GE 106:

PURPOS
IVE
COMMU
NICATI
ON

JENNYLYN R. PAJULAS, LPT

Course Facilitator
Contact #: 09669032970
Email Address: jennylynpajulas28@gmail.com

Accredited: Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines (AACCUP) 
Member:      Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC)
   Agricultural Colleges Association of the Philippines (ACAP)   
GE 106 – Purposive Communication

Module Title:  UNIT II:

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION IN THE PHILIPPINE SOCIEETY
Course Title: GE- 106: PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Course Description:
Purposive Communication is about writing, speaking, and representing to different
audiences and for various purposes. It is a 3- unit course that aims to develop student’s
communicative competence and enhances their cultural and intercultural awareness through
multimodal tasks that provide them opportunities for communicating effectively and
appropriately to a multicultural audience in a local or global context. It equips students with tools
for critical evaluation of a variety of texts and focuses on the power of language and the impact
of images to emphasize the importance of conveying messages responsibly. The knowledge,
skills, and insights that students gain from this course may be used in their other academic
endeavors, their chosen disciplines and their future careers as they compose and produce relevant
oral, written, audio- visual and / or web based output for various purposes.

Contents:
UNIT II– Corporate Communication in Philippine Society
Chapter 1. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL
Lesson 1. The Principles of Professional Communication
Lesson 2. Intercultural Issues in Workplace
Lesson 3. Simulating in Philippine Workplace

Chapter 2. PERSUASIVE SPEAKING IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INSTITUTION

Lesson 1. The Importance of Persuasive Speech
Lesson 2. Persuasive Speech in Private Institution
Lesson 3. Persuasive Speech in Public Institution

Discussion Proper:

Chapter 1
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL

INTRODUCTION
Organizational Culture refers to a system of shared meaning, held by a group of members
that distinguishes the organization from other organizations. Different organizations have
different cultures that are shared amongst them. These cultures however are passed on from one
generation to the other, making it easy for any member joining the organization to learn, cope
and adapt them.

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However, cultures may differ from one organization to the other. For example, some
organizations have H.R Departments, while others have P.R Departments performing similar
roles.

DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

An organization is defined as a cooperative social system involving the coordinated
efforts of two or more people pursuing a shared purpose. In other words, an organization results
when people gather and formally agree to combine their efforts for a common purpose.
Stephen P. Robbins (2001) defines an organization as a “consciously coordinated social
unit composed of two or more people that function on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a
common goal or set of goals” (Pg.4) We therefore organize together to achieve what we cannot
accomplish individually, thus organizing happens through communication.
Culture on the other hand can be defined as the collective programming of the mind that
distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others. Consequently,
organizational culture can be defined as the collective programming of the mind that
distinguishes the members of one organization from others. An organization’s culture, however,
is maintained not only in the mind of its members but also in the minds of its other stakeholder
i.e. everybody who interacts with the organization such as suppliers, customers, labour
organizations, neighbours, authorities and the press.

According to Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hotstede and Michael Minkov in their book
“Cultures and organizations”, there is no standard definition of the concept, but most people who
write about it would probably agree that organizational culture is all of the following:
 Holistic:
Referring to a whole that is more than the sum of its parts.
 Historically determined:
Reflecting the history of the organization.
 Related to the things anthropologists study:
Such as rituals and symbols.
 Socially constructed:
Created and preserved by the group of people who together form the
organization.

Organizational culture can also be defined as the behaviour of humans within an

organization and the meaning that people attach to those behaviours. According to Needle 2004,
organizational culture represents the collective values, beliefs and principles of organizational
members and is a product of such factors as history, product, market, technology, and strategy,
type of employees, management style and national culture.

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Culture includes the organization's vision, values, norms, systems, symbols, language,
assumptions, beliefs, and habits. Ravasi and Schultz (2006) wrote that organizational culture is a
set of shared assumptions that guide what happens in organizations by defining appropriate
behaviour for various situations.
Organizational culture is also a pattern of such collective behaviours and assumptions
that are taught to new organizational members as a way of perceiving and, even, thinking and
feeling.
Schein (1992), Deal and Kennedy (2000), and Kotter (1992) advanced the idea that
organizations often have very differing cultures as well as sub-cultures Although a company may
have its "own unique culture", in larger organizations there are sometimes co-existing or
conflicting subcultures because each sub-culture is linked to a different management team.
Organizational culture also refers to culture in any type of organization including that
of schools, universities, government agencies, or business entities. In business, terms such as
corporate culture and company culture are sometimes used to refer to a similar concept.
Organizational culture includes an organization's expectations, experiences,
philosophy, and values that hold it together, and is expressed in its self-image, inner workings,
interactions with the outside world, and future expectations. It is based on shared attitudes,
beliefs, customs, and written and unwritten rules that have been developed over time and are
considered valid. It is shown in:
i. The ways the organization conducts its business, treats its employees, customers,
and the wider community,
ii. The extent to which freedom is allowed in decision making, developing new
ideas, and personal expression,
iii. How power and information flow through its hierarchy, and
iv. How committed employees are towards collective objectives.

It affects the organization's productivity and performance, and provides guidelines on

customer care and service, product quality and safety, attendance and punctuality, and concern
for the environment. It also extends to production-methods, marketing and advertising practices,
and to new product creation. In conclusion, organizational culture is thus unique for every
organization and it cannot be easily changed.

SOURCES OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE

Organizational Ethics: - Basically, organization’s management develops specific

cultural values and norms to control how its members behave. These are referred to ethics which
govern how the employees and managers would work. They help them more especially in
decision making since what is wrong and what is right according to the organization, is defined.
However, the senior management purposefully implants ethical values into an organization’s
culture.

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Consequently, ethical values and norms become an integral part of an organizations’

culture and determine how its members will manage situations and make decisions.

The employment relationship: - This refers to the nature of the employment

relationship an organization establishes with its employees. How hard employees work is
something that can be highly influenced by how much they earn, that is the payments, and also
what benefits they get.
In addition, the organization’s norms and values may also determine the employee’s
performance, towards achieving their goals. For example, the company would have a policy that
considers offering promotions to those who work within the organization. This would lead to the
encouragement of the employees to work hard to advance within the organization and get
promotions.

Organizational Structures: - A particular type of structure is needed in order to create a

certain culture and managers often design it. We have structures that are tall and highly
centralized, that give rise to a different set of norms, rules and cultural values, unlike structures
that are flat and decentralized. Norms found in tall, centralized organizations include being
cautious, obedient, and respectful. In this particular structure, stability and predictability are the
desired goals. In flat, decentralized structures people have more freedom to choose and control
their own activities and norms that focus on being creative and courageous and taking risks. This
structure treats innovation and flexibility as the desired goals.

Characteristics of Organizational Members: The source of organizational culture is

the People who make up the organization. This simply means that what happens within the
organization is characterized by its members, and adopted as the culture. Over time, people who
do not fit in leave. This is because the people inside the organization become more similar and
the values of the organization become more pronounced and clear-cut, hence the culture becomes
distinct from those of similar organizations. For example, Safaricom and Airtel.

Components of organizational culture

a) A clear purpose and mission statement: Represents one of the major elements of
strong organizational culture. A defined mission statement which is easily
understood by everyone in the organization is a sign of a strong culture. Without a
guiding mission statement, organizations will have to struggle to accomplish or
find an identity of their own.
b) Open communication: If organizations implement an open-door communication
policy, it will help the employees to avoid conflicts in the workplace.
Implementing an open door policy can help foster communication between
management and lower-level employees. This type of policy is designed to help

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eliminate barriers between the various levels of management and help promote
fairness. Therefore, a strong organizational culture should give emphasis on
transparency of information, thus help in reducing rumors and gossips hence
improving morale of the employees in an organization.
c) Respect among employees and culture support: If the top management treats
employees at all levels with care and respect, it is likely that employees are happy
in their jobs and tend to perform better and as a result are more actively engaged
in their jobs.
d) Consistency: Culture is based on traditions. When you come up with great
programs or events, make them regular events and do them consistently. One-time
efforts to improve the culture will feel insincere. This can take years, but it makes
a profound difference that pays off when employees enjoy where they work and
genuinely like their colleagues.
e) Commitment to Learning: Show the employees that you are committed to their
professional growth. This can be done in small incremental steps. For instance,
one can set up a book club. But it can become more formal over time by
subscribing to online learning programs or developing management training
courses or programs.
f) Connect: Do not isolate yourself at the top. One should therefore connect with
people at all levels of the organization. This would mean that, you get out of your
comfort zone.

The Role of Values and Norms in Organizational Culture

Norms are the agreed‐upon expectations and rules by which a culture guides the
behaviour of its members in any given situation. In other words, they are the rules or laws that
govern a group's or a society's behaviours. They vary widely across cultural groups. Americans,
for instance, maintain fairly direct eye contact when conversing with others. Asians, on the other
hand, may avert their eyes as assign of politeness and respect.

Factors in which organizational culture is maintained and transmitted.

Culture in an organization is experienced between the employees. However, there are ways
in which it is transmitted and maintained. This ways include:

a) STORIES
Stories contain a narrative of events. Some stories talk about: Organization’s
founders, Rule breaking, Rags-to-riches successes, Reductions in the workforce,
Relocation of employees, Reactions to past mistakes. These stories talk about the past of
an organization, the present and the culture of an organization. Employees transmit their
culture through stories, amongst themselves.

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b) RITUALS
Rituals are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key
values of the organization. They tell the organization about what goals are important and
how to achieve them, and also what people are important in an organization. For
example, the company lientele.

c) MATERIAL SYMBOLS
These convey the following: Values of openness, Equality, Creativity and
Flexibility. Examples of material symbols include the size of offices, their furnishings,
and the use of employee lounges or on-site dining facilities. These material symbols
express to employees who is important, the degree desired by top management, and the
kinds of behavior that are appropriate. For instance: Risk taking, Conservative,
Authoritarian, Participative, and Individualistic.

d) LANGUAGE
Many organizations and units within organizations use language as a way to
identify members of a culture or a subculture. Organizations often develop unique terms
to describe common business matters. New employees are frequently overwhelmed with
acronyms and jargon that, after six months on the job, have become fully part of their
language.

LEARNING/ PERFORMANCE TASK 1

Organizational culture is in every organization or workplace. Based on your learnings from this
chapter, do the following in a piece of paper in not more than 100 words.

Directions: Give one (1) organization or company in the Philippines (https://aseanup.com/top-

30-companies-philippines-psei/ ) then describe the chosen one based on the organizational
culture’s:
i. ways the organization conducts its business, treats its employees, customers, and
the wider community,
ii. extent to which freedom is allowed in decision making, developing new ideas,
and personal expression,
iii. power and information flow through its hierarchy, and
iv. how committed employees are towards collective objectives.
Chapter 2
Intercultural Issues in Workplace

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We all communicate with others all the time -- in our homes, in our workplaces, in the
groups we belong to, and in the community. No matter how well we think we understand each
other, communication is hard. Just think, for example, how often we hear things like, "He doesn't
get it," or "She didn't really hear what I meant to say." "Culture" is often at the root of
communication challenges. Our culture influences how we approach problems, and how we
participate in groups and in communities. When we participate in groups we are often surprised
at how differently people approach their work together.

Culture is a complex concept, with many different definitions. But, simply put, "culture"
refers to a group or community with which we share common experiences that shape the way we
understand the world. It includes groups that we are born into, such as gender, race, or national
origin. It also includes groups we join or become part of.

Six Fundamental Patterns of Cultural Differences

As people from different cultural groups take on the exciting challenge of working
together, cultural values sometimes conflict.

Six fundamental patterns of cultural differences -- ways in which cultures, as a whole,

tend to vary from one another -- are described below. The descriptions point out some of the
recurring causes of cross-cultural communication difficulties. As you enter into multicultural
dialogue or collaboration, keep these generalized differences in mind.

1. Different Communication Styles

The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One
aspect of communication style is language usage. Across cultures, some words and phrases are
used in different ways. For example, even in countries that share the English language, the
meaning of "yes" varies from "maybe, I'll consider it" to "definitely so," with many shades in
between.

2. Different Attitudes Toward Conflict

Some cultures view conflict as a positive thing, while others view it as something to be
avoided. In the U.S., conflict is not usually desirable; but people often are encouraged to deal
directly with conflicts that do arise. In fact, face-to-face meetings customarily are recommended
as the way to work through whatever problems exist. In contrast, in many Eastern countries,
open conflict is experienced as embarrassing or demeaning; as a rule, differences are best
worked out quietly. A written exchange might be the favored means to address the conflict.

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3. Different Approaches to Completing Tasks

From culture to culture, there are different ways that people move toward completing
tasks. Some reasons include different access to resources, different judgments of the rewards
associated with task completion, different notions of time, and varied ideas about how
relationship-building and task-oriented work should go together.

4. Different Decision-Making Styles

The roles individuals play in decision-making vary widely from culture to culture. For
example, in the U.S., decisions are frequently delegated -- that is, an official assigns
responsibility for a particular matter to a subordinate. In many Southern European and Latin
American countries, there is a strong value placed on holding decision-making responsibilities
oneself. When decisions are made by groups of people, majority rule is a common approach in
the U.S.; in Japan consensus is the preferred mode. Be aware that individuals' expectations about
their own roles in shaping a decision may be influenced by their cultural frame of reference.

5. Different Attitudes Toward Disclosure

In some cultures, it is not appropriate to be frank about emotions, about the reasons
behind a conflict or a misunderstanding, or about personal information. Keep this in mind when
you are in a dialogue or when you are working with others. When you are dealing with a conflict,
be mindful that people may differ in what they feel comfortable revealing.

6. Different Approaches to Knowing

Notable differences occur among cultural groups when it comes to epistemologies -- that
is, the ways people come to know things. European cultures tend to consider information
acquired through cognitive means, such as counting and measuring, more valid than other ways
of coming to know things. Compare that to African cultures' preference for affective ways of
knowing, including symbolic imagery and rhythm. Asian cultures' epistemologies tend to
emphasize the validity of knowledge gained through striving toward transcendence.

Respecting Our Differences and Working Together

Anthropologists Avruch and Black have noted that, when faced by an interaction that we
do not understand, people tend to interpret the others involved as "abnormal," "weird," or
"wrong." This tendency, if indulged, gives rise on the individual level to prejudice. If this
propensity is either consciously or unconsciously integrated into organizational structures, then
prejudice takes root in our institutions -- in the structures, laws, policies, and procedures that
shape our lives. Consequently, it is vital that we learn to control the human tendency to translate
"different from me" into "less than me." We can learn to do this.

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Learning about different ways that people communicate can enrich our lives. People's
different communication styles reflect deeper philosophies and world views which are the
foundation of their culture. Understanding these deeper philosophies gives us a broader picture
of what the world has to offer us.

Learning about people's cultures has the potential to give us a mirror image of our own.
We have the opportunity to challenge our assumptions about the "right" way of doing things, and
consider a variety of approaches. We have a chance to learn new ways to solve problems that we
had previously given up on, accepting the difficulties as "just the way things are."

Guidelines for Multicultural Collaboration

Cultural questions -- about who we are and how we identify ourselves -- are at the heart
of Toward a More Perfect Union in an Age of Diversity, and will be at the heart of your
discussions. As you set to work on multicultural collaboration in your community, keep in mind
these additional guidelines:

 Learn from generalizations about other cultures, but don't use those generalizations to
stereotype, "write off," or oversimplify your ideas about another person.
 Practice, practice, practice. That's the first rule, because it's in the doing that we actually
get better at cross-cultural communication.
 Don't assume that there is one right way (yours!) to communicate. Keep questioning your
assumptions about the "right way" to communicate.
 Don't assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the
wrong track.
 Listen actively and empathetically. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes.
 Respect others' choices about whether to engage in communication with you. Honor their
opinions about what is going on.
 Stop, suspend judgment, and try to look at the situation as an outsider.
 Be prepared for a discussion of the past. Use this as an opportunity to develop an
understanding from "the other's" point of view, rather than getting defensive or impatient.
 Awareness of current power imbalances -- and openness to hearing each other's
perceptions of those imbalances -- is also necessary for understanding each other and
working together.
 Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual.
We are all shaped by many, many factors -- our ethnic background, our family, our
education, our personalities -- and are more complicated than any cultural norm could
suggest. Check your interpretations if you are uncertain what is meant.

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LEARNING/ PERFORMANCE TASK 2

As people from different cultural groups take on the exciting challenge of working
together, cultural values sometimes conflict. In your class/section, observe the evident
multicultural differences that are happening within you using the six fundamental patterns
of cultural differences, describe each:

1. Different Communication Styles

2. Different Attitudes Toward Conflict

3. Different Approaches to Completing Tasks

4. Different Decision-Making Styles

5. Different Attitudes Toward Disclosure

6. Different Approaches to Knowing

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Chapter 3
Simulating the Philippine Workplace

Simulations provide a risk-free environment for a learner to explore, make decisions and
make mistakes.

Why are simulations such a powerful workplace learning tool?

Simulations imitate real situations, processes and systems which can occur in a
workplace. The power of a simulation is that it provides a risk-free environment in which a
learner can explore, make decisions and – importantly – make mistakes without any real
consequences. Learners can be placed into a workplace environment which they recognise and
required to observe and make decisions in relation to the specific circumstances displayed in the
scenarios. 
  
How can simulations complement a traditional L&D program?

Simulations can be used in variety of ways in a traditional learning program. They can be
used as the stimulus for a learning program – as the hook that captures the learner by placing
them in a real situation and asking them what they would do. They can also be used as the
learning program itself in which the learner is guided through a simulation or as reinforcement at
the completion of a traditional learning program (eg “OK we’ve talked about, now you try it”).
Finally, they can be used as an assessment activity.
Scenarios within the simulation can be constructed so that learners interact with the
content in a variety of ways. This could include challenging them to respond to a specific
question, problem or situation; working through a situation from another team member’s
perspective to solve or react to an issue; identifying and/or selecting items to complete a task;

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time-based activities; exploring a scene and explaining what they have discovered; or dealing
with distractions.

In what learning situations can simulations be used in the workplace?

Simulations have been used for many years in sectors such as the airline industry and the
military. Increasingly, they are being used as an effective learning strategy in many workplaces.
There is almost no limit to where simulations can be used. 
Today, the richness and breadth of simulations in the workplace is increasing
significantly with the advent and uptake of technologies such as 360° cameras, virtual reality and
augmented reality.

APPLYING FOR A JOB: THE APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS

Applying for jobs you are qualified for and having a well-written CV means you stand
more of a chance of getting an interview. The better prepared you are for the interview, the more
chance you have of getting the job!

Resume
Making sure your resume is correct, succinct and well written will be a big help in the
application process and may help you obtain a personal interview. The Philippine application
system is similar to that of the USA in that they prefer a resume over a more European style
Curriculum Vitae (CV). Job applications usually consist of the following:

a) Covering letter explaining why you are suitable for the particular role
b) Resume
c) Any certificates you have that support your application
d) Passport
e) Resume

Your resume should include information such as previous employers and experience
including the dates you worked there. It should be in chronological order with your most recent
position first. Keep it clear and specific when talking about your duties and try to use action
words to attract the attention of potential employees. Remember they may read hundreds of
resumes for any one position so make yours stand out. Highlight your accomplishments but keep
it less than 3 pages. Add your educational information and qualifications that are relevant to the
position you want. A photo isn’t necessary but some companies prefer it, if you want to add a
picture of yourself do so in the top right-hand corner. Ensure that it is a passport-style
photograph.

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Interview
Once you have sent out your resumes hopefully you will move on to the next stage in the
application process, the interview.

Depending on the type and size of the company the interview style will vary. There may
be a group interview first followed by an individual one if you pass the group stage. You may be
interviewed by several people on a panel or just by one person. Whatever the set-up it is
important to be as prepared as possible.

Dress professionally, for men that means a shirt and trousers, not jeans, and for women a
blouse and either skirt or trousers. Many professionals in the Philippines don’t wear a full suit,
even executives, due to the temperatures. For women who are wearing a skirt it’s important to
always wear pantyhose.

Punctuality is vital, even in the Philippines where time is measured in a very leisurely
way, it is best to be on time for your interview.

Finally, after your interview it is good etiquette to send a thank you note, thanking the
interviewer for seeing you. This doesn’t have to be long, but it shows you know how to conduct
yourself in a business setting.

LEARNING/ PERFORMANCE TASK 3

The job interview is probably the most important step you will take in your job search
journey - it’s your best chance to show the company and hiring manager that you’re the best
person for their job. Access the link below for your reading references:
https://www.roberthalf.co.nz/career-advice/interview © 2021 Robert Half All Rights
Reserved.

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Chapter 4
Persuasive Speaking in Private and Public Institutions

In an ideal world, we’d always be persuading people who agree with our opinions, but that’s
not reality. Instead, we often find ourselves in situations where we are trying to persuade others
to attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors with which they may not agree. To help us persuade
others, what we need to think about is the range of possible attitudes, values, beliefs, and
behaviors that exist. For example, in our “WHERE TO GO TO COLLEGE”, we may see the
following possible opinions from our audience members:

1. Complete agreement. Let’s all enroll in Capiz State University.

2. Strong agreement. I won’t enroll in Capiz State University, but I will double enroll in
Capiz State University.
3. Agreement in part. I won’t enroll in Capiz State University, but I will take an exam in
FCU.
4. Neutral. While I think enrolling in Capiz State University can be worthwhile, I also think
a college education can be done in FCU. I really don’t feel strongly one way or the other.
5. Disagreement in part. I will only enroll in Capiz State University because it is required
by my mother.
6. Strong disagreement. I don’t think I should have to enroll in Capiz State University.
7. Complete disagreement. Enroll in Capiz State University is a complete waste of a
college education.

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2. Get the Audience's Attention

You must first grab
attention of the audiences and
demonstrate why it's worth
2. Get the Audience's Attention
You must first grab
attention of the audiences and
demonstrate why it's worth
THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSUASIVE SPEECH

Persuasive speeches intend to influence the beliefs, attitudes, values, and acts of others. It
is a specific type of speech in which the speaker has a goal of convincing the audience to accept
his or her point of view.
The speech is arranged in such a way as to hopefully cause the audience to accept all or
part of the expressed view. Though the overarching goal of a persuasive speech is to convince
the audience to accept a perspective, not all audiences can be convinced by a single speech and
not all perspectives can persuade the audience. The success of a persuasive speech is often
measured by the audience’s willingness to consider the speaker’s argument.

The Basics of Argumentation

An argument is composed of three features: assumption, evidence, and explanation. If
any of these three features are missing, then it is not considered an argument. In the case of
assumptions without evidence, these are merely opinions. In the case of evidence without
assertions, these are simply bald facts that further need contextualization.
An assumption is an opinion that needs evidence to back it up. Saying that the world is
round is a fact, not an assumption. It is not an opinion that asks for evidence because it has

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already been proven and is considered to be true by all accounts. However, the opinion that all
women should be given the right to an abortion is an assertion that needs facts to support it. To
do so, would be to look at laws, jurisprudence, and documents from the United Nations or
similar institutions.

Persuasive Speech in Private Institution

Corporations and private institutions rely on persuasion in order to get investments,

broker deals, and find client. Persuasion is an act of convincing people whether to agree, believe
or support on something you want to pertain. Commonly it arises in the business world which is
really helpful in putting up a business, encourage an individual and such. Persuasion comes, not
just in the words that are used, but also with the snappy audio-visual presentations and infectious
music. It can be dead serious, as in corporate negotiations, or seriously fun, as in marketing
products and pitching projects.

Effective Persuasive Communication

The ability to persuade is really difficult especially in the business world. You need to
convince your client, colleagues and employees to consider your suggestion and ideas.
Fortunately, if you can successfully master the art of persuasion, you can win the support of
others, unify your team and encourage them to work together.

The following guidelines for effective persuasive communication are given below.

1. Know Your Audience

Effective persuasive communication addresses the audience's needs, values and desires.
Audiences respond better to persuasive communication when they feel the person
speaking is similar to them in some way, whether it's in age, occupation or socio-
economic status.

2. Get the Audience's Attention

You must first grab attention of the audiences and demonstrate why it's worth their time
to listen to your idea or suggestion. Start with an anecdote that illustrates the point you're
trying to make or with a surprising fact that tells them why what you have to say is
important.

3. Establish Credibility

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To persuade an audience, you must demonstrate your credibility and authority. You
should attempt to persuade others of something you can prove or have first-hand
knowledge of or experience in. Back up your claims with statistics or examples.

4. Tailor the Message to the Medium

What persuades in writing doesn't necessarily persuade when delivered verbally. For
example, you can include numbers and statistics in a written document because readers
can take their time interpreting the data. But if you bombard listeners with these same
figures during a speech, you may confuse them and lose their attention. Face-to-face
interaction often is more effective at persuading others because you can create a personal
connection with your audience and use eye contact, gestures and other nonverbal signals
to maintain their attention.

5. Convey Benefits
It's easier to persuade an audience when you can show them how your proposal benefits
them.

6. Use Body Language

With verbal communication, your demeanor influences your ability to persuade as much
as your words. To tell your message to your audience, connect with them by maintaining
eye contact. Project authority and confidence by standing up straight. Demonstrate your
sincerity and openness by relaxing your arms and keeping them at your sides – unless
you're using them to gesture instead of crossing them behind or in front of you.

PITCHING A PROJECT

Nowadays, the internet has created sophisticated platforms for people to pitch their
projects so that people who are interested in helping out can easily invest with a click of a button.
The most well-known platform for this is kick starter, and the pitches are made by uploading
videos to the website.

7 Steps to Pitching the Perfect Project

To stay in business, you’ve got to earn business. That’s a given. You have to train your
ears to listen to your clients and your eyes to identify gaps or shortcomings in their processes,
content, or other areas—problems they may or may not recognize themselves. And, then, you
have to pitch your solution.
Pitching requires a delicate balance: You have to be thorough but not long-winded,
convincing but not pushy, well-rehearsed but not rigid, confident but not cocky.

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1. Know your client.

2. Tie your pitch directly to your client’s business goals.
3. Inject a “wow” factor.
4. Keep it simple.
5. Consider providing options.
6. Play devil’s advocate.
7. Be passionate.

How you deliver your pitch is often just as important as the pitch itself. If you don’t
believe in what you’re selling, then you can’t expect the client to. At the studio, we’ve found that
the best way to stay excited about our work is to chase meaningful projects and clients
committed to making positive impacts on our world.

Example:
Kickstarter is the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. It is a home for
film, music, art, theater, games, comics, design, photography and more. It is an American
public-benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowd
funding platform focused on creativity and merchandising. The company's stated mission
is to "help bring creative projects to life".

Persuasive Speech in Public Institution

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Achieving persuasion in public speaking is, as Hamlet said, "a consummation devoutly to
be wished." Millions of speakers, every day around the globe, hope to accomplish that goal.

Persuasiveness isn't only the domain of a persuasive speech, however. In many instances,
informative speeches—as well as inspirational talks, sales pitches, comments at meetings, and
other speaking situations—include efforts to convince and achieve agreement.

You Know Your Message Points, But Your Audience Doesn't!

A simple realization should bring home why transitions are vital to clear and persuasive
speaking: your audience doesn’t know your talking points beforehand, as you do. To convey
your message and have listeners follow where you’re going, you need to make logical
connections among the different elements of your talk. You will also benefit from understanding
your audience's needs and preferences.

Logic is the concept to bear in mind here. Since you’ve conceived your presentation and
know where it’s going (or needs to go), you understand how the elements of the argument you’re

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constructing fit together. But how will your audience understand this if you don’t make it clear to
them?

Intuitive leaps and “obvious” connections have no place here. Your audience needs to be
led carefully through what might otherwise be a thicket of information and causal relationships.
Occasional reminders of what the overall topic at hand is, and referring back to a point you made
previously, can aid your audience’s comprehension. So can specifically mentioning how your
previous point is related to the point you’re about to make, through the use of summaries and
previews.

Internal Summaries and Internal Previews

Let’s say you’re discussing your plan for increasing your company’s profitability through
a top-to-bottom makeover of the way your firm does business. You’ve laid out three main points
at the beginning of your presentation: better quality control, improved distribution, and more
responsive customer service. You’ve just been talking about that first main point, greater focus
on quality control. You’re now ready to discuss distribution. Clearly, this is the first major
transition of your talk.

Rather than saying (as some speakers do), “Now I’d like to talk about distribution,” or
pointing out (as even more speakers do), “Okay, the next slide is about distribution”—you can
use an internal summary combined with an internal preview, like this:

“So I think you’ll agree that better quality control will go a long way toward giving our
customers more satisfaction in the products they’re purchasing.” (You’ve just summarized your
previous point.) “But of course, great quality mean little if you don’t have a distribution system
that quickly and reliably gets those products to market. That’s the second element of more
streamlined operations that I’d like to talk about now.” (You’ve given listeners a “preview” of
what you’re about to discuss, and you’ve shown them the logical connection between your first
two main points.)

For an audience to be persuaded by what you’re saying, they need to be able to follow
each point as you logically and convincingly develop it. That means using transitions as a key
public speaking tool. Be strong in your transitions, and you’ll be a leg up on speakers who have
great content but haven’t found a way to keep audiences with them as they make their argument,
every step of the way.

Key takeaways:

 Persuasion is important in all presentations, not just persuasive speeches.

 Logic is a key tool in helping your audience follow where you’re going.

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 Listeners need to be carefully led through the connections you find obvious.
 Internal summaries and internal previews help explain those connections

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LEARNING/ PERFORMANCE TASK 4

Final Learning Task: Putting It All Together in a Speech

a) Make sure that all the preparations made in this lesson are incorporated in the report, such
as using good visual aids, preparing and delivering a report with formal posture, and
paying attention to one's audience.
b) When read aloud, the report should last from one to two (1-2) minutes.
c) Place the keywords or phrases in one index card that should help you remember what you
wrote.
d) Be Conscious of your voice. Ensure that it is loud enough to reach the whole room.
e) Be conscious of your posture. Do not slouch or look at the floor.
f) Be conscious of your hand gestures. Strive for a happy balance of meaningful hand
gestures and poise.
g) Be conscious of your body language. Avoid crossing your arms too much or inching
toward the back of the room. Try to be more open with your gestures.
h) Be conscious of your eye contact. Try to make eye contact with at least three people you
feel comfortable with in different parts of the room.
i) Your report will be graded using the rubric below.

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GE 106 – Purposive Communication

Rubric for News Reporting

Sample Piece: Choose ONLY one (1)

[1] Narrator: One year ago, China was the global epicentre of the coronavirus crisis. But as
Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, spread to become a global pandemic, the number of
infections and deaths reported in China has slowed significantly. So how did China get here?
And are other countries adopting its approach?

[2] Narrator: China was initially slow to respond, but when it did, its moves were decisive and on
an unprecedented scale. Yet another approach was playing out in the UK. British prime minister,
Boris Johnson early on moved the country from a “containment” phase to a so-called “delay”
phrase.

[3] Narrator: And with the virus still spreading and deaths increasing globally, Iran and many
other nations are scrambling to figure out the best way to deal with the crisis. The stakes are high
in a pandemic still rapidly taking lives and overwhelming health care systems and economies
around the world.

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References

Boundless. “Culture and Ethics.” Boundless Management. Boundless, 18 Nov. 2014. Retrieved 21 Feb.
2015 from https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-managementtextbook/ethics-in-
business-13/ethics-an-overview-95/culture-and-ethics-448-8309/

Cingula, M. (1992). Organizational culture and strategy implementation: In Organization

Information, vol.11.

Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hotstede and Michael Minkov “Cultures and organizations”

Simmerly, R. G. (1987). “Strategic planning and leadership in continuing education”. San

Francisco, USA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 21.

Svetlik, I. (2004). ‘Organizational Culture’. In B. Malnar & I. Bernik (Ed.)

Skerlavaj, M., Indihar, M. S., Skrinjar, R., & Dimovski, V. (2007). ‘Organizational earning culture - the
missing link between business process change and organizational performance’. Int. J. Production
Economics, 106(2), 346–367.

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