Public invited to Friday’s final rounds of competition
OXFORD,
Miss. – University of Mississippi MBA students rediscover the art of
the spoken word next week during two days of competition.
The
Speaker’s Edge event, set for Thursday and Friday (Jan. 15-16) in the
Student Union, helps MBA students discover the secrets of high-impact
public speaking. They learn to identify the strengths and weaknesses of
their own personal speaking style and adapt their messages to different
audiences and situations. Friday’s final rounds in the Student Union
Ballroom are free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the
School of Business Administration, the Lott Leadership Institute and
Extreme Arts and Sciences, the competition recognizes that
communication is a vital part of the business world.
“This is the first year the MBA classes are held at night to accommodate working professionals, so we have a really diverse group of students and it adds a certain amount of texture to the class,” said JoAnn Edwards, director of forensics for the Lott Leadership Institute. “They’ve all found the value in this and there is a willingness and energy among them. I think we continue to refine things as each year goes on – making things better and adapting while staying true to its intention.”
The students, who will receive one hour of credit for the event, have prepared for the competition during the fall semester as part of Jeanette Martin’s MBA 601: Managerial Communication class. They also have met with Edwards, Lott Leadership speech instructor Debbie Yancy and Extreme Arts and Sciences CEO Randy Harrington.
“Ole Miss recognizes how critical this capacity is for students who will become our leaders,” Harrington said. “Speaker’s Edge is a unique and intensive forge where every student discovers their own voice for leadership and influence. These students will do more speaking in a week than many executives do in years.”
Harrington, a consultant to financial institutions across the country, is a sought-after strategic planner and executive coach. Extreme Arts and Sciences is headquartered in Eugene, Ore., but he returns to Ole Miss each year to help with the Speaker’s Edge competition.
“The end result is confidence,” Harrington said. “Students finishing this program have run a gauntlet…and they know how to prepare and adapt to make the most of their own unique styles. They will volunteer to lead instead of waiting in the wings.
“Speaker’s Edge is a powerful mark of distinction for the students and judges who participate, as well as for Ole Miss.”
The event features persuasive and informative speeches, each from five to seven minutes in length, and a seven-minute “ethical dilemma” for which the students only have 30 minutes to prepare. The use of the ethical dilemma in the speaking competition reflects the MBA faculty’s determination to emphasize business ethics at multiple points throughout the curriculum.
For the persuasive presentation, students must influence judges to want to purchase a product, or inspire a group as a leader. The informative presentation demonstrates how well student are able to communicate complex information to a nontechnical audience or educate a group about a process.
Finals in ethical dilemmas begin at 11 a.m. Friday, followed by informative presentations at 1:30 p.m. and persuasive presentations at 3. Awards are presented at 5 p.m. The student performing best in all three events is named MBA Speaker’s Edge Champion at the end. All winners receive a sculpture by Taylor artist Jared Spears.
“The evolution of the Speaker’s Edge competition continues to delight and amaze me both in quality of the judging pool and the students who rise to the occasion, as well as the willingness of the School of Business, the Lott Leadership Institute and Randy Harrington to invest the time, money and energy into developing our students,” Edwards said.
Judges are drawn from professional speakers from the National Forensics Association, MBA alumni and business professionals in the Oxford community and nationwide.
John Cassimus, a national speaker and founder of Zoe’s Kitchen, is one of the judges this year. Being able to deliver and sell ideas with clarity and persuasion in a public forum is critical for growth and success, he said.
“As a successful entrepreneur I feel obligated to share the principles and methods I have developed over my career,” said Cassimus, who is the entrepreneur-in-residence at Samford University. “I enjoy motivating and sharing real life experiences with aspiring students and challenging them to realize their own dreams.”
For more information on MBA programs at Ole Miss, go to http://www.olemissbusiness.com/mba/ .