CMS 319: Business and Professional Speaking

 According to Sue DeWine, prominent organizational communication scholar and consultant, most managers spend 2-3 days a week in unproductive meetings. Each year, as many as 30 working days and up to $71 million are wasted on meetings that accomplish nothing. Many business professionals complain that meetings are ineffective for the following reasons: lack of preparation, no goals or agenda, disorganization, ineffective leadership and control, and getting off the subject.

The goal of this assignment is to help you overcome these obstacles and develop skills necessary to design and conduct an effective and productive problem-solving meeting. To reach this goal, you and your group members will facilitate a problem-solving meeting with the class based on one of the case studies in this packet. As meeting facilitators, you will set the meeting’s agenda, guide the class through this agenda, and work with the class to develop and select the best solution to your case’s problem. In doing so, you and your group will use the Reflective Thinking Process, described in your textbook on pp. 348-351, to complete the following steps:

• Introduce the Problem (Step 1)
• Define and analyze the problem (Step 2)
• Establish criteria (Step 3)
• Generate possible solutions (Step 4)
• Evaluate possible solutions (Step 5)

1. Your group will be assigned a case study in this packet. This case study will highlight the problem to be addressed in the meeting. If you wish to find or write a case of your own, please consult your instructor. Any case your group locates/creates must be approved by your instructor at least one week prior to your scheduled presentation date. You must also provide a copy of the case to each class member at least one class day prior to your presentation date.

 
2. You and your group will have until your class presentation time to meet, discuss the case, create an agenda, and prepare to lead the class through the Reflective Thinking Procedure. How you and your group members define and analyze the problem will determine your agenda for the meeting. Prior to your presentation day, your group must define and analyze the problem (Step 2). On your presentation day, you must begin the meeting by introducing the problem (Step 1) and presenting a summary of how your group defined and analyzed the problem. Then, you must involve the class in establishing criteria for possible solutions (Step 3), generating possible solutions (Step 4), evaluating solution alternatives (Step 5), and finally selecting the best alternative and making plans to implement the chosen solution.

 
3. Remember that you are running a meeting in which everyone in the class is a participating member of your organization. Your challenge is to ask questions of class members, encourage discussion, and carefully process and consider their feedback to arrive at a decision.

 
4. Your group will have 18 to 23 minutes in which to run this meeting. If your group facilitates for less than the 18 minutes, or more than 23, your group grade will be penalized. For example, if a meeting is less than 18 minutes, one point will be deducted for each 15 second interval. For example, a meeting that is 1-14 seconds short, would lose 1 point; a meeting that is 15-29 seconds short, would lose two points, etc. Please, time your meeting when you practice.

 
5. Limit your notes to your instructor’s requirements. Include only KEY WORDS to prompt your thinking on notes. Do not write out whole sections (or the entire presentation) on your notes. If you choose to ignore this advice, expect to be penalized 5 points.

 
6. You must incorporate at least three computer-generated visual aids that enhance your meeting by adding to the audience’s understanding of the meeting process/progress.

 
7. Each group member must participate in conducting the meeting. All members of your group will receive the same grade on this assignment.

 
8. Your delivery should include professional language and all team members should strive to make meaningful eye contact with and generally engage the audience. Also, make sure your dress is appropriate for the type of organization and context of your meeting.

 
9. Submit the following items in your presentation folder (one per group) to your instructor on the day of your presentation:

• A copy of your group’s agenda
• Instructor’s Evaluation for Problem-Solving Meeting
• Presentation notes (place these in the folder following your presentation)
• Originals or copies of visual aids

10. Following your meeting, each group member will write his or her own evaluation of your group’s process. For instructions on completing this assignment, see “Evaluating Your Group’s Problem-Solving Meeting,” in this packet.

GROUP:__________________________________________________  Speech Time:______

Introduction

                    1     2     3     4     5

Introduce members

Provide meeting goals/purpose

Preview agenda

Steps 1 and 2: Introduce, Define, and Analyze the Problem

                    1     2     3     4     5     6

Present the problem

State causes/effects of problem

State impact and extent of problem
 
 

                    1     2     3     4     5     6

Generate criteria for solution

Evaluate and discuss criteria
 
 

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9

Generate solution alternatives

Withhold evaluation/Remain objective

Maintain role as facilitators

Provide appropriate feedback
 
 

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9

Eliminate and combine alternatives

Evaluate alternative/criteria fit

Discuss strengths and weaknesses of each solution

                    1     2     3     4     5

Review purpose of meeting

Review results of meeting

                    1     2     3     4     5

Provide audience with instructions/agenda

Solicit and use audience comments

Respond effectively and professionally to questions/concerns

                    1     2     3     4     5

All group members involved/participated

Delivery was smooth and free from distractions

The purpose of this evaluation is to reflect on the importance of group work and to apply it to your personal experience with this assignment. You are to write a 2-3-page evaluation essay that assesses your group participation and communication, both in your group’s preparation meetings and in the meeting facilitation itself. This essay should be typed and double-spaced using a standard 12 point font. Please do not exceed the 3 page maximum. Consult the course schedule in your syllabus for the due date.

The essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion and must include specific examples to support each argument. Divide the body into the following sections:

• Describe the performance of your team members. Describe each person’s behavior (task, maintenance, and/or nonfunctional) during the course of the project. Provide specific examples to support each assertion and be sure to label the role/function that each member performed, then clarify why the role/function is an accurate description. Utilize the group function worksheets on the following pages to record examples of other group members’ behavior. Also, consult the chapters in your textbook, as well as information provided in class about group communication, in making this analysis.
• Describe your behavior as a team member. Explain your behaviors and discuss what you did well and what you’d like to improve in future group experiences. Again, focus on specific examples and use your text and lecture to support your analysis.
• Evaluate the performance of your team as a whole. In doing this, select any two group communication concepts and discuss how well your group met your objectives in relation to these concepts. For example, you might choose to focus upon reasoning or conflict resolution (or any other communication concept in the chapters covered so far) and comment on your group’s ability to employ these skills in your preparation meetings and/or in the meeting facilitation itself.

Because this essay does not affect the group grade (which is based upon the presentation), please do not feel that you must try to convince your instructor that your group was effective or not. Rather, your goal is to analyze the events and behaviors that took place during the preparation and performance of the meeting assignment (positive and negative), explain what they were, why they occurred, and the outcomes of these events and behaviors.

Group Member Behavior Notes
 

TASK FUNCTIONS	GROUP MEMBER, NOTES, AND DESCRIPTION
Initiate: Propose new ideas, procedures, goals, solutions to start discussion
Give Information: Supply evidence and relevant experiences
Seek Information: Request and clarify factual information for others
Give Opinion: State beliefs and/or attitudes
Seek Opinion: Solicit/clarify opinions/attitudes of others
Elaborate: Clarify/expand ideas of others via examples, etc.
Energize: Stimulate the group to be energetic and active
Review: Summarize the discussion throughout
Record: Record suggestions and opinions
MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS	GROUP MEMBER, NOTES, AND DESCRIPTION
Encourage: Praise and give others support
Harmonize: Reconcile differences in a productive manner
Relieve Tension: Relax atmosphere (constructively) through humor/informality
Gatekeep: Control the flow of communication so all can participate
NONFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORS	GROUP MEMBER, NOTES, AND DESCRIPTION
Blocking/Aggression: Putting down others ideas, and negatively criticizing others
Storytelling/distracting: Luring group off track with stories, telling jokes or making inappropriate comments
Dominating: Monopolizing group interaction
Withdrawing: Participating very little or not at all

Peer Feedback for Problem-Solving Meeting

FEEDBACK FOR GROUP: _______________________________

Please complete evaluations for the meetings assigned to you and turn them in at the end of class. The completion of these evaluations is reflected in your class participation grade. Please circle your response and make comments for each.

                        1 = Strongly Disagree...5 = Strongly Agree
 

I understood the problem and its consequences.	1 2 3 4 5
I believe the solution alternatives fit the criteria.	1 2 3 4 5
The class had ample opportunity to express opinions/offer suggestions.	1 2 3 4 5
The facilitators effectively used the class’ opinions and suggestions.	1 2 3 4 5
The agenda helped keep the meeting on target.	1 2 3 4 5
The group facilitators helped to keep the meeting on target.	1 2 3 4 5
The meeting met its objectives and selected the best solution.	1 2 3 4 5

The strongest feature of this presentation was:

My suggestion to improve this presentation is:

FEEDBACK WRITTEN BY: _____________________________________