BUS603: Managing People

The organization scheme used to create three categories focuses on nutrition and the process by which Gatorade's ingredients are used by the body. The conclusion creates two categories of consumers. This organization scheme can promote active listening and allow the audience to follow, but the speaker must take into account the possibility that an audience member might think, "Oh no, not again". To set this presentation apart from others the audience might have heard, the speaker could include a phrase like, "Is Gatorade always for you? Not necessarily. Let's look at…" which gains attention and penetrates a stereotype.

When you write a document or give a presentation, you may not be able to anticipate all the ways an audience might organize the information you present or how they might use it, but by investing time in seeing it from their perspective, you can improve your organization and be a more effective communicator.

For example, suppose you are assigned the task of writing a cost-benefit analysis report on a specific product currently in development. Do you already know the essential points you need to include and the common industry standards for this type of report? You may not know, but you have written an essay before and appreciate the need for organization. Your ability to organize information, taking something that you know or have experienced, and applying it to new information, helps you make sense of your world.