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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2010, Issue 2

 

   
Don't Get "McChrystaled" in Q&A.

Shooting from the hip in a business discussion doesn’t usually lead to consequences
as dramatic as Gen. McChrystal’s ouster. But his situation illustrates three key rules
for business conversations with participants of all kinds whether clients, customers, competitors, media or employees.

Rule #1: Know what the group or questioner is looking for. In the general’s case, the reporter was looking for a story and got one – though not the one the general expected. Most business people are looking for information delivered concisely and accurately. In new business pitches, potential clients are also looking for clues about the likely working relationship. Can you get to the point? Do you defend your views without becoming defensive or argumentative? Do you know the subject? Do you listen and respond to their concerns? Do you have a sense of humor?

Rule #2: Know what you want to achieve. What outcome will make this discussion successful for you? You may want discussion participants to see you as a leader in control of your strategy and people. Or you may want them to be inspired to take difficult actions; to venture confidently into new territory; to believe your answers and follow your recommendation; to hire your firm. Whatever your definition of success, you are more likely to achieve it if it’s clear in your mind.

Rule #3: Think first, talk later. Our business culture prizes direct and straightforward communication – to a certain extent. Sharing uncomplimentary thoughts about leaders, competitors or difficult clients to the wrong audience can feel very satisfying but has never been wise. It is particularly unwise today. With instantaneous global communication, the whole world can know exactly what you think about Company X,
Mr. Y or derivative product Z. Furthermore, overly frank comments make your audience wonder what you will say about them once they’ve left.

Meachin Communications workshops help participants clarify both audience needs and their own goals, so they can craft and stick to the right messages.

Do you have other rules to suggest? Send me an email.


351 East 84 St., 29E
New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2010, Issue 1		   
Don't Talk About the Backhoe

One of my clients introduces every Communications Logic workshop like this: “ When I tell a builder to make me a swimming pool, at the end of the process I want a pool.  Don’t tell me about getting out the backhoe and digging up rocks. Show me the pool.”

My client’s firm was missing opportunities because his teams talked about the backhoe instead of the pool.  The teams didn’t address what their audiences cared about. As a result, they were not communicating their recommendations or the firm’s value proposition in a way that leads to action. 

Decision-makers want to hear the main point first. Interviewed for the New York Times “From the Corner Office” column, James E. Rogers of Duke Energy said, “Tell me right at the beginning [what you are recommending] so I can listen to the presentation in the context of that.”  *No interviewee is reported saying, “First I want to hear about the methodology."

Given this widely-held preference for directness, my client is changing the communications culture of his professional services firm. We are training a critical mass in both Communications Logic and Presentation Skills – how to construct and present a case that will meet audience needs and move them to act. 

Whether you must convince customers or internal decision-makers, you are always competing for scarce money, people and attention.  Do your teams consistently build and deliver strong cases that address what decision-makers care about?

Our workshops help your teams think and present from the audience perspective and get results.  To learn more about Meachin Communications workshops or refreshers for previous participants, get in touch.

* “From the Corner Office,” New York Times. October 11, 2009.
    www.nytimes.com/business
 
 Get in touch to learn more.


351 East 84 St., 29E
New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2009, Issue 2

 

   
How you can benefit from Steve Ballmer's views on meetings

 In an interview in the New York Times* on Sunday, May 17, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer explained why he's abandoned traditional "long and winding road" presentations.

The mode of Microsoft meetings used to be: . . .You take the listener through your path of discovery and exploration and you arrive at a conclusion. I decided that's not what I want to do anymore. I don't think its productive. I don't think its efficient.

. . . So most meetings nowadays, you send me the materials and I read them in advance. . . That lets us go, whether they've organized it that way or not, to the recommendation. And if I have questions about the long and winding road and the data and the supporting evidence, I can ask them.

Steve Ballmer's conclusion is what Meachin Communications workshops teach: its more effective to organize your material around what your audience wants -- and most decision-makers want the recommendation. Indeed, you can skip the pre-read step if the presentation is organized around the recommendation.

It's bad when senior management is displeased, but it's worse when potential customers don't hear your most compelling sales story. Too many new business presentations are about the seller when they should focus on what's in it for the customer.

If your business involves reporting to clients, it's the same situation. Too many professional services reports are organized around "how I came up with a solution to your problem" instead of "here's what you should do to fix your problem."

Meachin Communications workshops train your teams to get to the point that matters for your audiences. Workshop participants learn a common language, framework and process for creating effective, concise communications in less time than by following the old path.

Get in touch to learn more.
* http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/business/17corner.html


351 East 84 St., 29E
New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2008, Issue 2		      
Who are your competitors training in 2009?
Investing in people who can move the business.
In this unpredictable year, you might expect communications training to come to a halt. Instead, people responsible for moving their business forward are training their teams in Communications Logic. They need these tools to convince customers, suppliers and internal audiences to make the right decisions now.

How does Communications Logic contribute?
— It leads participants to frame their message from the customer,
    supplier or decision-makers view instead of their own.

— It helps them get to the point and save everyone's time.

— It provides a framework for critical thinking that supports informed decisions.

As one client said, You have the title wrong. It's a core skill beyond communication.  It's a tool for thinking and raising our overall game.

In Communications Logic workshops, participants apply new approaches to their own work in progress. They analyze the audience for a given communication, construct a case using the appropriate form of logic and test their case with the group. They sharpen their critical thinking skills on their own work and by critiquing others.

A recent participant described the workshop as "...one of the best I've attended in my 25 years".

If your team is responsible for moving the business forward, Communications Logic can provide essential tools.
 
Get in touch to learn more.


351 East 84 St., 29E
New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2008, Issue 2

 

   
Communicating in tough times — what you need to do.
 When markets gyrate and every day brings more unwelcome news, our natural tendency is to pull back. Companies are watching every expense, cutting programs and letting people go. At the same time, business must continue. Companies are investing in what they consider essential programs. They are also trying to carry out the same functions as in flush times — or do more — with fewer resources.

This situation offers two implications for business communication:

1. When you are proposing action or change — to either internal or external clients — you need an airtight case and clear links to their core needs. Some core needs will be obvious.  But now is the perfect time to deepen your relationship with your clients by going beyond the obvious.  Ask what else is on their mind. Learn what they are being measured on, what keeps them awake at night. Then craft your proposal to help them succeed.

2. The people who remain after layoffs must become more productive communicators. This means that your teams must produce better business communications, faster. They need to get it right the first time. What can they do? Before starting to write, lay out the message in a structure diagram and get agreement from document stakeholders. Then write. This way everyone saves the time and frustration of writing and reviewing countless redrafts.

Meachin Communications LLC provides Communications Logic training for business people who want to structure client-focused documents, and coaching and editing services for specific projects and documents.
 
 Get in touch to learn more.


351 East 84 St., 29E New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2008, Issue 1






 

   
Enough about me.
 Most of us would admit that our favorite subject of conversation is ourselves. We’d rather talk about our own work, opinions and activities than anyone else’s. This truth about human nature is not a problem in most areas of life. But it is a problem when we are trying to persuade today’s business audiences.
 
To make a convincing case in an era of shrinking budgets and tightly scrutinized decisions, we need to combine solid evidence with audience-focused logic. Yet too often we talk to ourselves. Instead of thinking strategically about what the audience needs to hear, we automatically re-live the project before getting to the recommendations, present our own favorite arguments, or just change the client name in a canned proposal.  What’s needed is a 180° shift in thinking.
 
Meachin Communications LLC can help. Our Communications Logic and Presentation Skills workshops show your teams how to persuade from the audience's point of view.  Recent workshops led to the following results:
  • A leading computer company’s proposals emphasize how the customer will benefit, not just what the product is
  • R&D scientists for a major consumer products firm show business stakeholders that new products will be profitable as well as innovative
  • Analytically-oriented consultants not only display their findings but also clarify what the numbers mean for the client’s business

Workshop participants analyze their audience, construct a message that will achieve their objectives, and present it with confidence and clarity. Furthermore, they apply these skills to an actual document-in-progress, so they get real work done in training sessions. As one participant commented, the most valuable aspect was “ensuring that I put myself in the audience’s place when I write a deck.”
 
Get in touch to find out more.


351 East 84 St., 29E New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2007, Issue 2






 

   
What I learned on summer vacation
Different cultures, same problem:  need for insight vs. undigested info
Many of us have jobs that are hard to explain to people outside our industry or function. But this summer, every business person I met – from locations as diverse as Africa, Amsterdam and California – instantly understood the work of Meachin Communications. Regardless of country, company or culture, they’ve all experienced the same problem: presentations that give too much undigested information and not enough insight.

This problem is important because business suffers when companies don’t present their work well. They lose projects to competitors. Clients underestimate their capabilities. Misunderstandings add time and cost to internal projects. Opportunities are missed.

Why aren’t people giving audiences what they want? Some groups are too close to the numbers or methodologies to focus on what the data mean. Others are locked into outdated habits, or just don’t know what well-structured presentations look like. Still others fear that clarity will be perceived as rudeness.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The flexible Communications Logic framework allows people to structure clear messages in culturally acceptable ways. This approach is particularly relevant for firms that operate globally, as the client case study below illustrates. It shows how a major pharmaceutical company applied Communications Logic across its Global Strategic Sourcing function.

Applying Communications Logic across one function, 3 continents
The initial problem: A Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company's Global Strategic Sourcing leaders wanted their teams to present well-structured recommendations and points of view, not just raw data. And they wanted the entire group located on three continents to produce consistently high-quality documents.

The approach: Train all 100+ people in the US, UK and Latin America to use Communications Logic when constructing documents, and give the Directors extra training to serve as coaches. Working in small groups, participants applied Communications Logic to their own documents in progress. The Directors joined their groups in critiquing each person’s structure solution. Every participant also met individually with the instructor to review communications issues.

The outcome: The program was “very well received across the company.” One region’s leader reports that the training “gave my team members a new perspective on how to effectively communicate with their stakeholders. . . .[and] helped me to reach a higher level in the way I sell my ideas and projects.” Communications Logic “has been successfully applied and is making the difference.”

Get in touch if you recognize this problem in your company.


351 East 84 St., 29E New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2007, Issue 1






 

   
Logic and ppt: not an odd couple after all
 
Good news about deck design: academic researchers have proven that simple, direct PowerPoint slide design pays off. Penn State research shows that students recall more information from “assertion-evidence design” slides than from those with only a topic word at the top and a list of bullet points.

What is assertion-evidence design? It simply means writing the message, or assertion, at the top of the page and supporting it with evidence in visual form (e.g., charts, graphs, photos, diagrams).

For details and examples, visit http://writing.eng.vt.edu/slides.html and read “Rethinking the Design of Presentation Slides” by Michael Alley.

Slides that make a point are good for business people as well as students. Clients tell us that presentations featuring clear recommendations and tightly structured support lead to shorter meetings and more informed decisions.

But there’s a catch. Designing assertion-evidence slides involves the hard work of critical thinking. Writers must first create a logical structure in which each point contributes to the whole, and every supporting idea and piece of evidence has a place and a “so what.” Only then can they know what assertions to write and what visual elements to select.

This kind of structuring is what Communications Logic workshop participants practice. To learn how Meachin Communications workshops can help your team communicate more effectively, get in touch.


351 East 84 St., 29E New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER 2006, Issue 1






 

   
What Do Staying Out of Jail and Professional
Success Have in Common?  Speaking Skills
 
If you make business presentations, you know that oral communication skills are an essential ingredient in success. You might not have known that the same skills can keep people out of jail. A study by the UK Learning and Skills Development Agency showed that 44% of all ex-prisoners are convicted of crimes again. However, only 21% of those who had taken an oral communications course in prison relapsed into crime.

Apart from clearing jails, oral communications skills are required in every profession. Accountants, doctors, and lawyers cite the value of speaking skills. Engineering leaders even ranked communication skills as more important than techical skills in a 2000 survey.

Despite the need, schools are not teaching these skills. Over 25% of undergrads surveyed in 2001 by a Carnegie Foundation commission reported that their universities offered no such courses. So employers are taking up the slack.

Do your teams have the skills to communicate ideas successfully and persuade audiences to act? The main point should be clear and supported logically. The message should tie to audience interests. And the delivery style should engage listeners.

If there is room for improvement, call Meachin Communications. We can tailor group training, individual coaching or rehearsals to meet your needs.


351 East 84 St., 29E New York NY 10028
telephone:  646-335-3098
  

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VIEWPOINT NEWSLETTER,
SUMMER 2005






 

     
Teaching Employees to Write
It seems to happen every summer when colleges and business schools hand out diplomas and propel their graduates into the job market. The annual event I’m referring to is the appearance of complaints about the quality of college — and business school — graduates’ writing and communication skills. 
 
A columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal, Bob Hill, neatly summarized what many commentators are saying:
 
“Suddenly [the dinner conversation] turned to the utter inability of many college graduates to write a simple sentence, or to assemble two or more sentences into a meaningful paragraph addressing any issue with brevity, clarity and wit. . . .
 
“A lot of business writing does read as if someone had poured glue all over it — stiff, rigid and thickly frozen into a word-link construct salted and peppered with words such as paradigm, a word that I’ve never heard used by anyone in the real world. . .”
 
According to a 2004 survey by the National Commission on Writing, members of the Business Roundtable largely agree with Mr. Hill. Furthermore, fixing the problem is costly. The report estimates that the private sector spends up to $3.1 billion annually to train employees to write.
 
One survey respondent commented, “My view is that good writing is a sign of good thinking. Writing that is persuasive, logical, and orderly is impressive. Writing that’s not careful can be a signal of unclear thinking.”
 
We agree that thinking and writing skills are closely linked. It is easier to write when you have done the thinking first, particularly when you are writing a business document that aims to persuade. Here’s how:
• Set your strategy. What do you want your readers to do? What do they bring to the
  dialogue?
• Structure your ideas next. What is your main message? What evidence do you need
  to support it? How should you structure the evidence? Create a structure diagram  
  that shows how the ideas fit together. Test and revise your thinking at this stage,
  before you begin to draft.
• Then write, using normal, conversational language. And don’t write anything that you    wouldn’t want to read.
 
If your teams need to improve their thinking and writing skills, please call 646-335-3098 or email to learn more about our custom workshops.

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For more information: or call 646.335.3098