SPEECH COMMUNICATION

TSLB 3213
WEEK 6 : 5-9 FEB 2018

HUMAN COMMUNICATION:
COMMUNICATION SITUATION/CONTEXTS
• INTERVIEWING
• SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION
INTERVIEWING

•Types of interviews
•Principles of interviewing- roles of
interviewer/interviewee
TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

• Structured interviews
• Fixed list of questions
• Unstructured interviews
• No list of questions, but you still need an agenda, checklist, to
ensure everything covered
• Semi-structured interviews
• Combines aspects of structured and unstructured interviews.
• Fixed list of questions, each of which is followed by
conversation and follow-ups as appropriate
ROLE/RESPONSIBILITIES OF INTERVIEWER
• Create a Comfortable Atmosphere
• Select a welcoming/comfortable location
• Introduce yourself, smile, sustain eye contact, shake hands, and
actively listen
• Sequence Questions
• Plan questions in a sequence
• Closing the Interview
• Ask for questions, summarize main issues, reestablish rapport
• Listen and utilize nonverbal communication skills
ROLE/RESPONSIBILITIES OF INTERVIEWEE

•Rehearse answers to probable questions

•Prepare Questions
•Practice Self-Confidence
•Be polite
CLOSING AN INTERVIEW

Three leave-taking functions:

• Concluding
• Summarizing
• Supporting
Consider the following closing techniques:
• Offer to answer questions.
• Use clearing-house questions.
• Declare the completion of the purpose.
• Tactfully signal that time is up.
• Express appreciation or satisfaction.
• Plan for the next meeting.
THE SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

• Collection of individuals
• Common purpose
• Interdependence
• Organising rules
• Self-perception as a group
STAGES IN A SMALL GROUP
• Opening
• a getting-aquainted time
• Feedforward
• Members try to identify what needs to be done,
who will do it
• Business
• The actual work on the task- problem solving,
sharing of information
THE SMALL GROUP STAGES
• Feedback
• Reflect on what has been done and what needs
to be done
• Closing
• The group members again return to their focus on
individuals and exchange closing comments
SMALL GROUP FORMATS
A. The Round Table
• Group members are arranged in a circular or
semi-circular pattern.
• They share information or solve problem without
any set pattern of who speaks when
• Group interaction is informal
• A leader or moderator may be present
SMALL GROUP FORMATS
B. The Panel
• Group members are “experts” but participate
informally
• There is an audience whose members may
interject comments or ask questions
SMALL GROUP FORMATS
C. The Symposium
• Each member delivers a prepared presentation
• Speeches are addressed to different aspects of
a single topic
• A symposium leader introduces the speakers,
provides transitions from one speaker to another
and may provide periodic summaries
SMALL GROUP FORMATS
D. The Symposium-Forum
• Consists of two parts:
• A symposium- with prepared speeches
• A forum – with questions from the audience and
responses by the speakers
• The leader introduces the speakers and moderates
the question-and-answer session
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION/
COMMUNICATION/INTERACTION

• Idea-Generation Groups
• Personal Growth Groups
• Information-Sharing Groups
• Problem-Solving Groups
INFORMATION SHARING GROUPS
• The purpose is to enable members to acquire new
information or skills through sharing knowledge
• All members have something to teach and something to
learn
• Educational or learning groups – the members pool their
knowledge to the benefit of everyone
• Focus group- aims to discover what people think about an issue
or product through a kind of in-depth group interview
MEMBERS IN SMALL GROUP
DISCUSSION/COMMUNICATION

• Membership in small group communication situations

can be viewed from a variety of perspectives
• in terms of the roles that members serve
• the types of contributions they make
• the principles for more effective participation
GROUP TASK ROLES
•Initiator-contributor
• Presents new ideas or new perspectives on old
ideas, suggests new goals, or proposes new
procedures or organizational strategies
•Information seeker
•Asks for facts and opinions and seeks
clarification of the issues being discussed
GROUP TASK ROLES
•Opinion seeker
• Tries to discover the values underlying the group’s
tasks
•Information giver
• Presents facts and opinions to the group members
GROUP TASK ROLES
•Opinion giver
• Presents values and opinions and tries to spell out
what the values of the group should be
•Elaborator
• Gives examples and tries to work out possible
solutions, trying to build on what others have said
GROUP TASK ROLES
•Coordinator
• Spells out relationships among ideas and
suggested solutions and coordinates the activities
of the different members.

•Orienter
• Summarizes what has been said and addresses the
direction the group is taking.
GROUP TASK ROLES

• Evaluator-critic
• Evaluates the group’s decisions, questions the logic or
practicality of the suggestions, and thus provides the
group with both positive and negative feedback
• Energizer
• Stimulates the group to greater activity
GROUP TASK ROLES

• Procedural technician
• Takes care of various mechanical duties such as
distributing group materials and arranging seating
• Recorder
• Writes down the group’s activities, suggestions, and
decisions; he or she serves as the memory of the group
LEADERS IN SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION

• Leadership is the process of :

• influencing thoughts, feelings, and behaviour of group
members
• Empowering others- the leader is the person who helps
others to maximize their potential and to take control of
their lives
FOUR APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP

1. Traits Approach
• focuses on personal characteristics that contribute to
leadership
• Intelligence, dominance honesty, foresight, altruism,
popularity, sociability, cooperativeness, knowledge,
dependability
FOUR APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP

2. Functional Approach
• focuses on what a leader should do in a given situation
• Setting group goals, giving directions to group
members, summarizing group’s progress
FOUR APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP

3. Transformational Approach
• the leader elevates the group’s members
• enables the group’s members not only to accomplish
the group task but also to emerge as more empowered
individuals
FOUR APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP

4. Situational Approach
• focuses on the two major responsibilities:
• Accomplishing the task at hand and ensuring the
satisfaction of the members
• Recognizes that the leader’s style must vary on the basis
of a specific situation
 LEADERSHIP STYLE
Style Focus
Telling Style Focuses on the task and offers little relationship support

- Persuasive, gives specific guidance and relationship support

Selling Style - Aim is to get the members to “buy into” the ideas and to do as
directed

- Relies heavily on communicating, facilitating, and encouraging group

Participating Style members
- Participates in the group’s problem solving but provides little direction

Monitors and observes, rather than provides direction or relationship

Delegating Style support
FUNCTIONS AND SKILLS OF LEADERSHIP
Get Ready Be prepared yourself and
prepare members
Ensure member satisfaction Satisfy members’ needs

Activate the group agenda Get the group started on its task

Promote group interaction Ask questions

Empower group members Make group members become

effective contributors
Follow up Decisions need to be
communicated in some way to
someone
TUTORIAL TASK
• In groups of four/five, prepare and practice a round
table discussion on a current topic, taking into
consideration the approaches, stages, roles of members
and roles of a leader involved in a discussion.
• Make use of interviewing techniques in order to
produce an effective discussion.
• Each group is given 15-20 minutes to present the
discussion.