Opinions Requested

[mlm668]

I am curious to find out what the rest of you think about this issue.

I have to take a speech class as part of the curriculum requirements at the college I am attending.  They offer two.  One is Public Speaking and the other Interpersonal Communications.  After reading the course descriptions, I am curious to see what the rest of you think would be a more useful class to someone who is an admin.  

Here are the course descriptions as listed in the catalogue.  

101 Public Speaking

Three hours lecture and student presentation; three credits. A practical course in preparing and delivering speeches. The development of a basic idea by research and thought as well as its preparation, organization, and delivery style is stressed. Additional historical backg round as well as material addressing perception, language, listening, audiences and non-verbal communication is covered .

201 Interpersonal Communication

Three hour lecture and student presentation; three credits. A practical course in the theories and elements involved in interpersonal communication. Study of the factors which influence our ability to
effectively communicate, development of relationships, the role of the self in communication, the resolution of conflict and communication on the job and in daily life.

201 is not offered very often and I have heard that the professor feels that 101 is a more valuable course because there are going to be occasions where you will need to receive an award or something similar.  I disagree because I feel that learning how to deal effectively with others is more important because it is a daily acitivity.  Also, in my current position (been here 4 years), it is highly unlikely that I will ever have to speak in front of a group.  We have one annual meeting per year of all employees and I don't have to be there until its time to eat (Christmas Luncheon).  I also do have take part in any meetings outside of consulting with the occasional vendor.

What do the rest of you think?



Michelle

PS:  201 is being offered this summer during both day terms.  My boss has agreed to let me take a class during one of the terms and I am going to take this one.  I am just curious to know what others think about the professor's line of thought.  

Edited by mlm668 on 19/05/02 09:12 PM.

[Jackie G]

Hmm - interesting!

Do you not feel that in your day to day life you already are quite good at interpersonal communication and that learning a new skill of public speaking, even if you never use it to make a speech per se, would be quite a useful thing to have?  While you've been in your current job 4 years, there's no guarantee you'll be there forever (no jobs for life anymore!) and even a skill in public speaking could stand you in good stead at future interviews, or even a new position where you may be called upon to give presentations etc.

Not sure where you're based, though my guess is not the US where kids learn to speak in public at school and are less fazed by having to do it later in life, whereas we may be 'forced' to do it in school occasionally in the UK and still find it hard in later life.

I think maybe the thing to do would be to take the long view on this, rather than the current view

I would definitely go for the public speaking, but it'll be interesting to see what others think!

Jackie
www.iqps.org
DeskDemon Forum Board Staff

[superninjaadmin]

My thoughts?  

I believe that public speaking is very important!!  You never know when you will need it.  

Having said that, take the 201 Interpersonal Communication course during the day, and inquire about your local "Toastmasters" club and become an active member.  I have heard WONDERFUL things about Toastmasters.  A fellow coworker became an active member of Toastmasters this past year and guess what... she won 1st place in a local comedy speech contest, and two weeks ago, she went to our statewide competition where she took 2nd place.    Cool, eh?  

My goal this coming year is to get involved in Toastmasters.  I'm getting better at speaking in front of groups (BTW, I had to make an unanticpated award acceptance speech just last week!!!)  OK, I was very surprised, but honored and flattered for the recognition - it was in front of about 200 of my fellow coworkers, so I was a little nervous, but did allright, I think...  But, I could have done better.  

I say you should pursue both.  I think Toastmasters has a nominal membership fee, as it's a non-profit organization.  Perhaps your boss will cover those costs, too?  

You go, girl!

SNA (yahooo it's 80 degrees F outside today!!) in AK  

[mlm668]

Actually Jackie, I live and work in a small rural town in Virginia.  I had a brief education in public speaking in high school and business school but nothing intensive like this class would be.  I also participated in the drama club with a couple of small parts in high school, but that is nothing like speech making (can't really see who you are talking to and to concerned with keeping up with other lines to know when yours are up).

I agree that public speaking can be a useful skill, but I am the kind of person who prefers to be behind the scenes (hence admin support as a career choice).  I suppose my concern is that so many kids coming along these days are so much more self centered than my generation and those before me.  They feel like people owe them and do not really know how to interact with others on a professional level.  I feel like both classes should be required.

Any other thoughts are more than welcome.



Michelle

[bethalize]

I think the idea about doing Toastmasters in the evening and 201 in the day is excellent. It sounds fascinating to be able to look at all those things you always knew about but have never articulated. If you like to be behind the scenes, you will probably use the second one more than the first.

Bethalize
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

[beaintheuk]

If you can do both , do it and don't choose.  They'll both come in handy.  I feel like you when you say you are someone who prefers to be 'behind the scene' and has no occasions to speak in public.
We just had our first EuMA UK Training Day last Saturday and it was on both skills: Public spekaing and Interpersonal skills.  I learnt a lot during the Public skills presentation as speaking in public is not my forte at all, but then again I don't have any occasions to do so anyway.  I think Interpersonal skills is important and if it's not a course they offer very often I'd rather go for this one and delay the Public Speaking for a bit if you can't do both at the same time.
Good luck!
Bea

[countrigal]

My suggestion, from taking college courses and having just completed something similar to your 201, is to ask the school for a copy of a sylabus for each class.  Different instructors handle their course differently, so if you have an option on instructors ask to see a sample from each.  Why?  I've had to take 2 speech classes in my college career, plus Effective Bussiness Communication and Report Writing which boiled down to what it sounds like your 201 would be, and all together they covered the same things as far as speech and effective verbal communication.  Also, go to the bookstore and look through the text books for both courses.  You might find that the same information will be covered in a slightly different way.  For speech class, you need to learn body language, how to read an audience, and other daily things we do when communicating effectively to each other.  That's some of what would be covered in 201 from what I read in it.  So look at the sylabuses and books, and then make a decision.

As for my suggestion without seeing that information?  I'd say take the speech class.  Not just in our professional life, but also in our private life, we can be called upon to speak in front of any number of folks.  If you have kids you might end up volunteering to be a Den Leader or GS Leader, or you may decide to join a local group and become President or some other capacity which calls upon you to speak in front of folks.  And a speech, believe it or not, is what we do when we're in a meeting and we're called upon to give our opinion.  That's why my Effect Com and Report Writing instructor made us do impromptu speeches on subjects that he gave us -- with only 30 seconds to formulate our thoughts.  That way, when we're in a meeting and "Bob" calls on us to voice our thoughts on the subject, we can open our mouths and have something come out that makes sense, even if we're not 100% sure of ourselves.  Admins are often called upon in a meeting to answer questions and speach class helps in that aspect, as much as in the more formal settings.

CountriGal
Deskdemon Editorial Board Member

[msmarieh]

I have taken both of these classes over the years and personally I find the Public Speaking to be most useful. It teaches us to think on our feet and under pressure. It prepares us for working with all manner of people (presentations to executives, IAAP groups, scouts, who knows???).

Fear of public speaking is repeatedly top of all polls of the general public. It even exceeds fear of death!!! More than anything else, the confidence that comes from knowing you can handle yourself professionally in front of any size group can carry through to all facets of our professional and personal life.

I can't tell you how many people are in awe that I am comfortable in front of groups of all sizes and have been teaching classes since high school. I don't consider it a big deal, but having seen others be terrified at the very thought, I think this is a skill well worth acquiring. You might be surprised at how often you will use it when you feel more comfortable doing it (which let's face it, is often the reason admins are behind the scenes!!!).

Marie