Getting YourGetting YourMessage Across To Message Across To

Healthcare Specialists: Healthcare Specialists: Public Speaking BasicsPublic Speaking Basics

Ellen R. Cohn PhDEllen R. Cohn PhDUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh

About the AuthorAbout the Author

Ellen Cohn PhD is Director of Ellen Cohn PhD is Director of Instructional Development at Instructional Development at the University of Pittsburgh the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, with Rehabilitation Sciences, with a secondary appointment in a secondary appointment in the School of Pharmacy. She the School of Pharmacy. She has taught introductory has taught introductory classes in public speaking for classes in public speaking for over a decade. over a decade.

ecohn@pitt.eduecohn@pitt.edu

PurposePurpose

Most healthcare professionals will need to Most healthcare professionals will need to engage in some public speaking. This engage in some public speaking. This presentation presents basic concepts for presentation presents basic concepts for the beginning speaker. the beginning speaker.

Words are, of course,Words are, of course,the most powerful drugthe most powerful drug

used by mankind.used by mankind.

Rudyard KiplingRudyard Kipling

Basic Communication Basic Communication AxiomsAxioms Communication is DynamicCommunication is Dynamic

Meaning is mutually constructed Meaning is mutually constructed 90+% of Communication Is Non-verbal90+% of Communication Is Non-verbal Communication is IrreversibleCommunication is Irreversible

We can’t take back communicationWe can’t take back communication We Cannot, Not CommunicateWe Cannot, Not Communicate

Silence and inaction both communicateSilence and inaction both communicate Communication Ain’t PerfectCommunication Ain’t Perfect

It is difficult to achieve total understandingIt is difficult to achieve total understanding We need to anticipate and correct errorsWe need to anticipate and correct errors

Lack of Clarity= Lack of Clarity= MiscommunicationMiscommunication

I really didn’t sayI really didn’t sayeverything I said.everything I said.

Yogi BerraYogi Berra

Misperception=Misperception=MiscommunicationMiscommunication

The major problem in communication is The major problem in communication is the illusion that it has occurred.the illusion that it has occurred.

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

Misunderstanding=Misunderstanding=MiscommunicationMiscommunication

There is no worse lie than a truth There is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear. misunderstood by those who hear.

William JamesWilliam James

Why Messages Don’tWhy Messages Don’t“Get Through”“Get Through” Hearing does not equal listeningHearing does not equal listening There several different types of There several different types of noisenoise::

Physical (e.g., listener has a migraine Physical (e.g., listener has a migraine headache)headache)

Psychological (e.g., listener is preoccupied Psychological (e.g., listener is preoccupied or upset)or upset)

Environmental (e.g., loud music or talking)Environmental (e.g., loud music or talking) Semantic (e.g. an inflammatory word Semantic (e.g. an inflammatory word

distracts the audience and reduces the distracts the audience and reduces the speaker’s credibility)speaker’s credibility)

Message Penetration Message Penetration VariesVaries

The message is sensed (heard or The message is sensed (heard or seen) but not understoodseen) but not understood

The message is misperceived The message is misperceived The meaning is accurately perceived The meaning is accurately perceived The message is rememberedThe message is remembered The message changes attitudes and The message changes attitudes and

behaviors (the goal!)behaviors (the goal!)

I understand everything-- I understand everything-- except what you’re saying.except what you’re saying.

Henny YoungmanHenny Youngman

Good Listening Is Your Most Good Listening Is Your Most Important Communication Important Communication SkillSkill Listen to Listen to “Your Gut”“Your Gut”

Do parts of your presentationDo parts of your presentationmake you uneasy?make you uneasy?

• This often signals an organizational problemThis often signals an organizational problem

Listen to your audienceListen to your audience Especially to their non-verbal cuesEspecially to their non-verbal cues

Listen to the emotional toneListen to the emotional tone

The reason why so few people The reason why so few people are agreeable in conversation is are agreeable in conversation is that each is thinking more about that each is thinking more about

what he intends to say than what he intends to say than about what othersabout what others

are saying.are saying.

La RochefoucauldLa Rochefoucauld

No man ever listened himself No man ever listened himself out of a job.out of a job.

Calvin CoolidgeCalvin Coolidge

The Three Basics: Needs, The Three Basics: Needs, Messages, CommunicationMessages, Communication

Understand your audienceUnderstand your audience Their needs Their needs Their expectationsTheir expectations

Send clear messages Send clear messages Identify the desired outcomes of your talkIdentify the desired outcomes of your talk

Communicate directlyCommunicate directly ““Connect” with your audience by your words and Connect” with your audience by your words and

actions (e.g., eye contact, voice, posture, gestures)actions (e.g., eye contact, voice, posture, gestures)

Superior Speakers Superior Speakers Analyze the AudienceAnalyze the Audience Who will be in the audience?Who will be in the audience? What do I want the audience to:What do I want the audience to:

Know? Know? Believe? Believe? Do?Do?

How is the audience responding? How is the audience responding? How do I adapt?How do I adapt?

Visualize Your AudienceVisualize Your Audience Why will they be in attendance?Why will they be in attendance? What do they already know?What do they already know?

Do they have biases or misinformation?Do they have biases or misinformation? What do they think they need to know?What do they think they need to know? What worries them?What worries them?

What is the general mood?What is the general mood? Friendly, hostile, neutral….Friendly, hostile, neutral….

How will they feel about yourHow will they feel about yoursubject matter? subject matter?

Interested, bored, nervous, confident…Interested, bored, nervous, confident…

Many of the communication Many of the communication difficulties between persons difficulties between persons

are the by-product of are the by-product of communication barrierscommunication barriers

within the person.within the person.

Abraham H. MaslowAbraham H. Maslow

Audience Members HaveAudience Members HaveBasic Human NeedsBasic Human Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: PhysiologicPhysiologic SafetySafety Love and Belongedness Love and Belongedness Esteem Esteem Self-actualizationSelf-actualization

Basic Audience Need: Basic Audience Need: PhysiologicPhysiologic

These include:These include: Oxygen, Water, Food, Habitable Oxygen, Water, Food, Habitable

Temperature, Sleep, Conditions and Temperature, Sleep, Conditions and Behaviors Which Perpetuate the SpeciesBehaviors Which Perpetuate the Species

A hot, tired, or hungry audience may not A hot, tired, or hungry audience may not fully absorb your presentationfully absorb your presentation

Consider how your messages will help Consider how your messages will help the audience achieve their needsthe audience achieve their needs

Basic Audience Need: Basic Audience Need: Safety Safety There are two types of safety:There are two types of safety:

Physical SafetyPhysical Safety Psychological SafetyPsychological Safety

• Will audience members feel humiliated?Will audience members feel humiliated?• Do they feel safe trusting your expertise?Do they feel safe trusting your expertise?• The speaker should therefore aim to establish The speaker should therefore aim to establish

credibility and put the audience at easecredibility and put the audience at ease

The bottom line: How will your The bottom line: How will your presentation impact upon their presentation impact upon their perceived perceived safety?safety?

What Makes a Speaker What Makes a Speaker Credible?Credible?

Confidence, intellect, knowledgeConfidence, intellect, knowledgeand experienceand experience

Credible associationsCredible associations Use endorsementsUse endorsements Cite credible sourcesCite credible sources

TrustworthinessTrustworthiness Disclose conflicts of interestsDisclose conflicts of interests Employ a balanced and fair approach to the topicEmploy a balanced and fair approach to the topic

High standards and intellectual honestyHigh standards and intellectual honesty A credible speaker admits to not knowingA credible speaker admits to not knowing

Now when I bore peopleNow when I bore peopleat a party they think it’sat a party they think it’s

their fault.their fault.

Henry KissingerHenry Kissinger

Employ Ethical Employ Ethical CommunicationCommunication

Provide complete information Provide complete information So that… the listener can consider all So that… the listener can consider all

options and make a fully informed decisionoptions and make a fully informed decision

Verify that the message is receivedVerify that the message is received Does the audience truly understand the Does the audience truly understand the

content of your speech?content of your speech?

Use credible sources Use credible sources Provide truthful and accurate information Provide truthful and accurate information

If you always tell the truthIf you always tell the truthyou don’t have anythingyou don’t have anything

to remember.to remember.

Dick MottaDick MottaCoach, Chicago BullsCoach, Chicago Bulls

A speech is a solemn responsibility.A speech is a solemn responsibility.The man who makes a bad 30-minute The man who makes a bad 30-minute

speech to 200 people wastes onlyspeech to 200 people wastes onlya half-hour of his own time.a half-hour of his own time.

But he wastes 100 hours of the But he wastes 100 hours of the audience’s time--more than four days--audience’s time--more than four days--

which should be a hanging offense.which should be a hanging offense.

Jenkin Lloyd JonesJenkin Lloyd Jones