Developing Professional Communication Skills

1. Developing Professional Communication Skills • Agriscience

2. Business Meetings • Order of Business (Agenda) • Keeps the meeting moving forward • An agenda or outline of what will take place • Framework for the development of a good business meeting 2

3. Outline- Order of Business • Opening ceremony • Call to order by the president • Minutes of last meeting • Secretary • Reports on Chapter POA • Officers and committee chairs • Old Business • unfinished business 3

4. Outline- Order of Business • New Business • Presented by members in the form of motions • Adjournment and Closing Ceremony • Passed motion to adjourn • Consensus of the group 4

5. Activity • Prepare an Order of Business for a chapter FFA meeting • Explain who will be responsible for each part (give specific names) • The meeting must have business, entertainment, and an opening and closing ceremony 5

6. Parliamentary Procedures

7. What is Parliamentary Procedure? • Parliamentary procedure is a systematic way of organizing meetings. • Governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. 7

8. Purposes • To focus on one item at a time • Extends courtesy to everyone • Observes the rule of the majority • Ensures the rights of the minority 8

9. The Gavel • The president uses the gavel to control aspects of the meeting. • The number of taps determines the meaning. 9

10. Number of taps • One Tap • Tells members to be seated • Used after passing or rejecting a main motion • Used after the announcement that the meeting is adjourned 10

11. Number of taps • Two taps • -calls the meeting to order • Three taps • -symbol to rise during opening/closing ceremonies • Series of taps • -used to bring the group to order 11

12. Presiding Officer 12

13. Presiding Officers • Examples: • Company Chairman • Organization President • Speaker of the House • Chapter FFA President • Must be fair and impartial • Must relinquish the chair when the president desires to discuss business 13

14. Motions

15. Main Motion • Used to get group approval for a new project or some other course of action • Wording: “I move” NOT “I make a motion” 15

16. Main Motion • Requires second • Debatable • Amendable • Majority vote required • Can be reconsidered 16

17. Amendments • Used to change a main motion • 3 ways to amend: addition, substitution, striking out • Wording: “I move to amend the motion” 17

18. Amendments • Requires second • Debatable • Amendable • Majority vote required • Can be reconsidered 18

19. Adjourn • Used to end a meeting • Wording: “I move to adjourn” 19

20. Adjourn • Cannot be debated • Cannot be amended • Cannot be reconsidered • Requires second • Requires majority vote 20

21. Point of Order • Used when one believes a parliamentary error has been made • Wording: “I rise to a point of order” 21

22. Point of order • Not debatable • Not Amendable • Does not require second • Cannot be reconsidered • No vote required 22

23. Previous question • Used to stop debate and vote • Wording: “I move to previous question” 23

24. Previous question • Second required • Not debatable • Not amendable • Can be reconsidered before vote • 2/3 vote required 24

25. Refer to committee • Used to gain more information on a motion before voting • Wording: “I move to refer this motion to a committee to report at our next meeting.” 25

26. Refer to committee • Second required • Debatable • Amendable • Can be reconsidered • Majority vote 26

27. Suspend the Rules • Used to allow the chapter to act in a way that would be against the rules of parliamentary law or the constitutional laws of the organization • budgets issues • 2/3 or majority votes 27

28. Suspend the Rules • Second required • Not debatable • Not amendable • 2/3 majority vote required 28

29. Assignment • Write two motions that could be used in an FFA meeting. With each motion you should also write an example of good debate or discussion that could be used to defend or contest each motion. 29

30. Public Speaking Objective: Describe the major types of speeches and the variables to be considered when presenting speeches

31. Public Speaking CDE’s in FFA • Prepared Public Speaking • memorized using a manuscript • based on an agriculture topic • Extemporaneous Speaking • 30 mins to prepare • given without using a manuscript or from memorization • very little preparation ahead of time 31

32. Benefits of GOOD Communication • One of the most important factors in determining career success • Oral communications always one of top skills demanded by employer- what occupation doesn't need it? • It will help you speak out in important situations, as parent, citizen, customer, tax payer 32

33. Benefits of GOOD Communication • It is the nature of human to form groups- • Relationships depend on communication skills • Learn the ability to: • persuade others • change things for better • seek civil justice, human rights • democracy-freedom of speech 33

34. Conclusion Building a Speech Introduction Body 34

35. Introduction • Capture attention • Enthusiasm and Emotion • Indicate the need for the speech • Makes the audience want to know more • Short stories and real life is a good start 35

36. Body • The largest part of the speech • Contains the information you want to tell • Consist of several major points surrounded by a central objective 36

37. Conclusion • Remind the audience of the objective or topic • Move people to action • Use powerful well planed words 37

38. Practice! Practice! Practice! • Preparation, practice and more practice • Practice in front of others • Have people provide feedback • Watch and listen to yourself • Use a mirror • Video 38

39. Delivering a Speech • Know your audience and what to expect • Stage Presence is the speaker’s: • attitude • ease before the audience • confidence • personality • poise • body posture 39