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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
Be heard. Change minds. Get people to act. (Inspire them to clap.) Whether presenting in a meeting, delivering a keynote on stage, or simply talking with your colleagues about your latest project, you play a critical role in how information is shared. You determine whether people engage, understand, and take action. In storytelling with you, best-selling author and world-renowned speaker Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic prepares you to develop your story and deliver it with prowess. She unlocks the secrets that have propelled her from self-described introvert to sought-after presenter, distilling lessons learned into this immensely powerful and practical guide. The journey starts by building the foundation for effective communication: gaining an understanding of your audience and message. You'll then learn to transform your ideas into compelling stories and illustrative content. Once the materials are set, you'll turn your attention inward and explore strategies to hone your delivery and communicate with confidence, preparing you for exceptional meetings and knockout presentations. Give your hard work a voice and amplify your impact by communicating in a way that makes people want to listen and respond--storytelling with you will help you do it.
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Seitenzahl: 432
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
acknowledgments
about the author
introduction
Let's begin with a story
My journey to storyteller
Why you should be a better storyteller
Who this book is for
What you'll find in this book
plan
chapter 1: consider your audience
Prioritize your target audience
Understand and assess your audience
Tailor for your audience
Consider your audience: TRIX case study
chapter 2: craft your message
Form your 3‐minute story
Compose the Big Idea
Craft your message: TRIX case study
chapter 3: compile the pieces
Learn to love low tech
Brainstorm
Edit: refine and rearrange
Solicit feedback
Storyboard as a team
Compile the pieces: TRIX case study
chapter 4: form a story
A common approach: the linear path
What is story?
The structure of story
The narrative arc
Bringing story into business
Form a story: TRIX case study
create
chapter 5: set the style & structure
Set the style and structure first
Determine the style
Make the slide master
Set the structure
Set the style & structure: TRIX case study
chapter 6: say it with words
Words to title
Words as content
Say it with words: TRIX case study
chapter 7: show data in graphs
Why we visualize data
Articulate: put your point into words
Visualize: let form follow function
Refine the graph: declutter and focus
Weave graphs into your story
Show data in graphs: TRIX case study
chapter 8: illustrate with images
Reasons to use images
Photographs, illustrations, and diagrams
Illustrate with images: TRIX case study
deliver
chapter 9: refine through practice
Practice out loud
Plan the beginning and end
Get feedback from others
Determine who to ask for feedback
Do a dry run
Focus on you when you face time constraints
Refine through practice: TRIX case study
chapter 10: build your confidence
Record yourself: watch and listen
Look like someone people want to watch
Sound like someone people want to listen to
Actively prepare
Build your confidence: TRIX case study
chapter 11: introduce yourself
Plan the story of you—starting with them
Identify key impressions
Compile the pieces
Form your story
Practice to make it great
Introduce yourself: TRIX case study
chapter 12: have a stellar session
Final prep: the days leading up to your session
Take a deep breath: it's about to start!
Have a knockout meeting or presentation
Time to reflect—and refine for next time!
Have a stellar session: TRIX case study
appendix: the complete TRIX slide deck
index
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2.1 The Big Idea worksheet
FIGURE 2.2 The Big Idea worksheet for TRIX market research project
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3.1 Storyboard for TRIX market research project
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4.1 Typical business presentation linear path
FIGURE 4.2 A basic story structure
FIGURE 4.3 The narrative arc
FIGURE 4.4 Freytag's Pyramid
FIGURE 4.5 The jagged mountain
FIGURE 4.6 My sticky note narrative arc
FIGURE 4.7 Storyboard for TRIX market research project
FIGURE 4.8 Narrative arc for TRIX market research project
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5.1 Common US color associations
FIGURE 5.2 The storytelling with data logo
FIGURE 5.3 My blank slide master in PowerPoint
FIGURE 5.4 Slide master theme slide
FIGURE 5.5 Slide master with various content slides
FIGURE 5.6 My new master slide template
FIGURE 5.7 Select a layout from the new theme
FIGURE 5.8 Navigation scheme from supplier analysis presentation
FIGURE 5.9 Transition into section 2
FIGURE 5.10 Navigation scheme from my Tableau conference presentation
FIGURE 5.11 Transition into first lesson
FIGURE 5.12 Slide sorter view
FIGURE 5.13 Color inspiration from #NPScolorforecasting
FIGURE 5.14 Logo created using Arches image colors
FIGURE 5.15 Title slide
FIGURE 5.16 Comparing fonts
FIGURE 5.17 Content slide
FIGURE 5.18 Divider slide
FIGURE 5.19 My new Arches Theme
FIGURE 5.20 Initial navigation scheme
FIGURE 5.21 Initial slide sorter view
FIGURE 5.22 Slide sorter view of my refined story
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6.1 Business presentation title slides
FIGURE 6.2 Conference presentation title slides
FIGURE 6.3 The narrative arc
FIGURE 6.4 Sparing words on slides
FIGURE 6.5 Big Idea on a slide
FIGURE 6.6 More words on a slide, formatted for easy scanning
FIGURE 6.7 Take a moment to read this comment
FIGURE 6.8 Selective highlighting
FIGURE 6.9 Big Idea slides for the beginning (left) and end (right) of my pr...
FIGURE 6.10 Words to outline recommendation and drive discussion
FIGURE 6.11 The presentation structure we set in Chapter 5
FIGURE 6.12 A text‐heavy slide
FIGURE 6.13 Fewer, punchier bullets
FIGURE 6.14 Animate progression to make current focus clear
FIGURE 6.15 Transition from teleprompter slide to using words wisely
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7.1 Study this graph
FIGURE 7.2 Form follows function
FIGURE 7.3 Initial graph
FIGURE 7.4 Decluttered graph
FIGURE 7.5 Focused graph
FIGURE 7.6 Mostly blank slide to set the stage
FIGURE 7.7 Start to build the graph
FIGURE 7.8 Continue building the graph
FIGURE 7.9 The complete graph
FIGURE 7.10 Summary table
FIGURE 7.11 Initial graph
FIGURE 7.12 Redesigned slide shows where to look and what to see
FIGURE 7.13 Set the stage
FIGURE 7.14 Build the graph
FIGURE 7.15 Transition to dot plot
FIGURE 7.16 Collapse onto single line
FIGURE 7.17 Layer on additional data
FIGURE 7.18 Make it clear how the views connect
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8.1 Navigation scheme with images: initial view
FIGURE 8.2 Navigation scheme with images: transitioning to first concept
FIGURE 8.3 Where are your eyes drawn?
FIGURE 8.4 Sparing contrast focuses attention
FIGURE 8.5 Eloise, newborn and at one year
FIGURE 8.6 Larry Gets Lost in Seattle excerpt
FIGURE 8.7 My presentation title slide, inspired by Larry Gets Lost in Seatt...
FIGURE 8.8 Original slide: suboptimal use of photographs
FIGURE 8.9 Commit to the image and pair with pithy text
FIGURE 8.10 Center focus compared to Rule of Thirds
FIGURE 8.11 Three drawings of a bird
FIGURE 8.12 Chapter recap illustration from storytelling with data: let's pr...
FIGURE 8.13 Diagram sketches
FIGURE 8.14 Two versions of the same diagram
FIGURE 8.15 A diagram to show the winding path
FIGURE 8.16 Photo of product packaging tested
FIGURE 8.17 Photos of the three trail mixes tested
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9.1 Slide sorter view
FIGURE 9.2 Scaling back from 17 to 8 clicks to build the graph progression
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10.1 Presenter pack with select contents
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11.1 Example introduction brainstorming
FIGURE 11.2 My introduction brainstorm
FIGURE 11.3 My introduction story
Appendix A
FIGURE A.1
FIGURE A.2
FIGURE A.3
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FIGURE A.42
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
acknowledgments
about the author
introduction
Begin Reading
appendix: the complete TRIX slide deck
index
End User License Agreement
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storytelling with you
storytelling with you plan, create, and deliver a stellar presentation
cole nussbaumer knaflic
illustrations by catherine madden
Copyright © 2023 by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.
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Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is Available:
ISBN 9781394160303 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781394160310 (ePub)
ISBN 9781394160327 (ePDF)
Cover Image: Catherine Madden
Cover Design: Flight Design Co.
To you and your next presentation
acknowledgments
about the author
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic tells stories that drive change. In her analytical roles in banking, private equity, and as a manager on the Google People Analytics team, she grew to appreciate the potent pairing of well‐designed visuals with engaging delivery. Cole's desire to help others understand and develop these skills propelled this self‐described introvert to step out from behind her computer and onto the stage. Today, she is a highly sought‐after speaker, having honed her craft through more than a thousand workshops and as a keynote presenter at marquee conferences and Fortune 500 events.
Cole is founder and CEO of storytelling with data (SWD) and author of best‐selling books storytelling with data: let's practice! and storytelling with data: a data visualization guide for business professionals, which has been translated into more than 20 languages, is used as a textbook by hundreds of universities, and serves as the course book for tens of thousands of SWD workshop participants. For more than a decade, Cole and her team have delivered interactive learning sessions to data‐minded individuals, companies, and philanthropic organizations all over the world. They also help people create graphs that make sense and weave them into compelling stories through the popular SWD community, blog, podcast, and videos.
Cole has a BS in Applied Mathematics and an MBA from the University of Washington. When she isn't ridding the world of ineffective graphs or galvanizing others to present powerfully, Cole is undertaking the adventures of parenting three children with her husband at home in the Midwest and on travels abroad.
introduction
Let's begin with a story
When I was twelve years old, I ran for senator.
I was in junior high school, and this was my first time running for an elected position in student government. I recall spending many hours perfecting my campaign signs. I'd beg my mother to take me to our small town's general store, where I would pick out the perfect combination of colorful poster boards and paint. I was discerning about which friends I enlisted to help—was Lisa's penmanship up to par? Leading up to the election, my bedroom floor was littered with materials: rulers to ensure straight lines, stencils for precise lettering, and supplies for the button maker. A large piece of butcher paper taped to the wall registered contending ideas for my campaign slogan. Looking back, choosing “Be picky, vote for Nicky” was not one of my prouder moments.
I also spent a good amount of time on my speech. Introducing freshly baked cookies into the student store, having one school dance al fresco on the football field (instead of the malodorous gym), and building volunteer time into the school calendar were top priorities. I typed furiously on my family's electric typewriter, perfecting one line at a time as it appeared in the small display before moving onto the next. It was a great speech.
When election day came, I clearly remember the nerve‐wracking walk across the gym to the podium to deliver those carefully crafted promises. Two hundred familiar faces looked at me expectantly from the bleachers. My hands trembled as I started to read what I had written. “Talk louder!” someone shouted from the crowd. I could hear my voice shaking, amplified through the speakers. It was difficult to breathe. It was not a good performance.
Despite all of that, I won the election. Apparently, the allure of cookies was enough to overcome my lack of confidence. I got one thing right: I knew my audience. This was an early presentation lesson that I didn't fully appreciate until later. Though baked goods aren't always an option, it is always about the cookie—identifying that idea, opportunity, potential reward, or vision of the future that your audience will find irresistible.
My journey to storyteller
I am not a naturally strong speaker nor an innate storyteller. I consider myself to be an introvert. The environment in which I feel most at ease is where I am sitting now, writing these words: alone, behind my laptop. You wouldn't guess any of this about me. That's because today I am comfortable and effective speaking in front of a packed room or standing on stage confidently delivering a presentation. This did not happen by chance; these are carefully practiced and honed skills. While the learning has absolutely been intentional, it's also been somewhat curious, since I didn't initially set out to do any of this.
My first job was in banking. I was fresh out of undergrad with an applied mathematics degree, working as an analyst in credit risk management. A hard worker and always looking for ways to make things efficient, I had a knack for analyzing data and graphing it effectively. I was promoted. Within a couple of years, I found myself managing a small team and was responsible for presenting monthly data to our Chief Risk Officer and his leadership group.
The challenge was that I still had the same shaky hands and quivering voice as I did in junior high. This audience of leaders—mostly men and at least a decade my senior—made me nervous. Over time, I learned to put my paper down so my trembling hands wouldn't be the first thing they noticed. Breathing more deeply helped to steady my voice. But I still had a big issue: filler words. I was uncomfortable with silence and as a result simply didn't ever pause. If I couldn't find the word I was looking for, I wouldn't stop to collect my thoughts. Instead, I would fill that space with “likes,” “ahs,” and “ums.” I tried introducing disincentives to change my behavior. I had my team listen to my monthly meetings via teleconference and count my offenses. I'd owe a dime for each one. This paid for a number of team happy hours. However, I was no better off in my meetings with management.
Though my career was growing professionally and I could do great work behind the scenes, my lackluster live presentations weren't doing the material and findings justice.
When the credit risk crisis hit in 2007, I left banking to apply the analytical skills I'd developed to another area on the Google People Analytics team. Google was a fantastic environment in which to work, and I feel tremendously grateful for the advancement this role afforded me. One such opportunity was being able to create a class and teach others how to effectively communicate their data.
The course's focus on data visualization was something that had been an area of interest for me for some time. It turned out to be a popular topic and was rolled out as an offering across Google globally. This was amazing—and highly intimidating, given that I'd never formally taught anything! Fortunately, I was able to sign up for an internal series of courses to help learn how to teach. Two simple tips I picked up during that program greatly impacted me, forever changing the way I communicate: stand up and don't shift. You'll hear more about these later.
During my years at Google, in addition to my core role in People Analytics, I taught scores of classes on visualizing data. Participants came from all parts of the organization: Sales, Engineering, Product, Marketing, and People Operations. I started to recognize how different types of individuals communicate in distinct ways. I gained visibility to various scenarios, challenges, and opportunities for communicating—both through participants’ stories and through the different situations in which I taught. I built experience guiding small teams through hands‐on activities and large groups through structured content and facilitated discussions. I was invited to speak on stage at my first conference. Eventually, interest in my course outside of Google led me to teach at other companies.
By early 2012, it was becoming clear to me that the need for communicating effectively with data extended far beyond Google. I took a leap and decided to take my passion project—storytelling with data—to the next level, leaving my day job to concentrate on ridding the world of exploding 3D pie charts one workshop at a time. This started small, and admittedly, the stakes were relatively low (I was happy to have my travel expenses covered and a willing audience!). Those early workshops gave me an opportunity to gain traction and a good amount of practice. At first, I focused mainly on making sure my slides were superb, the lessons made sense, and the flow was smooth. It was only after I was comfortable with my content that I turned my attention to delivery. It was time to face my demons from that old gymnasium.
In the same way I had observed how graphing data differently changed the way people reacted, I started to notice how nuances in my delivery influenced others. Watching my audience for cues and feedback, I would see the impact of varying simple things, like my volume and speed. I could get someone to contribute to the discussion based on where I stood in the room and use my hands and body for emphasis. When a group became pensive, softening my voice could draw them into the present, their ears perking up in attention. Becoming animated would immediately shift the energy in the room. Every new audience meant a fresh opportunity to experiment, learn, and refine my storytelling and presentation skills.
Along with this, I had a growing—and revolutionary—realization. As a good presenter, I could get others to invest in what I care about. Conversely, if I can't present my ideas effectively, there's no way I can drive the change I seek.
Over time, justly serving storytelling with data's mission to inspire positive change through the way people communicate with data meant I could use some help (it's a big job!). The company has grown to include a small group of talented individuals. Each member must be adept at communicating, able to present skillfully, and capable of speaking in a way that makes others want to listen and engage. Sharing what I've learned, I've guided my team to become powerful presenters and inspiring storytellers. By practicing and implementing the lessons outlined in this book, you will become one, too.
Why you should be a better storyteller
Have you ever lost control of your audience before you could get your point across? Or had someone steer you in an unexpected direction or ask an unanticipated question that threw you off track? Or started talking, only to realize you were lacking credibility in the eyes of those listening? Or finished giving a presentation and wondered whether you had changed minds or if anyone would take action based on the information you shared?
Being a better storyteller or a better presenter doesn't keep these challenges from arising, but it can drastically reduce their frequency. You likely spend a ton of time on activities that happen behind the scenes, doing your work. Yet the communication of your project is typically the only part that others see. This is where all of your efforts succeed or fail. There is a tremendous amount of value to be obtained from work you are already doing that simply isn't being communicated as effectively as it could be.
By applying the lessons in this book, your chances for success improve. When we are effective, we capture our audience's attention, engage them, and—ultimately—inspire action.
Who this book is for
This book is written for anyone who prepares or delivers presentations. This can take the form of business meetings, conference presentations, and keynote speeches.
Given the focus on planning and practicing, the comprehensive lessons in this book will be most appropriate for situations where the stakes are higher than a weekly status meeting or monthly review, though you'll encounter tips that will help you in these instances as well. Employ the strategies you learn here in scenarios where you need to encourage someone to see something in a different light, take an action, or make a change.
What you'll find in this book
This book is organized into three sections: plan, create, and deliver. In the plan chapters, you'll learn the importance of taking time to consider your audience, carefully craft your message, and set your content. As part of this, we'll dive deep into story and discuss applications for storytelling in business presentations, both as an illustrative device and as a strategy for organizing content. In the create section, we'll explore how to build effective materials that will ensure that story gets across and is remembered. The deliver chapters will help prepare and develop you as the presenter, both when it comes to getting to know your content thoroughly as well as readying you to feel and exude confidence. Together, these sections will equip you with strategies to plan, create, and deliver stellar presentations, whether in a meeting or formally on stage.
Specific chapter summaries follow.
Chapter 1: consider your audience
You are not communicating for yourself—first and foremost, you are communicating for your audience. In this opening chapter, we analyze audience: who they are, how you will connect with them, and the action they should take. By reflecting on your audience before doing anything else, you put yourself in the optimal position to communicate successfully.
Chapter 2: craft your message
What exactly do you need to communicate? While it sounds straightforward, being clear and concise in response to this critically important question is a common challenge. I introduce strategies for crafting your key message. You'll learn to articulate your point of view and convey what's at stake in a single sentence.
Chapter 3: compile the pieces
Once you know your audience and message, you can begin to plan content. We do this through brainstorming and then editing and arranging ideas into a storyboard, your low‐tech plan of attack. I discuss the importance of intentional discard, getting feedback, and tips for doing all of this both on your own and in a collaborative team environment.
Chapter 4: form a story
Stories resonate and stay with us in ways that facts do not. In this final chapter of the planning section, I introduce the narrative arc and the importance of tension in communication. We examine different shapes of stories and ways to think about these concepts while revisiting your storyboard from the prior chapter. You'll learn how to use story in a business setting to gain attention and drive action.
Chapter 5: set the style & structure
This chapter marks the transition from planning your content to creating it. We begin with an overview of general design considerations, then establish the framework for your presentation. This includes a pragmatic process for transforming your low‐tech preparation into slides.
Chapter 6: say it with words
Text plays an important role in visual communications, and in this chapter we look at several strategies for using words wisely. I introduce the takeaway title and illustrate how it can be employed effectively. We also explore the power of words on their own as slide content.
Chapter 7: show data in graphs
When communicating data to support your message, it often means you should visualize it. The best practices for using graphs in presentations I share in this chapter include an overview of data visualization design principles that will help ensure your data is easily understood.
Chapter 8: illustrate with images
Is a picture worth a thousand words? Not exactly, but images used well have an important place in presentation design. In this final chapter within the create section, we delve into the use of photographs, illustrations, and diagrams, including common pitfalls to avoid.
Chapter 9: refine through practice
Now that your content is created, we turn our attention to you, the presenter. I discuss strategies for mastering your content and ways to rehearse to ensure a smooth delivery. We also cover how to get meaningful feedback to refine and improve.
Chapter 10: build your confidence
Mastering your content is one thing, but commanding the attention of a room is another. In this chapter, we examine the importance of exuding confidence through what you do and say, including the effective use of body and voice to establish presence.
Chapter 11: introduce yourself
Whether a formal introduction or some brief context about who you are and why you're the one presenting, how you introduce yourself matters. In the penultimate chapter, we dive deep into the art of the introduction, outlining a process you can use to craft the story of you.
Chapter 12: have a stellar session
You've planned, created, and practiced—it's time to deliver. There are things you can do before, during, and after your important meeting or presentation that will help ensure success: an engaged audience that is inspired to act!
chapter 1consider your audience
Your audience: these are the people you are going to inform, inspire, and incite to act. Ultimately, everything you do when you plan, create, and deliver content is for them.
Yet, this is a dramatic shift from how we typically operate.
Take me, for instance. The most natural way for me to communicate is for myself, from my perspective, and with my preferences in mind. I live in my head, so I'm pretty familiar with what goes on in there. This means it's quite easy—I don't have to give it much thought—for me to communicate for myself.
Communicating to others is more complex. It's harder, because we have to actively work to understand them. What compels people to do the things they do? When we can identify our audience's motivations and appeal to them, we can gain their attention and drive the action we seek. In other words, it's by being thoughtful about those we are communicating to that we can get our own needs met.
In this chapter, we'll begin by prioritizing our target audience and then explore how we can better appreciate their needs. We'll also cover strategies for getting to know an unfamiliar audience. Once we have clarity on who they are, we can tailor a great number of aspects to our audience, setting the foundation to communicate effectively.
Prioritize your target audience
Who are you communicating to? When I pose this query to clients or workshop attendees, it's not uncommon for them to hold out their hands and begin counting on their fingers. They start listing groups generally: senior leadership, the board, peers, internal stakeholders, clients, customers, the public. If I allow this to go on for a bit, they get more specific: auditors, scientists, engineers, finance, store managers, regulators.
Consider your own list of audiences, the people you communicate to regularly. As you think about the various groups, note how they're each made up of different types of people who have varying requirements.
It's almost always the case—when you are communicating in the type of instances that we are focusing on here, a meeting or presentation—that you will have a number of individuals in your audience. But even given that, we often communicate too broadly and to more people than necessary. This is dangerous because it is harder to meet multiple different needs at the same time, and multiple people will almost always have different needs.
This doesn't mean that you can't communicate to more than one person at a time. It does highlight, however, the importance of actively prioritizing your target audience. Then you can think about them first and foremost when you craft your approach and content.
Let's explore this idea further, starting with the simplest situation. We'll ratchet up the sophistication and complexity of scenarios from there.
Clear single‐person audience
Sometimes, there is an obvious individual audience for what you're doing. Take the instance where you've been asked to tackle a project or do an analysis. Your audience is likely the person who commissioned the work. In other cases, there may be a clear decision maker. When we identify a single‐person audience, we can ask ourselves: what do they care about? What motivates them? What scares them? What will incite them to act? What makes them hesitant? How do they want to be communicated to? We can design the way we do everything with that person in mind, communicating for that individual.
Let's make this more concrete through an example. Imagine that your organization recently conducted an employee‐wide survey to measure many different aspects of the work environment. You are part of the team that has analyzed the data and are now preparing to convey the results.
One unexpected finding your analysis revealed is related to communication. Employee sentiment is generally positive, with the exception of the Engineering team. So you dig deeper, further segmenting the data. You learn that the low scores are specific to one director within Engineering. This is surprising, because he's an action‐oriented and tenured superstar who is highly respected by his peers. The comments from his team indicate they don't feel he communicates frequently enough or with sufficient transparency.
We can take this feedback into account when we set our communication plan. We need to relay that something isn't going well. But before simply jumping in with that, let's think about him—the director. There are a number of different ways we could position this finding. It might be framed as an opportunity to tackle or a blindspot to address. Perhaps he'd be best motivated by the positive impact he could have on his team's productivity by making changes to how he communicates. Or maybe the risk of losing credibility with his peer group would get his attention.
None of the ways I've outlined to potentially position the message are inherently right or wrong. They are different, and they are personal. Taking that a step further, while I wouldn't call them right or wrong, there are definitely better or worse approaches based on who you are communicating to in a given situation.
Use competition to drive action
I'll share another relevant lesson from my husband's experience. He was working for an organization leading HR and wanted to make changes to the paternity leave program. He recognized that he might face resistance; this wasn't necessarily high on the CEO's priority list. He also knew that this particular leader cared tremendously about offering benefits and a work environment that were at least as good as, if not better than, other organizations in the industry. Rather than lead with the idea to increase paternity leave, the HR team tried a different technique to get the CEO's support. They started by presenting the paternity leave offered by peer companies. Then they showed their own shorter leave program. They asked the CEO what he wanted to do: keep the status quo or make adjustments. With this positioning, they were able to motivate him to suggest the changes. They accomplished this by being thoughtful about how to best influence the individual.
When you have a clear single‐person audience, you can address them directly. There are many aspects of how you communicate that you can tailor, which we'll discuss later in this chapter. Before we get there, let's examine the more common scenario: a mixed group.
Narrowing within a mixed audience
Mixed audiences—those consisting of people from different teams across an organization, having varying levels of seniority, or representing a multitude of companies—are challenging. The individuals who comprise them have distinct preferences and may not be aligned on the things they care about or upon which they are willing to act. It's hard to meet multiple priorities simultaneously or to encourage a group to act in a certain way when individuals are motivated by different factors. Yet, mixed audiences are a reality, and we can be smart about how we communicate to them.
When you find yourself facing a mixed group, the first thing to ask yourself is whether you can narrow it. Could you prioritize a person or smaller subset with shared interests and focus first and foremost on them?
The answer is often yes.
Let's explore this further. Imagine you work for a company that is getting ready to launch a new product. You're trying to determine how to price the product in the marketplace. The team you manage has undertaken an analysis of competitor pricing as one input into the decision‐making process, and you are the one who will be communicating it.
Let's start by casting a broad net and list some prospective audiences. Who will care how we price our product? First, there are the internal stakeholders. The board will be interested in pricing. Senior management will care. Within that group, there are various people who will be involved (for different reasons): the CEO, the CFO, the Head of Product, and the Head of Sales, to name a few. Finance will want to be apprised because they'll have to factor price into their revenue models. The Sales team will be interested since they'll be the ones trying to sell the product in the marketplace. What about external stakeholders? Retailers will care how we're priced when determining whether to carry our product. Competitors will pay attention as a potential input into their own strategies. Consumers will want to know as they weigh their purchase decisions. The whole world may eventually care!
I'm being facetious to emphasize that there are a number of different potential audiences. How can we communicate successfully with so many disparate groups in mind? We can't! They care about different things. There are distinct actions we'd want each to take. We cannot communicate to all of them simultaneously. Or perhaps I should rephrase to say that, if we were to do so, we would not be successful.
We should narrow our audience for the purpose of our communication. There is a process, and more specifically, two steps we can take: narrow to now, and then identify the decision maker.
When it comes to narrowing to now, I mean contemplating who has to be communicated to at the current point in time. Eventually, all of the groups we listed could be interested in how we price our product, but they aren't necessarily each concerned at this moment. Let's think about our audience in the near term. The product isn't even in the marketplace, so we can strike external stakeholders from the list. We haven't yet priced it; that eliminates Finance and Sales from caring. That leaves the board and the leadership team. Narrowing to now helped us focus on a smaller group.
Next, let's identify the decision maker within our already reduced audience. Our goal is to price the product. The board won't be making that decision, so let's cross them off our list. That leaves us with the leadership team. Each individual may have a stake in the product price and provide input. However, they don't all have decision‐making responsibility. The ultimate decision makers will be the Head of Product and the CEO. We've just successfully narrowed our audience from the whole world (or if not that, at least a lot of people) to two specific individuals. Success!
Adapting for the virtual setting
Virtual meetings are now the norm in many organizations. With this format comes some new and unique advantages—and challenges. What once might have been a small in‐office meeting can expand greatly in number of attendees due to the ease with which virtual allows us to include more people. When the invite list grows, consider whether scaling back is possible or preferable. Just because you can invite everyone doesn't mean you should. When you don't have control over this aspect, take care to prioritize your target audience and apply select strategies outlined in the forthcoming section for communicating successfully to a mixed group.
Stepping back, not a great deal changes for the virtual environment when it comes to how we plan for our communication. There are distinct ways to optimize the materials we present for a virtual setting, which we'll discuss in the create chapters. Equipment and delivery differences also exist, which we'll explore in Chapters 9, 10, and 12.
This intentional process of narrowing our audience makes our jobs as communicators easier by reducing the variety of personalities and individual concerns we need to address. When getting this targeted is possible, do it. In other instances, you may face a true mixed group where you must communicate to multiple individuals simultaneously. Let's examine that now.
Facing a mixed audience
The leadership team, a steering committee, employees, customers, conference attendees: these are the kinds of groups I have in mind when someone says they have to communicate to a diverse audience. This is a tough scenario, for the reasons I've outlined. It's hard to meet varying demands equally and simultaneously. Still, there are absolutely things you can do to set yourself up for success. Let's discuss a few strategies.
Recognize—and call out—differences. One way is to start by acknowledging up front that people are coming from different viewpoints and have disparate needs. In a live meeting or presentation, articulate this challenge of mixed interests. Have a thoughtful plan on how you'll address those diverse preferences. For example, if I'm presenting a project proposal to a steering committee made up of individuals from various parts of the company, it could make sense to stick with the big picture and not get into the details. But if I know that some people are going to want more than that, I can explicitly call it out: “I'm going to stay high level today. Tom, I know you're going to want me to elaborate; I'm happy to sit down with you afterwards to walk through it.” Even better—meet with Tom ahead of time to deliver his desired level of granularity so you are able to remain focused on the big picture when everyone is together.
On stage in a conference setting, you might set expectations by first explaining: “I appreciate that there are attendees with varying levels of knowledge on the topic about which I'll be speaking. I'm going to take a short amount of time up front to cover the basics, and then we'll quickly get more nuanced from there.” This tells everyone in advance that their needs have been recognized and will be accounted for in some way before you're done.
Identify areas of overlap. Flipping the prior strategy around, rather than reflecting on how people or segments are different, look for similarities. Is there a common goal or pain point that will unite a group or anchor what you're going to discuss? The Big Idea worksheet is sometimes a useful tool at this juncture, which we will dive into deeply in Chapter 2. The most pertinent part to consider is what is at stake for your audience. In the case of a mixed group, thinking through this for each member or similar segment can be useful. Identify areas of overlap that may help you frame your approach. Recognize the consistent theme and use that to pique people's attention, get them on the same page, and motivate them to act.
Creating personas for different categories of people
When facing a large mixed audience, it is sometimes useful to create personas to segment the group and the differing perspectives you could face when presenting. These can be based on their desires or motivations and often means generalizing. I might craft Persona A, an individual with a certain type of role or personality (articulate it); who has a similar set of biases (list them); who typically cares about A, B, and C; and who is most likely to question X, Y, and Z. If you have 100 different people in your audience, it will be impossible to envisage these dimensions for each person. But if you group them into a handful of similar subgroups, it stops you from throwing your hands up in the air and simply saying, I can't address them all. By segmenting similar individuals in this way, you think about a number of different viewpoints and preferences, which better equips you to address them. Once you have a comprehensive mapping of the main personas, step back and strategize how to best inform them in light of their personalities and requirements.
Show something that relates to everyone. Building on the idea of looking for commonalities, one way to create areas of overlap is to show everyone something that is relevant to each person that can be compared across the broader group. Let's take the employee survey scenario that I mentioned earlier and put a twist on it. Suppose we must disseminate the results to the entire leadership team. I might include a table or graph that shows an interesting piece of the survey—for instance, the aggregate favorable score across themes broken down by the areas each individual on the leadership team oversees. This provides everyone with similar context: they see how their own function performed relative to the others and the overall company. There may also be consistent high points or low points that can be used to introduce the next level of detail or drive good discussion.
If you've ever been in a conference setting where the presenter shows a demographic breakdown of the audience or introduces real‐time polling and shares the results, this is an attempt to do the same thing. They are showing something that relates to everyone and getting people involved so they are more willing to pay attention to what follows.
Verbalize to gain attention. When addressing a mixed group, you don't necessarily need everyone's attention equally all the time. Given this, when you want to make sure you have a specific person's or segment's focus (particularly where you may have lost attention by covering other content less relevant to this subset), call that out. For example, assume you are communicating to a steering committee made up of various individuals. I could say something like, “Jane, you're going to want to listen to this part because it involves your group.” Or, taking the instance of a conference keynote address, I might announce, “Managers in the room, this upcoming strategy is one you'll want to bring to your teams.” In this way, use vocal cues to ensure you have the right people's attention when you seek it.
Irrespective of which of these strategies you employ or combine, when you face a mixed group, ask yourself: what does success look like? Acknowledge what you can reasonably accomplish in the mixed group setting and which pieces should be broken out and shared separately in a more targeted way.
Whether dealing with a single person, communicating to a small group, or presenting to a large mixed audience, you'll have to take steps to get into their heads and understand them. Let's address that next.
Understand and assess your audience
You may know your audience. Perhaps you've communicated to them before. But have you ever paused and spent time critically assessing their priorities, preferences, and requirements? When the stakes are high, this is a task worth undertaking.
While there will be queries specific to your situation that are important to identify, this starter list of questions will help you better understand the people to whom you are speaking:
What do they care about? What drives them?
What scares them or keeps them up at night?
What motivates them? What causes them to want to act?
What prevents them from acting or makes them hesitate?
What do they like? What makes them happy?
What annoys or irritates them?
To whom do they listen? What influences them?
What is their opinion of you? Are you credible in their eyes?
Why will they support you? (In a mixed group,
who
is likely to support you?)
Why might they resist you? (In a mixed group,
who
will resist? Why?)
What biases do they have?
What constraints bind them?
How do they measure success?
Draw and brainstorm to better understand your audience
Grab a blank piece of paper and a writing utensil for this quick exercise. Orient the paper in landscape fashion (where width is greater than height). Picture a person in your audience and then draw them in the middle of the paper, leaving blank space on either side. Your depiction will remind you that you are doing this all for someone else.
It's okay if you aren't an artist. The drawing can be a simple face or stick figure (though if you prefer to get more creative, go for it). Add a title for the person underneath your sketch. If it's a specific person, use their name or genericize with something like “supportive manager” or “hesitant client.”
