“The ability to express an idea is well nigh as important as the idea itself.” Bernard Baruch
A sticky message is one that’s understood by the audience or receiver, remembered, and that changes something (opinions, behaviors, values). Presentations can be either formal (keynote) or informal (Grand Rounds). As a doctor, when presenting or teaching, you’re on the front lines of conveying information and knowledge. Every single time you deliver a roundtable, lunch and learn, and a dinner meeting, you’ve got to get up in front of colleagues and make ideas stick. The question you need to ask yourself–Is what do you want them to take or learn from the speech? And let’s face it, this is no easy mission. Few doctors look forward to another dinner meeting unless the wine is good and the food is first rate, they anticipate and are ready for the latest info on a new wonder drug for solving or abating the impact of a disease on their patients.
1. Make the message tangible and relevant. Stories and examples are the critical foundation for sticky presentations. Stories provide a realistic context and hook for the audience
If you use only one tip, this is the one. The #1 mistake we’ve observed in presentations—and there is no close second—is that the message is too abstract. The presenter offers concepts and conclusions but not evidence. He talks at a high level about the big picture, but gives no concrete details that might make the big picture understandable and plausible. He may sprinkle in a few stories or examples, but they are treated like garnish. Most people communicate with, say, 3 parts exposition to 1 part example. That’s exactly backwards. In a compelling presentation, examples aren’t garnish, they’re the entrée.
A presentation is a sequence of concrete examples and stories that snap together to form a compelling argument. For instance, think of the examples that Al Gore used in his movie An Inconvenient Truth: The before and after photos of Mt. Kilimanjaro, showing the vanishing snow caps. The simulated satellite images of Manhattan flooded by rising sea levels. In Michael Moore’s Sicko, he doesn’t make conceptual points about the health care system—he makes his case through the stories of individuals, like the carpenter who accidentally cut off 2 fingers, and then had to choose which finger to reattach since he couldn’t afford to do both!
2. Execute the 3 C’s–Make the presentation Clear, Concise and Compelling
We know many of you have to present data in your presentations. But because data is pretty abstract, you should resist your temptation to lead with the data or to let the data stand alone. Which is more compelling? Saying that there are “900,000 poor adults with declining eyesight in Mumbai, and we need your help to start solving the problem.” Or telling the story above about the 35-year-old weaver, and then saying, “Our research suggests that there are 900,000 stories like this, in Mumbai alone, and we need your help to start solving the problem.” Data are just summaries of thousands of stories—tell a few of those stories to help make the data meaningful.
3. Get to the Point: Grab and Keep the Audience Attention
The first mission of a presentation is to grab attention. And the second requirement is to keep that attention. That’s why it’s upsetting to see a speaker violate the Primacy Rule which is remembering that you have about 60 seconds to make a strong first impression. Don’t miss the opportunity by stumbling out of the blocks with a laborious overview of what’s going to be covered and who you are. This problem is understandable. After all, we’ve all been coached to “Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em, then tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what you told ‘em.”
Within the 60 seconds of opening focus the audience’s attention on the challenge, opportunity or issue to be discussed. Eliminate irrelvant jokes and a slow start. Presenters like actors in the theater must be ready the moment you take the stage.
4. Let your main points shine in the spotlight–focus on the critical 2-3 things you want them to take away.
If you say 9-10 things, you say nothing. You probably lose you audience around # five. Remember the Magic #7 Rule concerning memory. People can only retain 5-9 chunks of information at one session. Stop flooding them with information and numbers. Stick to your MAIN POINT.. Are you giving the spotlight to your most important points? Here are two quick tests: What percentage of your speaking time is going to those points? And what percentage of your slides are dedicated to them? If you’re not spending at least half of your time and your visuals on the core of your message, you’re probably trying to accomplish too much.
5. Open and Authentic Communication
One of the main reasons why people do not take the time to provide feedback is that they do not believe any action will result from the communication. Let audience members know that you have listened and that you will respond. Don’t just give lip service to support and continuous improvement.
6. Listen, Ask and Problem Solve. Don’t Tell and Sell
Hook them before trying to land them in the boat. Curosity and interest must come before data and content. Before your audience will value the information you’re giving, they’ve got to want it. Demand has to come before supply. Most presenters take the audience’s desire to listen and care for granted, but that’s a big mistake. Great presentations are mysteries, not encyclopedia entries. Sticky message must be surprising,, raise curiousity and Cool.
Example of Sticky Presentations: JFK Man on Moon, FDR Only thing to “Fear is Fear itself,” Death Panels etc. How about this one for the Dems: Why Health Care Reform–People first–Profits second 450% increase in insurance companies profits last 10 years. Enough said (Show visual chart of insurance profits and average company profits accross industries.) Tellstories of people dying ( 22/day 140 /week 460/month and 44,000/year. Highlight a few with real people telling their stories about their pain and non-responsiveness of insurance companies. Telling powerful stories is the best way to convey a sticky message that the audience understand it, we remember it, and we can retell it later. If people believe a message is credible and true, it might change attitudes or behavior permanently.
