Next up is the letter R: Ruinous Rambling.
Do you ever lose your audience’s attention during a presentation? Are you drowning your listeners in unnecessary details and data, taking the long and winding road to your main message?
It’s time to leave the land of rambling behind and embrace the power of clarity and concision. We are here to guide you across the abyss, helping you become a master communicator who commands attention and exudes influence.
The Reality: You are not alone. Many of our clients face the same challenge, armed with piles of data and bullet points as they enter meetings. They believe that more is better because ‘what if I get asked a question I’m not able to answer?!’
Let’s hear it directly from one of our clients:
“We want you to work with our operations director to help him get better at presenting to senior leaders. He gets so passionate that he ends up sharing endless details that only frustrate busy leaders who just want the gist.”
The Solution: The great news is that you can overcome this challenge by adopting two key strategies:
1. Start with BLUF: “Bottom Line Up Front.” This is what your business audience wants. Deliver the key takeaway, accompanied by a few essential messages and supporting data. Then, allow leaders to ask (OK, interrupt) for more information (trust us, they will!). Using this approach prevents you from rambling.
2. Have a Clear Vision: Before entering any meeting, know precisely what you want to achieve. Define your wildly successful outcome beforehand and throw everything else away because you don’t have time for it! Remember what the Cheshire Cat told Alice when she asked which way she should go: “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.” So, know where you want to get to!
The Power of Clout: Regardless of your intelligence, experience, or expertise, rambling diminishes your impact. By making the above techniques your new best friends, you can unleash your clout. Mastering concise communication elevates your influence, ensuring your ideas resonate and drive results.
It’s time to shed the habit of rambling and embrace the power of concise communication
Want to learn tools to increase your concision (and keep your audience awake?)
Join us for CLOUT: Communication Skills for Go-Getters in Boston on Oct 13.