Unit 3: Oral and online presentations
Business Communication for Managerial Effectiveness notes · PTU syllabus (MBA 107-18)
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Unit summary
Presentations and discussions test a manager's ability to think and speak under pressure. This unit covers developing oral and online presentations, enhancing them with slides and visual aids, just-a-minute presentations, individual and group presentations, overcoming glossophobia and group discussion.
After this unit you can
- Plan and deliver oral and online presentations
- Design effective slides and visual aids
- Deliver JAM, individual and group presentations
- Manage presentation anxiety and take part in group discussions
PTU syllabus topics
- Developing oral and online presentations
- enhancing presentations with slides and visual aids
- just-a-minute presentations
- individual/group presentations
- overcoming glossophobia
- group discussion
- 1
Prepare thoroughly
- 2
Rehearse aloud
- 3
Visualise success
- 4
Breathe slowly before starting
- 5
Focus on the message, not yourself
- 6
Start strong
Memorise the opening
Topic 1
Developing oral and online presentations
- 1Analyse audience and purpose
- 2Research and organise
Introduction (hook), body (3–4 key points), conclusion (summary and call to action)
- 3Design visuals
- 4Rehearse and time it
- 5Deliver and handle questions
- Opening techniques: a question, a striking statistic, a story, a quotation.
- Delivery: eye contact, varied voice and pace, purposeful gestures, pauses for emphasis.
- Online presentations: test the platform, camera at eye level, good lighting and audio, share slides early, engage through polls and chat, pause for questions, record with consent.
Topic 2
Enhancing presentations with slides and visual aids
- Slide design: one idea per slide, short phrases rather than sentences, large readable fonts, consistent template, high-contrast colours.
- Visuals: charts for numbers (bar for comparison, line for trends, pie for parts of a whole), diagrams for processes, images that support the point.
- Other aids: whiteboards, flip charts, handouts, product samples, videos.
- Avoid: reading from slides, clutter, too many animations, tiny tables.
Exam tip
Guy Kawasaki's 10-20-30 rule — about 10 slides, 20 minutes, no font smaller than 30 points — is a useful starting point.
Topic 3
Just-a-minute (JAM) presentations
- JAM: speaking on a given topic for one minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation.
- Purpose: tests spontaneity, clarity, fluency, confidence and quick thinking.
- 1Hook or definition
- 2Two or three points
- 3Example
- 4Conclusion
- Tips: take a few seconds to think, speak at a steady pace, avoid fillers ("um", "like"), finish with a crisp line.
Topic 4
Individual and group presentations
- Individual: full control over content and flow; the speaker carries all responsibility.
- Group presentations: plan together, assign sections by strength, one consistent slide template, smooth hand-overs ("Now Ravi will explain the financials"), rehearse as a team, support each other during questions.
Topic 5
Overcoming glossophobia
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking — one of the most common anxieties.
- Symptoms: dry mouth, shaky voice, rapid heartbeat, blanking out.
- Remedies: thorough preparation and rehearsal, breathing exercises, positive visualisation, knowing the opening by heart, focusing on the message and audience, starting with small audiences, treating nervous energy as enthusiasm.
Topic 6
Group discussion
- Used in selection to assess communication, knowledge, leadership, teamwork and reasoning.
Do
Initiate if well prepared, give facts and examples, listen, build on others' points, summarise, invite quiet members
Don't
Dominate, interrupt rudely, argue aggressively, stay silent throughout, go off topic
- Types: topical, abstract, case-based; evaluators look at content, communication, group behaviour and leadership.
- Roles: initiator, contributor, moderator, summariser.
Key terms
- Hook
- Opening that grabs the audience's attention
- JAM
- Just-a-minute speaking exercise
- Glossophobia
- Fear of public speaking
- Visual aid
- Chart, image or object that supports a spoken message
- Group discussion
- Selection tool assessing interaction in a group
Quick revision
- Presentation: audience, structure, visuals, rehearsal, delivery.
- Online: technology, camera, engagement tools.
- Slides: one idea, large fonts, charts by purpose; 10-20-30 rule.
- JAM: one minute, no hesitation, repetition or deviation.
- Glossophobia remedies; GD dos, don'ts and roles.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.State three ways to open a presentation.
- Q2.Give four guidelines for slide design.
- Q3.What is a JAM session?
- Q4.What is glossophobia?
- Q5.State two tips for group presentations.
- Q6.What do evaluators assess in a group discussion?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain how to plan and deliver an effective oral presentation.
- Q2.Discuss the use of slides and visual aids in presentations.
- Q3.Explain how a speaker can overcome glossophobia.
- Q4.Discuss the dos and don'ts of group discussion.
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