Great communicators can translate information into vivid messages. They have the skills to assess a situation and translate the information in ways that a particular audience can relate to. Technical presentation example While on holidays a few years ago I met a man who made his fortune with a company that builds aquariums. $20 million…
We all need to be persuasive. We need a vivid message to convey the true value of our idea or it will be lost to the world. I coached a scientist who’s pitch for funding wasn’t getting anywhere. His newly developed technology was groundbreaking. He was a likeable and energetic presenter, but explained his technology…
February 24th, 2011 was a significant day. Until then, much of the content found via a Google search was low quality fluff produced by ‘Content Farms’, purely to get higher rankings and expose users to ads. A high percentage of info junk means users waste time on rubbish sites, while good information is obscured. This pollution makes…
There is a big difference between a distorted message and true message. I recently went to a school sports day for 6 to 10 year olds. The teacher introducing the event made a short speech and finished with the message ‘It’s not about winning, it’s about having fun’. Unfortunately it’s a lie. It’s just not accurate. Every kid…
In the story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, Goldilocks made sure everything was juuust right – what she ate (not too hot or too cold), the chairs she sat on and the bed she slept in (not too hard or too soft). So Goldilocks communication is where you provide just the right amount of information…
Media training should start with an understanding of what every journalist wants: a good story. Let’s take a look at an example from Apple – who are masters at providing a catchy ‘story’ and having the media promote it exactly as Apple intended. It’s about the new MacBook Laptop released last October. The basic story…
Nicholas Carr has written a book called ‘The Shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains‘ where he argues that our dependence on the internet may have a dark side. I saw him speak recently and asked him a few questions. He tells the story of losing his own capacity for concentration and contemplation. Even when…
Example 1: Albert Einstein Albert Einstein worked with three different collaborators to be able to describe his theories in clear terms with everyday examples. He understood that a theory only five geniuses could understand is far less valuable than one that can be understood by millions. For example: Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a…