452 Part 4 Public Speaking
Build on Prior Knowledge
Another way to make your speech easier to listen to and retain is to introduce
concepts that are new by relating them to familiar ideas. People are more open
to new ideas when they understand how they relate to things they already know
about. In an informative speech about successful online fashion businesses, you
might discuss the concept of the “virtual model image.” Instead of trying onNAME: K. C. Ellis
OCCUPATION: Group Vice President of Client Services, Financial
Services IndustryI never dreamed I’d
work in financial ser-
vices when I graduated
with my communication degree. I had taken one
economics class (accounting) in college and
decided finance didn’t hold a lot of appeal for
me. Then I went to a campus information session
where a representative from the company that
eventually hired me said they often brought on
people who didn’t know the difference between a
bull and a bear market. They were instead look-
ing for smart, motivated people who could com-
municate well and had the desire to learn. I went
for the interview and got the job.
My firm manages assets for high net worth
clients, providing proactive, customized service
over the phone and in person. One of my first
roles at the firm was to act as a liaison between
our clients and our portfolio team. I was tasked
with effectively communicating our investment
strategy to clients while answering their ques-
tions, which could range from complicated
investment theory to simple operational requests.
Given that each client has a completely different
background (in terms of his or her occupation,
age, gender, investment experience, etc.), I had
to learn how to be flexible in my communication.
Through listening to clients, I could find out their
depth of knowledge, likes and dislikes, and past
experience—and then use this information to
provide them with the most helpful, customized
answers.Over my ten years at the company, I’ve
served in a number of roles around the firm:
operations, customer service, management, and
event planning. I’ve enjoyed all of them, even
the less traditional finance roles. For example, in
event planning, I learned valuable skills such as
public speaking, negotiation, and managing ven-
dors and onsite staff. Large-scale events require
the work of many people—and good communi-
cation between them is essential.
Over the past few years, I’ve moved into a
management capacity, and about 25 percent of
my time is now spent interviewing potential hires.
Despite their different backgrounds (for example,
science, business, or academia), the candidates
need to have some common communication
skills. They must be able to communicate clearly
and directly. They must have the ability to explain
complex concepts in a simple, understandable
way. Above all, they must have empathy—so
that they can relay information in a way that best
suits the client. Successful portfolio management
generally requires investors to be patient and dis-
ciplined. Much of what we do is aimed at helping
clients stay committed to appropriate, long-term
plans. Whether we’re interacting with clients
through in-person events, written communication
(Web sites, articles, and so on.), or phone calls,
we’re focusing on helping them achieve their
goals. The most satisfying part of my job is
receiving thanks and appreciation from clients—
which makes everything worth it.real communicator