Communications Merit Badge Required badge for Eagle

Skills you’ll learn How to plan How to speak with adults you don’t know Taking notes Different ways we communicate Career opportunities in communications Teaching skills Speaking skills Thinking on your feet

Communications Requirements How We Communicate Describe yourself/ Sell Something Public Speaking Conduct an Interview Public Meeting Teaching Explore Publishing Plan a program Investigate Careers

1. How We Communicate Do ONE of the following: Communication Log Listening Log In a small-group setting, meet with other scouts or with friends. Have them share personal stories about significant events in their lives that affected them in some way. Take note of how each scout participates in the group discussion and how effective each one is in telling his story. Report what you have learned to your counselor about the differences you observed in effective communication. List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others For each type of communication discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not be appropriate or effective. (face-to-face, by telephone, letter, e-mail, fax)

Communication What is it? How do we communicate? What is it? Message – transmission - reception How do we communicate? How much is verbal? Communication problems Clarity of words Intent Efficiency What is it? Message – transmission - reception How much is verbal? Very little Communication problems Clarity of words Intent Efficiency

How To Ask your patrol to meet with you before a troop meeting. Remind them by phone the night before Take notes Use the logs for the other items. Meet with your counselor

Describe Yourself/ Sell Something Do ONE of the following: Think of a creative way to describe yourself, using, for example, a collage, short story or autobiography, drawing or series of photographs, or a song or skit. Using the aid you created, make a presentation to your counselor about yourself. Choose a concept, product, or service in which you have great confidence. Build a sales plan based on its good points. Try to persuade the counselor to agree with, use, or buy your concept, product or service. After your sales talk, discuss with your counselor how persuasive you were.

How To Self Description: Define who you are: likes, dislikes, favorite things, most important, strengths/weaknesses Next construct an outline, concept, or prototype Build on this by constructing the finished product Remember: you’re the expert on you

How To (continued) Selling: Define the value of the product in the eyes of the customer Make eye contact with the buyer, smile, talk slowly and respectfully Highlight emotional items (color, look, feel, taste, smell) Sell the sizzle not the steak Complete your presentation, ask for the order and stop talking (this is a closing question) Handle any objection by restating it, then answering it in the eyes of the customer Ask for the order again and stop talking Repeat this cycle (closing question, objection, closing question) until the buyer says yes. This typically takes five tries. Remember, price is the one object you can not overcome. When a customer objects to the price, sell the value

Public Speaking Write a five-minute speech. Give it at a meeting of a group.

How To Outline what you are going to say Plan the time (speaking always takes longer than you think) Pick a subject that you know well Begin with an introduction Add some light humor (an icebreaker) This doesn't’t always work, but don’t let it bother you Explain what your going to speak about Speak about it Summarize End Rehearse at least three times Speak up – project your voice Look your audience in the eye Smile Keep hands out of your pockets (put on your hips or cross them) Try to be yourself

Conduct an Interview Interview someone you know fairly well, like, or respect because of his or her position, talent, career or life experiences. Listen actively to learn as much as you can about the person. Then prepare and deliver to your counselor an introduction of the person as though this person were to be a guest speaker, and include reasons why the audience would want to hear this person speak. Show how you would call to invite this person to speak.

How To Pick an adult that you know, but not your parents Prepare a list of ten questions Tell me about your job? What other jobs have you done in life? What’s the most important thing you learned in life? Use follow-up questions as you listen Take notes After the interview, copy your notes and expand them

Public Meeting Attend a public meeting (city council, school board, debate) approved by your counselor where several points of view are given on a single issue. Practice active listening skills and take careful notes of each point of view. Present an objective report that includes all points of view that were expressed, and share this with your counselor.

How To Visit a public hearing at Derry Township or Dauphin County Visit the courthouse and attend a trial Attend a community meeting (check the library for notices Listen to a debate on TV, the Radio, or the Internet Half hour is long enough so long as you listen to two points of view

Teaching With your counselor's approval, develop a plan to teach a skill or inform someone about something. Prepare teaching aids for your plan. Carry out your plan. With your counselor, determine whether the person has learned what you intended.

How To Teach someone how sink a basket Teach someone how to pitch a tent Teach someone how to tie scout knots Write a plan Write an objective statement List the main topics/steps Prepare teaching aids (drawings, examples, model) Construct a test for the student

Publishing Do ONE of the following: Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to express your opinion or share information on any subject you choose. Send your message by fax, email or regular mail. Create a Web page for your scout troop, school, or other organization. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration, and one link to some other web page that would be helpful to someone who visits the web page you have created. It is not necessary to post your web page to the internet, but if you decide to do so, you must first share it with your parents and counselor and get their permission. Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier or other printed material for your scout troop, class at school, or other group. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.

Plan a program Plan a troop court of honor or campfire program. Have the patrol leaders' council approve it, then write the script and prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies.

How To Look on the web for suggestions and ideas Court of Honor Opening ceremony Awards Special Recognition Closing ceremony Campfire Skits Songs Stories Look on the web for suggestions and ideas

Careers Learn about opportunities in the field of communication. Choose one career in which you are interested and discuss with your counselor the major responsibilities of that position and the qualifications, education, and preparation it requires.

Communications Careers Journalism Careers Public Office Radio/TV Broadcasting Acting (Movies, TV, Stage) Audio/Sound technicians Teaching Sales/Selling Web site development Advertising

How To Identify Jobs (at least five) Look in the Sunday Classified Ads Call companies that are hiring Look Online For each job find out Education requirements Experience requirements Pay range How much travel required Specialized training needed Other aspects of that job

Practice Introductions Taking notes Interviewing Selling Types of communication

Michelle J. Nickolaus, CRNP, AACC 717-531-5411 (work) 717-583-0946 (home) 717-468-1622 (cell phone) mnickola@me.com