It is the morning of Jim’s presentation to the new V.P. of Marketing. He is going over his slides for the what seemed like the 50th time. He has asked Jill, a colleague to let him walk through his presentation and provide feedback. A few slides into his presentation, Jill asks him, “what are you trying to tell me? I am a little confused” Jim tries to clarify his presentation for Jill with not much success.
He has less than 90 minutes before he is scheduled to make his presentation. Panic sets in and Jim becomes overwhelmed. He has lost his confidence.
Does this sound familiar?
Communication means much more than providing information. It means easily understood message told in a compelling fashion to assure both interest and retention. In delivering your message, shortest is best. Open with Key Messages!
Mastering the Key Message Template
Key messages are very important. They focus the audience with a brief and compelling statement that is both easy to understand and easy to recall. Our key message template helps you structure the answer to the question, how do we communicate succinctly? A key message has three basic components:
- Situation: What is going on?
- Action: How are we going to address it?
- Impact: What will the result be?
Key messages look backward—they need to be completed at the end of the any process. By being able to answer these questions, you should be able to quickly and clearly tell anyone the essentials of what you’ve been working on. If you have trouble formulating your key message, it may be a sign to go back to make sure you’ve not left out any components of your work.
Try this –the next time you need to make a recommendation –use the key message template.
#Presentations Matter! #Leadership Matters! #Strategic Thinking Matters!
For examples Think-to-Win Unleashing the Power of Strategic Thinking, McGraw-Hill 2015.