Persuasion

When we communicate with individuals in a formal setting, we often overwhelm the meeting with too many topics and too much information. Perhaps, the somewhat rare opportunity arises to brief our boss on new projects. Or, the semi-annual performance review with staff gives leave for in-depth commentary. Possibly, our first presentation to a senior committee seems to demand thorough explanations.

Pity the poor listener! Most people are comfortable learning two or three new things. The heads of busy people are already stuffed with thoughts, probably unrelated to our messages. Our job is to organize all the good information and ideas we have into a few concise recommendations. Try the following preparation model.

1. Thought Dump: Write down all the main points you want to make. Add all the subordinate points you can imagine, listing them under the main points. Add examples of similar past successes or specific forecasts for anticipated successes.
2. Rejig: Analyze which main points could be considered part of other main points and reorganize the subordinate points accordingly. Scrutinize the remaining main points to assess which ones are less important or less dependent on immediate presentation. Avoid panicking that you will never get another opportunity. Listeners can tell if something is less important and will forget what you said anyway.
3. Trim: Once you are down to three main points (2 - 4), rejig the subordinate points for each one. Slash all diversionary thoughts and quibbles. Later, if one of the listeners asks a question about a deleted subordinate point, thank them for raising the question and just answer. No apology necessary.
4. Design and Deliver: Depending on the meeting format, create a presentation that aligns with your messages. Whether with media display or verbal delivery, work carefully to create an atomosphere that supports the goals of your presentation.