The hope good presenters project when pitching their ideas is not naïve hope. They’re not Pollyanna at the podium. Instead, the solutions they offer are supported by research, data, and expertise. This course will teach you how to merge hard facts with an imaginative vision in a way that at once resonates with and inspires your audience.
Speaking and Presenting: Pitches and Persuasion
Give your career the gift of Coursera Plus with $160 off, billed annually. Save today.
Speaking and Presenting: Pitches and Persuasion
This course is part of Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting Specialization
Instructor: Patrick Barry
7,758 already enrolled
Included with 
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.6
(69 reviews)
Beginner level
Recommended experience
9 hours to complete
3 weeks at 3 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
What you'll learn
How to inspire people with a sense of "informed hope"
How to treat storytelling as an "entrepreneurial superpower"
How to expand your range of dynamic gestures and facial expressions
How to increase the creativity you bring to your next negotiation
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Assessments
8 assignments
Taught in English
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
This course is part of the Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 4 modules in this course
What do the British writer George Orwell and the American designer Charles Eames have in common? We’ll find out in this first week of “Pitches and Persuasion,” the second course in the four-part series “Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting.”
What's included
6 videos10 readings2 assignments3 discussion prompts
We’ll take a deeper look at the quality of optimism this week, with a little help from a 19th-century neurologist, a 20th century graduate of Harvard Law School, and a set of 21st-century experiments. It’s going to be a fun week.
What's included
3 videos4 readings2 assignments1 app item1 discussion prompt
We’ll start by taking a new look at Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” at the March on Washington in 1963. But we won’t be focusing on his rhythmic cadence or strategic uses of pauses. Instead, we’ll turn our attention to the persuasive power he generates with his head, his arms, and even his heels. Body language, we’ll see, can be some of the most effective languages around.
What's included
6 videos3 readings2 assignments3 discussion prompts
The first American woman to become a Supreme Court justice. The first German Chancellor to commemorate the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. And a brave political activist who decided the best way to make a statement would be to climb up a flagpole. We learned about each of those figures last week and are now ready to take a look at some helpful research about the quality each of them shared: they communicated with more than just their mouths.
What's included
3 videos4 readings2 assignments4 discussion prompts
Instructor
Instructor ratings
4.3 (20 ratings)Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Personal Development
University of London
Coursera Instructor Network
Coursera Project Network
Arizona State University
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
Showing 3 of 69
4.6
69 reviews
- 5 stars
78.26%
- 4 stars
11.59%
- 3 stars
2.89%
- 2 stars
1.44%
- 1 star
5.79%
New to Personal Development? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.