Hi,

This is from Bill Sonnenschein, the instructor for E291B-1 Speaking for
Management.


Hello all.

And welcome in advance.

I want to pass on some information to you to prepare you for the first
class session.  Class will meet on February 3 & 24, 2001, from 9:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m.  The time is very short for a speech course.  I am asking you to
prepare a little before the first session, to assure you get as much as you
can out of the course.

Please come to the first day of class with a prepared persuasive speech (a
speech that moves the audience to action).  The speech should be three to
five minutes in length, and on a topic you feel very strongly about.  I do
not care if the topic concerns business.  It could be political, social,
moral, or even spiritual.  The most important thing is that you believe
strongly in the message.  Leaders must learn to speak "from the heart."
The focus of the course will be on speaking in a business context, but it
is important to speak with feeling first, and learn to transfer that skill
to a business context.   I do not care if you write the speech out, or
create an outline and rehearse giving the speech extemporaneously.  The
idea is to be prepared.  I will talk about delivering from a manuscript as
well as the advantages of extemporaneous speaking as part of one lecture.

You may also want to buy a blank video tape.  You will not need it till the
second Saturday, and even then using it will be optional.  Videotaping
speeches is an excellent learning tool, but can be counter-productive if
students get too nervous doing it.  I never use tape the first class
session, and you choose if you want to be taped the second session.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 510-336-1239, or
e-mail me at sonnen@haas.berkeley.edu.

Thanks.  I am looking forward to working with you.

Bill

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William Sonnenschein
Communications Group Faculty
Haas School of Business
University of California, Berkeley
510-643-8005 (Office) or 510-336-1239 (Home)
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