Deliver an Informative Speech
SCENARIO: You are a manager at Squidwork, Inc., which is a lucrative online boutique (e-commerce company) that has gone through massive growth in a short amount of time. Over the past two years, there has been an increase in revenue, the team has expanded significantly, and additional leadership has been added to each department. It is the hope of the company to go into the new fiscal year more efficient, structured, and equipped to continuously meet the demands of the modern-day consumer.
A mass communication with more details will be shared across the company.
ASSIGNMENT: In this assignment, as the manager, you will give a 3-5 minute informative speech to your team on the overall status of the company going into the new year. An informative speech is intended to deliver information. No call to action is required for this type of speech.
You will emphasize how the company is doing financially (growth and revenue), how the company has expanded, and address any areas of focus in the upcoming year. In your speech, you must emphasize the following key notes:
1. Financial status: Emphasize how the company is doing financially (growth and revenue)
a. Significant increase in orders
b. Two-year revenue climb
c. Consistent improvement in orders and revenues in the past four quarters
2. Expansion: Mention the number of team members associated with the company and how the company has expanded
d. Hired 115 new employees over several departments
e. Total of 265 full-time employees
f. Hired new COO
g. New supervisory and managerial leadership in the following departments: Purchasing, Receiving, Merchandising/Channel Management, Listing, Customer Service, Picking, Packing/Shipping/Quality Control.
3. Areas of focus: Address the company goal to “become more efficient, structured, and equipped as a team to continue to meet the demands of the consumer.”
h. Focus on collaboration across departments
i. Invest in updated technology
j. Monitor performance and adjust strategies as needed
A. Directions
Step 1. Create a Speech Based on the Scenario Provided
Consider the audience and purpose and create your speech utilizing the five main parts of any speech:
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Main Parts of a Speech |
Description |
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1. Attention statement |
Greet and address your audience with an attention statement that draws their focus to you and your speech. |
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2. Introduction |
Clearly state the purpose of your speech, while engaging the audience and establishing credibility. |
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3. Body |
Identify key areas that need to be addressed in your speech: 4. Financial status: Emphasize how the company is doing financially (growth and revenue) a. Significant increase in orders b. Two-year revenue climb c. Consistent improvement in orders and revenues in the past four quarters |
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5. Expansion: Mention the number of team members associated with the company and how the company has expanded a. Hired 115 new employees over several departments b. Total of 265 full-time employees c. Hired new COO d. New supervisory and managerial leadership in the following departments: Purchasing, Receiving, Merchandising/Channel Management, Listing, Customer Service, Picking, Packing/Shipping/Quality Control. 6. Areas of focus: Address the company goal to “become more efficient, structured, and equipped as a team to continue to meet the demands of the consumer.” a. Focus on collaboration across departments b. Invest in updated technology c. Monitor performance and adjust strategies as needed |
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4: Conclusion |
Summarize your speech by relating the key notes in the body to the overall topic. |
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5: Residual message |
Leave a lasting impression on your audience by closing the speech in a memorable manner. |
Step 2: Create Notes
Create notes or bullet points that you can refer to while presenting your speech.
Step 3: Use Clear Language
Language is consistently clear and appropriate to the audience, helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Where necessary, technical jargon is explained.
Step 4: Practice Speech
Practice presenting your speech. Deliver a speech that is 3 to 5 minutes in length.
Step 5: Review Rubric
Before filming, review the rubric to ensure that you understand how you will be evaluated.
Step 6: Film Speech
Film yourself presenting the speech. Be sure that you can be easily seen and heard, and direct your speech to the camera.
Step 7: Review Video
Review your video to ensure that you can be seen and heard. Refilm as needed.
Step 8: Review Checklist and Requirements
Review the checklist and requirements to ensure that your Touchstone is complete.
Step 9: Submit
Upload your video using the blue button at the top of this page.
Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ The purpose of this speech is to be informative.
❒ My speech has an introduction, body, and conclusion.
❒ The introduction includes my key message (thesis).
❒ The body includes my main points and support.
❒ I have used language that is appropriate to my audience.
❒ The conclusion summarizes my main points.
❒ I have filmed a video of myself presenting my speech.
❒ The video of my speech is 3 to 5 minutes in length.
❒ I have reviewed the video and I can be easily heard and seen.
❒ I have adhered to all of the requirements.
❒ I have read through the rubric and I understand how my Touchstone will be evaluated
B. Rubric
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Advanced (100%) |
Proficient (85%) |
Acceptable (75%) |
Needs Improvement (50%) |
Non-Performance (0%) |
Purpose and Audience for an Informative Speech (15 points)Effectively defines and aligns purpose and audience. |
Includes a purpose and audience that are aligned, clear, and specific. |
Includes a purpose and audience that are somewhat vague, lacking in detail, or are not well aligned. |
Includes a purpose and audience that are mostly vague, lacking in detail, or are not well aligned. |
Includes a purpose and audience, however they are not well aligned, they are vague, lacking in detail, or one element (purpose or audience) has not been included. |
Does not include both purpose or audience. |
Organization (15 points)Organizes presentation using the five parts of a speech. |
Speech structure meets all requirements, including an attention statement, an introduction, body, a conclusion, and a residual message. |
Speech structure meets all requirements, however one part speech is underdeveloped. |
Speech structure meets all requirements, however one or two parts of speech may be missing or underdeveloped. |
Speech structure is missing more than two important parts of speech or are underdeveloped. |
Speech structure is missing four or more parts of speech, or the requirements are misinterpreted/met inadequately. |
Key Areas of Emphasis (15 points)Incorporates key areas of emphasis into speech. |
Incorporates all notes associated with the three key areas of emphasis: financial status, expansion, and areas of focus. |
Incorporates most of the notes associated with the three key areas of emphasis, but one area may be underdeveloped. |
Incorporates only some of the notes associated with the three key areas of emphasis, or leaves out one area entirely. |
Incorporates minimal notes associated with the three key areas, or leaves out more than one area entirely. |
Does not incorporates key areas of emphasis into speech. |
Appropriateness to Audience (15 points)Uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional setting. |
Continuously uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional background. |
Generally uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional setting with one or two exceptions. |
Generally uses language and tone that are appropriate to a diverse professional setting with a few exceptions. |
Uses language and tone that are often inappropriate for a diverse professional setting. |
Uses language and tone that are so unprofessional that no points can be given. |
Verbal Skills (15 points)Is attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation throughout speech. |
Is attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation throughout speech. |
Is generally attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation with one or two exceptions. |
Is generally attentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation with a few exceptions. |
Is inattentive to volume, pacing, pitch and intonation; parts of the speech may be effective but other parts are in a monotone or a tone inappropriate to the message. |
Speech is so inarticulate and poorly delivered that no points can be given. |
Professional Presentation and Nonverbal skills (15 points)Uses gestures, facial expressions, and other body language to clarify, support, and dramatize parts of the speech. Speaker minimizes distracting and unintentional gestures, facial expressions, or movements. |
Uses gestures, facial expressions, and other body language to clarify, support, and dramatize parts of the speech. Speaker minimizes distracting and unintentional gestures, facial expressions, or movements. |
Generally uses intentional body language and avoids distracting body language with one or two exceptions. |
Adequately uses intentional body language and avoids distracting body language with a few exceptions. |
Insufficiently uses body language and/or has distracting body language that undermines their speech. |
Use of body language is so absent or inappropriate no points can be given. |
Time Management (10 points)Makes effective use of the full three to five minutes without either finishing early or going over by more than a few seconds. |
Makes effective use of the full three to five minutes without either finishing early or going over by more than a few seconds. |
Runs a little short or a little long by no more than 30 seconds. |
Runs a little short or a little long by no more than a minute. . |
Runs well short or long by over a minute. |
Speech is so brief or so long it is not an appropriate response to the assignment. |
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:
· Video should be 3 to 5 minutes in length.
· All video content must be original for this assignment and appropriate for an academic context.
· Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
· Video submission should include your name and the date.
· Any video file format is acceptable.
