Prepare & Deliver

Exercise:

Think of an upcoming communication and walk through these questions and steps to design your desired intent and impact, to pull the right information together, and to plan, prepare, and deliver the communication.

Intent & Impact:

• What do you want to communicate to your audience?

• What do you want to happen as a result of your communication? i.e. action, approval, education, etc.

• Our desired intent is often NOT what the impact is, so research your audience well to have the desired impact.

Research:

• Who is your audience?

• What are their thinking and behavioral preferences? i.e. Analytical, Structural, Social, Conceptual, Expressive, Assertive, Flexible

• What are their beliefs and assumptions on your topic? i.e. from their team, background, or perspective

• What are their priorities and needs? i.e. does your information support their priorities or conflict?

• How do they like to receive and process information, and make decisions? i.e. email, presentation, data, evidence, stories

• What else is going on in the organization, the community, or the world that relates to what you’re communicating that you should be aware of?

Reflection:

• What is the best format of communication? i.e. email, then meeting or meeting, then email or email only or ?

  • Guidelines:

    • Low importance, low urgency topics: group with other updates in 1:1 or other communications, or quick informal email or chat message.

    • Low importance, high-urgency or time-sensitive: chat message or email. If seeing the individual within a reasonable time, update verbally.

    • Important, low urgency: 1:1 or email communication.

    • Important, high urgency: chat message with a follow up 1:1, meeting, or email communication.

• What are the key messages that should be shared and supporting data?

Plan the communication:

• What is the outline of the presentation, meeting, email, chat, phone call or other format?

• What is the big picture; how does this relate to larger priorities?

• What is the “why” that supports this message?

• How does this impact people?

• How will this get done, implemented, etc.? Who, what, when, where, how?

• What’s in it for the audience? (WIIFM - What’s in it for me?) Why should they care?

• What is the series of communications and key messages needed? Is it a one and done? Or, are there cascading messages?

Prepare:

• Write the talk track, create the presentation, or write the email

• Get one draft down and then step away for a few minutes

• Re-read for the key messages, and all of the items in plan: big picture, why, who, what, when, where, how, wiifm

• Depending on the communication, ask someone to review and provide specific feedback (i.e. ask if they get the key messages, or if they know the next steps)

Deliver:

• Deliver the email, chat, phone call, or presentation with an authentic confidence

• If in-person, listen actively to response. Make eye contact when possible or look in front of the person.

• If written, read and respond to messages

Action: think of an upcoming communication and walk through these questions and steps to see how it helps you improve your communication. Repeat with your next communication, and again, until it becomes a habit.