structured thinking and delivery workshop0104.nccdn.net/1_5/0bf/2da/33f/typical 1 day workshop...

Structured Thinking and Delivery Workshop

Workshop OverviewAugust 2008

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Challenges Faced In Effective Communications Today

Business solutions are becoming increasingly complex

Pitches are becoming less coherent, and often business is lost as solutions are not well communicated

Technology is providing many options for how to present ideas without any underlying structure

Few messages are clear from the start, and people waste time trying to understand the key points

Poorly Used Communications technology is generating lots of low relevance information

Formal interactions (e g meetings)

Emails are ignored, inbox management overtakes decision making

Multi tasking in meetings means that Formal interactions (e.g. meetings) are losing their focus

Younger generation adopting “stream

Multi-tasking in meetings means that productivity of all activities drops

Presentations become highly variable of consciousness” tools with bullet points of irrelevant data with

little insight or logical argument

Solution is not to avoid the tools - but to better present ideas & recommendations


Solution is not to avoid the tools - but to better present ideas & recommendations

Benefits of Structured Thinking And Delivery Workshop

• Enable participants to Structure compelling, engaging and persuasive communicationsp

• Force clarity and simplicity into all communications – from emails to pitches

• Identify the information that is essential and relevant to the message and form a logical argument to support the conclusion

• Provide practical tips on how to make presentations, documents, emails and other communications more succinct and impactful


Overview – The 4 Modules For Persuasive Communications

Re-define the message from the top-down with a Single Mined Message

2g

Ensure robust logic to draw clear conclusions

Engage the audience by telling a story43

Form a structure for any message -Grouping and Structuring from the bottom-up

1

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Typical One Day Workshop Agenda

Challenges of Communications today / Introduction / Overview / Objectives8:30 - 9:30

Module 1 - Grouping and structuring ideas (Bottom-Up)

Coffee Break

Module 2 - Developing a Single Minded Message (Top-Down)

9:30 - 10:30

10:30 - 10:45

10:45 - 11:45 Module 2 Developing a Single Minded Message (Top Down)

Module 3 - Ensuring Robust Logic

Lunch Break

10:45 11:45

11:45 - 12:45

12:45 – 13:30

Module 4 - Persuasive Communication – engage and persuade your audience

Case Study – build an effective presentation (small groups, with break)

13:30 - 15:00

15:00 - 16:15

Summary and wrap up including tips and tools for “Monday morning”

1:1 coaching on own piece of communication (as needed)

16:15 – 17:15

17:15 - 18:30

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Session OverviewIntroduction & Objectives

Objectives

Discuss the history, theory and ideas behind effective communications

Set the course outline & objectives and get participants specific goalsObjectivesSummarize the overall methodology / framework

Individual introductions

Content/Style Presentation/Interactive Discussion

White board of participant objectives

Length60 min – presentation and discussion


Session Overview1. Grouping And Structuring Module Summary

Objectives

Understand the role pyramidal groupings and structuring play in communication.

L id d i “hi h l l f ” Objectives

Learn to group ideas and raise to a “higher level of summary”.

A mini exercise to illustrate the way the human mind works

Content/Style Lecture/Theory/Interactive

Introduction of MECE and examples groupings of complex ideas

Grouping exercise done in pairs

Length

15 min presenting

20 min exercises

25 min debriefing and discussion


Session Overview2. Developing A Single Minded Message Summary

Objectives

Understanding the importance of focus and identifying the goals of the presentation.

S i i l id i h l Si l Mi d d M (SMM)Objectives

Summarizing complex ideas with a clear Single Minded Message (SMM)

Work out the implied question and answer from the SMM.

Lecture/Theory/Interactive

Content/Style


Example of communication with conclusion at the end

Exercise in reaching the Single Minded Message from a number of ideas

Case study of a well structured document

Length

15 min presenting

30 min exercises

15 min debriefing and discussiong


Session Overview3. Ensuring Robust Logic Summary

Objectives

Introduction of different types of logic and also testing for false logic.

To compare the different types of logic and review the pros and cons f hObjectives for each.


Content/Style

y

Numerous examples for each deductive, inductive and abductive reasoning

Exercise deductive/inductive arguments

Case study; understanding of the deductive reasoning

Length

30 min lecturing

15 min exercises

15 min presenting/ debriefing and discussion


Session Overview4. Persuasive Communication Summary

Objectives

Introducing the SCQA framework.

Understanding the role of audience and how to get their attention.ObjectivesTranslating structured thinking to summaries, PPT, Word etc.

Presentation/Interactive Discussion

Content/Style Small exercise to illustrate how the SCQA changes with different audience

Role playing

Length

30 min lecturing

30 min exercises

30 min presenting/ debriefing and discussion


Session OverviewCase Study objectives and approach

London Congestion Charge*

• Sent out as pre-read

Individual Presentation

• Participants work on their

…or…

Sent out as pre read

• Complex case which most people are interested in and have a point of ie abo t

Participants work on their presentation in pairs, applying approach from course

B ings ideas into p actical foc s of view about

• Practice in developing all elements of persuasive argumentation;

• Brings ideas into practical focus for participants

• Through comparison with initial p gchoice of audience

• Work together in two teams in breakout rooms to share ideas and

g ppresentations, clearly shows learning and improvements made

breakout rooms to share ideas and learning to date


* Or a company/industry specific case

Session OverviewPractical Tips

Objectives

Provide outline for translating ST&D framework into powerpoint, word and other communications

Sh i b i i h i iObjectives Share some tips on best practice in chart writing

Discuss ways to use and continuously improve skills in communications

Handout and discussion of one page communications template

Content/StyleHandouts of “top tips”

Handout of cheat sheet on ensuring well structured communications

Length60 min – presentation and discussion


structured thinking and delivery workshop0104.nccdn.net/1_5/0bf/2da/33f/typical 1 day workshop...

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