Have you ever been in a conversation and all of a sudden you have no idea what the other person is talking about? Their train-of-thought seems to be “squirrel-like”, bouncing from idea to idea with no connected theme.
I know a few of these people and here is the problem, they have a lot of wisdom and ideas to share but the way in which they deliver the message is so random and seemingly disorganized that the message is lost and many of us tune out!
Our brain craves order, pattern, simplicity, and repetition.
If your audience frequently has a glazed look or you are continually repeating yourself, these strategies may be helpful in creating impact and connection. Additionally, you will captivate your audience and your brilliance will land perfectly!
Tom Henschel, a leadership coach for senior executives, was recently interviewed on Coaching for Leaders in which he explains how “sorting and labeling” your communication is a game-changer!
These four strategies articulate your vision with simplicity and ease.
Create a HEADLINE: sum up your overall objective in one succinct sentence. “I would like to talk about the new strategies for employee retention.” This short intro tells your audience exactly where you are going and what to expect.
Create FOLDERS in which your strategies lay. Categorize and group ideas into "concept buckets" and verbally identify the number of folders.
LABEL and work through each folder one at a time. “The three focus areas to improve employee retention are:
Strategic hiring
Competitive salaries and opportunities
Capitalizing on and recognizing individual talents.”
TRANSITION: As you shift between folders verbally mark the transtion and clarify identify the next folder. “Let’s talk about strategic hiring, what that means, and why it is important……… Now that we have discussed the first strategy, let'sl move to the second strategy which is competitive salaries……”
Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then summarize what you told them.
By creating a simple yet predictable framework, you have set the expectations for the conversation and are logically working your way through the outline. The simple act of assigning and stating the specific number of folders helps the listener track where in the conversation you are, what is to be expected and, helps with retention of information.
Taking a few minutes to slow your thoughts and create space for organization and clarity will dramatically affect your impact and save time and money.
Take time to develop a succinct message which undoubtedly will result in the impact you desire.
No more glazed looks!
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