Leadership and the Art of Communication
Leadership & The Art of Presentation
Objective: Through the study of communication theory and the practice of its application, you will begin your journey toward perfecting your personal art of presentation.
Syllabus
- Week 1: Defining presentation and communication
- What is the nature of communication?
- Why do we communicate?
- What are the unique aspects of Christian/Catholic communication?
- How do you identify effective and ineffective communication?
- How do we critique speeches both in and out of class?
- Week 2: Object presentation using Aristotle’s Building Blocks
- Week 3: Delivery styles
- How do you get to know your audience and build an interpretive community?
- How do you organize a speech?
- How do you find your enthymeme?
- How do you use Rhetoric in a presentation?
- What are syllogisms and logical fallacies?
- Week 4: Spontaneous presentation based on Cicero’s trial of sextus roscius
- Week 5: What are the 10 Commandments of public speaking
- Know thy audience
- Demonstrate credibility and expertise – Ethos
- Arouse interest in your audience – Phatic communication, Pathos
- Build a strong argument – Logos
- Thou shalt not make “VU’s”
- Put your message in a “nocciola”
- Gesture like you mean it
- Present yourself in the way that you want to be perceived
- Mind the clock
- Practice, practice, practice
- Week 6 Defining “good” and “bad” speeches through critical observation. What makes speeches effective or ineffective?
- What are good and bad speeches?
- What are ethics in speech making?
- What are St. Augustine’s, St. Ambrose’s and Bishop Fulton Sheen’s philosophi
- Media training – for TV, radio (4.5 hours)
- What are the techniques of on-camera delivery?
- How do you make a sound-byte? What are the techniques of radio delivery?
- What are some important debate techniques?
- What does it mean to define the terms of your opponents?
- What does it mean to win the battle and lose the war?
- What are the steps to follow when faced with a crisis?
- How do you get a message out?
- How do you respond to tough questions from an audience?
- Week 7: Defining “good” and “bad” speeches through critical observation (continued)
- How do you conjure visual imagery?
Personal Coaching:
After the 4th and 8th week of class, students will receive 10 minute individual coaching sessions.
Grading:
Students will be graded on class participation and presentation quality, according to the outlined criteria. Each person is graded on his or her own merit, participation, improvement, and commitment to the perfecting of the art of presentation.