gathering of a group of  Extract views of all members participating

people at a predestined time & places. It can be both  Check digressions
formal as well as informal.
 End up by concluding the decision
It is most commonly used form of discussion in an
 Ratify the decision by all the members
organisation. Management needs are largely obtained
through meetings with a view to work effectively.  Remains himself cool and check over-
enthusiasm.
Meetings are generally held for
(iii) Conclude: Always conclude a meeting with its
following purposes.
summary confirming the conclusions of the meeting.
o Information gathering
 Convenor/Chairman should thank the
o Information giving members/participants.
o Problem solving  Convenor should thank even chairman
Almost all
meetings are o Decision Making  Before thanks he should ask everyone present
result if any other or question is to be discussed (of
o Future planning
oriented. called AOB) in the meeting.
o Formulating policies.
(iv) Minutes: While in a meeting it should be ensured
o Financial matters that someone is taking down notes. Minutes present
the record of business transacted in a meeting.
However, the nature of minutes prepared depends
upon the nature of meeting. Their chief characteristics
Good Meetings are:
 Be sure of facts and information to be exchanged.  Are written objectively.
 Express yourself by reasons for your point of view.  Are accurate in regard to facts.
 Clarity of thoughts and confidence while delivering  Language used is impersonal.
the same is required.
 Are concise accounts of main points of
 Distribute the Agenda of a meeting in advance. discussion, decisions arrived at and
 Achieve the purpose of meeting through recommendations made.
negotiating and arriving at a consensus. Actual writing of minutes takes place only after the
 In case of disagreement go for voting and in case of end of meeting. They include the following details and
deadlock defer meetings. are normally written in the format of a letter.

 As far as possible maximum information regarding  Name of organisation.

the meeting must be circulated in advance to the  Day & date, venue, time, meeting name (if any
members called for. given) or number
 Appoint a convener (normally the chairperson  Names of convenor and chairperson
himself is the convenor).
 List of members called for with details of
presence & absence.
Trek:  Record of transactions item wise.
(i) Welcome: It is convenor’s role to welcome the  Subsequent approval & notification from all
gathering: members.
 Exchange greetings 
 Reaffirm of or read out agenda
 Initiate meetings (with permission to start a
meeting from Chairperson).
(ii) Control: Convenor is responsible to execute the
entire meeting. He has to exercise his power, ability and
wise to conclude every meeting favourably.

Interview
An interview is a conversation between two or
more people (the interviewer and the interviewee)
where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain
information from the interviewee. There are many
types of interview like
 Information gathering interview,
 Appraisal interview,
 Exit interview,
 Job interview,
 College/university (admission)interview,
 Persuasive interview,
 Counselling interview and many more.
Job Interview is one of the best known and the
most widely experienced type of interview, where an
interviewer is taken by Human Resource Manager/
Educational Expertise. To reduce your chances being
rejected, here are some basic professional skills, which
will lead you towards the path of success in your
interview.
Effective Interview Skills
Talents and Skills are the only tools, which
could lead an individual towards the door of success in
this challenging time. To qualify for a professional
degree or a job, one should have strong past
educational background along with integrated multi-
dimensional skills. It’s of no use acquiring higher degree
without building character, confidence, and expressive
personality.
An interviewer always attempt to decide that
why they should select you? What are the qualities,
which you have and other do not have? How can you
benefit their organization? If you can show your trust,
your confidence, your commitment, and appropriate
skills, then you could win a successful future. Interview
is a form of oral communication. It’s one to one, or one
to group interaction, where an applicant proves
themselves as a unique person to be the part of an
organization. Remember that interview is always pre-
planned and structured. It’s a formal presentation
between an interviewer and an interviewee. Only those
pass it with flying colours, who are original and show
their interest with confidence and who present
themselves appealing.
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There are many types of interview like
Information gathering interview, appraisal interview,
exit interview, job interview, college/university
interview, persuasive interview, counselling interview
and many more. In this article, we are going to learn
about College/university entrance and Job interview.
First of all, prepare your mind in advance that you
are going to have an interview next morning. Relax
yourself and do not get nervous, tense or tired at any
cost. Before going for an interview, pre-planned few
things:
 Learn about the company, organization or
educational institution and do some research
in advance.
 Why should you perform an advance
research?
 Simply to develop good answers and to prove
yourself unique.
 What you have to Research?
 You can gather information about
organizational structure; type of their clients/
students; departments and its branches; past
and present achievements etc. Simply search
yellow pages or ask your friend or family
member/relative who are familiar about
organization or you can collect information
through newspapers and websites.
 Prepare answers to typical questions. Practice
your answer and never rote learn it.
A few sampling questions that can be practised in
advance.
 What do you feel about our organization?
 What are your weaknesses?
 Why do you want to become a part of our
organization?
 Tell me about yourself and about your
hobbies.
 Who is your role model and why?
 If you are lucky to know the name of a person,
who will interview you, then memorizes
his/her name properly.
 Decide what to wear. Remember to Dress
simply but elegantly. Dress should be well
ironed without crease. Wear comfortable
shoes. You can even check what management
wears and dress similarly without over kill. Do
not Dress casual or wear Athletic Shoes. Do
not spray lots of cologne or wear lots of

jewellery. Do not wear wrinkled attire or
flashing tie.
 Prepare your file having your portfolio,
educational degree copies and extra copies of
your resume. Find proper address in advance,
that where are you going in the morning.
Traditional Interview Questions
Few of the traditional interview
questions, which an organization
might ask are:
After
 Tell me about yourself (in two
Interview
minutes).
With a
pleasing  Why do you feel that you will be
smile, say successful in ...?
thanks and
ask about  Why did you decide to interview
the next with our organization?
step in the  Are you willing to relocate?
process.
 Tell me about your scholastic
record.
 Tell me about your extra-
curricular activities and interests.
 What are your strengths and
weaknesses?
 Why should we hire you?
 Why did you choose to become a
teacher, nurse, ... ?
 Where do you see yourself in 5
years? 10 years?
 Why do you want to leave your
current job?
Typical Job Interview
Job interview is beginning when applicant for
job is coming to potential employer.
Job Interview Introduction
After brief introduction the most
importing part of job interview is set of
question. Interview questions should
show qualities, strong and weak points
and other characteristics of applicant for
job.
Interview structure
Interview is divides into following groups
of question. Sequence of question isn't
always same.
Education and languages
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Questions are focused on education of
applicant and its activities during studies.
Logically this part is more vehement on
graduates than on other applicants with
wide job experiences.
Work experience
Work experience questions are focused to
present career experience and practices.
Questions should show range of
knowledge, practical job experience and
sometimes even communication, which
are importing for doing this job.
Reasons to change a job
Questions in this part of job interview are
focused to check loyalty of applicant.
Recruiter wants to find reasons why
applicant left previous job position.
Career future and motivation
Potential employer is interested in
ambitions of applicant for job, his/her
ideas about future career progress.
Employers need to look for the most
suitable applicant for job, not merely one
who fulfils all requirements.
Applicant's success, non-success, weak and strong
points
It is recommended to choose weak point,
which isn't really weak point but
advantage. Only really naive or truthful
applicant for job says the entire true.
Logical Task
Logical task it could not be always part of
job interview. Recruiters prepare logical
task sometimes. Purpose of logical task
could not be only test logical thinking, but
the way resolution of task and stress
immunity (mostly applicant for job do not
expect logical task and its reactions show
us about applicant for job many more
than a lot of question before).
Applicant’s interest, hobby
Recruiters want to know, what spare-time
activities of applicant for job are. Interest
and hobby can help the applicant
acquiring a particular a job. So far as
applicant for job presents hobby, which is
in harmony with presupposition for doing
work position and for team work.
Applicant’s questions
When applicant has answered all the
questions or towards the end of the
interview, he may have/be given an
 P a g e | 66

occasion to put forth one of his own

question. The question he asks should be
related to company, to fill information,
which applicant for job found about firm
or about work position before coming to
interview.

Job Interview Communication Tips

Success at an interview is not just about answering
the questions correctly. You must also include all the
following elements in order to give a good impression
and build rapport:
 A good handshake
 Check your pronunciations.
 Get the interviewer to do a lot of the talking.
 Have your brake through questions ready.
 Good eye contact with your interviewer.
 Smile. Look as if you are enjoying the
conversation.
 Confident posture.
 Mirror your interviewer's body language.
 Keep all your answers positive.
 Show enthusiasm.
 Listen carefully to the interviewer's question.
 Get the interviewer to see you in the job by
responding to questions with examples that
create pictures in the interviewer's mind.
 Stop selling when you’ve made the sale.
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Telephonic Conversation  Do not use slang.

Telephone these days is the most widely used  Do not ramble while talking.
means of oral communication. We seldom realise that  Do not exploit the condition that caller on the
a telephonic talk also needs to be planned. Planning a other side cannot see you and you can
telephonic talk not only saves time and money: but simultaneously execute some other talk or
brings the much needed clarity in the process of task.
information exchange following are the invited
 Answer calls promptly, quickly and in time.
qualities for a good telephonic conversation.
 Avoid talking on Bad lines and cross
Concise: Avoid lengthy talks and discussions on phone
connections.
as our memory doesn’t allow us to remember
everything.
 Talk only purposeful or relevant matter.
 Exchange appropriate & needed information.
 Do take down notes if the talks involve a
message to be transferred to a third person.
 Summarise all talks towards the end of
discussion.
 Always exchange greetings while starting and
when ending a telephonic discussion.
Clarity of language: This also is a barrier to all
telephonic discussion. If the language is not clear no
communication can take place.
 Always be courteous while talking on phone.
 Use largely formal language and completely
avoid the use of slang and colloquial words.
 Speak legibly with proper intonation and
pronunciation.
 Do not rush up with words instead talk
patiently and politely.
 Avoid distractions whatsoever they be. These
distractions lift us from what we our talking.
 There should not be ambiguous and confusing
expressions in our conversation.
Accessories:
 A pen and writing pad to take down notes
whenever needed.
 Always take notes of messages to be
transferred to someone else.
 Always note down telephone numbers,
addresses, reference and similar parts of
information being exchanged.
 Voice modulation: We should ensure that our
voice reaches clearly and lucidly to the other
end and should modulate our voice as needed.
Avoid:
 Before initiating a conversation we should at
first confirm the identity of the person we
intend to talk with.

Summary
 Effective speaking forms the crux of
communicative skills; it is striking the
right attitude and the right language at
the right place.
 Developing a positive attitude to
speaking increases the confidence level.
 Researching the subject, selecting the
content, planning for the talk is vital
before a presentation.
 Remember to divide your presentation
into short sections. This will ensure
audience attention.
 An effective presenter should prefer
‘social space’; avoid ‘public space’ and
use body language, eye contact and
intonation effectively.
 Good visual aids can immensely improve
the quality of the presentation.
 Effective group behaviour is largely
responsible for a good group discussion.
 Participation leads to effective group
discussion.
 It is important to network one’s ideas,
build up the argument and give the
discussion a definite direction.
 Good listening forms an important part
of group discussion.
 An effective chairperson of a meeting has
to be firm but sensitive to individual
speakers and listeners.
Role of Audience in Speaking:
The ending of an effective speech or an oral
presentation depends upon how well the audience has
participated in it. For audience participation there
should be separate question answer sessions duly
planned. The speaker invites questions from the
audience. The questions should be expected after the
audience is given some time to think. The speaker, after
getting the question, should first repeat it and then
answer it as concisely as possible. The speaker should
give chance to all groups to ask questions for
clarification. The efficient speaker usually remains
prepared with answers to the anticipated questions on
his or her talk.
Questioning keeps the audience involved in
the talk. This removes the barriers of understanding
and leads the audience to group the meaning of the
speakers words better.
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Conclusion of the Speech or an Oral Presentation
The conclusion of the speech leaves the final
impression on the minds of the listeners. A well-
conceived conclusion not only signals the end of the
speech but also reinforces the central idea in the mind
of the listeners. A goods speech may lose all its impact
if the conclusion is loose. A strong ending leaves the
audience brooding and cogitation over the speech they
have just heard. The techniques to draw an ending of
the speech are:
 By giving verbal clues like “Let
me end by saying”, “Before I
Conclude”, “One Last Point”, “
In conclusion”, “To sum up”, “To
conclude” etc.
 By our manner of delivery
decreasing the pitch of the tone
to lower notes.
 By slowing down the articulation
of words and phrases.
 By going back to the story or
incident with which the speaker
started his or her speech.
 By making a summary of the
speech.
 By quoting an eminent
personality.
The speech should not end with the
expressions like “I think that’s all I had to say”. In fact
the conclusion should make it clear to the audience
what they should do next. The conclusion should
generate the last though in the mind of the listeners
regarding the issues taken up in the speech.

Questions
1) What are different kinds of visual aids? How do
they help in speaking effectively?
2) What is the importance of stress and intonation in
speaking?
3) What are the effective skills of speaking?
4) What role does a proper planning and organizing of
the subject matter have in effective speaking?
5) What are visual aids? Reflect on different kinds of
visual aids.
6) The non-verbal language of the speaker is as
important as the verbal language”. Explain.
7) How does the knowledge about the audience
effect speaking?
8) What are the different factors one has to be
sensitive to, to become an effective speaker?
9) During a presentation, how does a speaker ensure
audience involvement?
10) What preparations are necessary before giving a
presentation?
11) What are the factors crucial to an effective group
discussion?
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12) Discuss the importance of role-play in teaching
speaking skills.
13) What is ‘attention curve’?
14) Discuss a few features of an effective meeting.
15) A successful telephone conversationalist takes care
of a few aspects consistently. Discuss.
16) What are the essentials of a goods leader?
17) Discuss the trek of Group Discussion?
18) What role does Body language has in a Group
Discussion?
19) What preparations are necessary for an effective
meeting?
20) What are the skills required for conducting a
meeting effectively.
21) What is Agenda? How do the agenda of a meeting
indicate the prospects of a meeting?
22) Compare the trek of a meeting with that of a group
Discussion.
23) Discuss the skills useful for a telephonic
conversation.
24) Discuss the utility of negotiation in a Group
Discussion.