The Context
In the workplace, you will receive information from both written and oral sources. For example, colleagues, supervisors, and other stakeholders will communicate written information to you via emails, letters, and reports. In different contexts and for different purposes, people may also provide information to you via conference calls, meetings, panel discussions, or presentations.
Meetings, conference calls, panel discussions, and presentations are struck for a particular audience and a particular purpose. To gain optimal information from these, the listener must practice active listening skills.
A Brief Summary of Various Oral Communication Channels
Meeting
A meeting is an assembly of two or more people who have gathered to discuss a particular issue. Formal meetings are often chaired by a person whose role is to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly. A meeting chair or facilitator will often provide participants with an agenda that outlines the meeting’s topics and timelines. A skilled chair will ensure that all participants are consulted and that all perspectives are heard during the meeting. Considerate meeting participants listen actively and provide their viewpoints when consulted; they do not interrupt other speakers. The success or failure of a meeting is contingent on its participants.
Presentation
A presenter communicates information for a speaker to their audience. The audience size can range from small (2-10 people) or large (more than 200 people). A presentation can be live, pre-recorded, or an archive of a recorded live presentation. Presenters have some degree of expertise on the topic they are discussing. The degree and type of expertise is determined by the purpose of the presentation and its target audience.
In a business context, presentations are often used to introduce new products, policies, or ideas. A secondary aim of a business presentation is often to promote inclusivity and goodwill among participants.
In a general context, presentations are used to provide a wide variety of information to a general audience. A popular example is TED, which is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to share ideas across the globe.
Panel Discussions
A panel discussion is used in business meetings and conferences. It is also used in television and radio shows whose purposes are to impart information to their audiences. Examples of Canadian programs that include panel discussions are TVO’s The Agenda and CBC’s radio program, The Current.
Because of improved technology, conference or meeting panel discussions can be either in person (live) or virtual. The panelists, who are deemed experts on the chosen topic of discussion, share their diverse perspectives. A skilled panel moderator (also called a host) facilitates the discussion by guiding panelists through a series of questions.