Speaking Tips: Open with the Summary

Have you ever led a meeting, handed out the slide deck, began discussing the topic and while still on slide 1 or 2, most of your audience has already flipped to the last slide? I’m sure you’ve seen this before… Perhaps you’ve been the one flipping to the last slide, or perhaps you were the frustrated presenter. It happens all the time. (And in a world with tons of virtual meetings, we may not know for sure that this phenomenon is happening. But let’s be honest with each other and ourselves… its happening. Constantly.)

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is, “How do I prevent people from automatically skipping to the last slide?

I usually respond by asking, “Why do you think they go there first?

Everyone usually says some version of, “They want to see the summary information right away.

And then I usually say, “Then if they want to see the last slide first, why do you put all that info on the last slide? Why make them wait?

Business storytelling is counter-intuitive. This is not like a movie or a good book. The point is not to keep your audience in suspense until the very end. The point with business communication, especially in the 21st century, is to get to the point quickly, explain to people where you are taking them, and then backtrack just enough to explain to them how you got there.

Don’t make your audience wait. It will be better for them, and they’ll pay closer attention to what you have to say.

We believe that great communication skills change the world. We transform people and organizations of all sizes with simple, repeatable techniques, through an integrated platform of corporate training, coaching, and asynchronous learning.

Our entire business has been built on the referrals from satisfied clients. So, if you enjoyed your experience with The Latimer Group, or if you like what you read here, please share your experience with others. And if you would like to know more, please contact us at info@TheLatimerGroup.com, or visit our website The Latimer Group.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Looking for more from The Latimer Group?

Comments

2 responses to “Speaking Tips: Open with the Summary”

  1. sue says:

    Thank you for this excellent reminder- I agree completely that opening with the “punch line” sets the stage for the right conversation and “persuasion” from the beginning vs the “suspense” approach and a better chance that all will be more engaged from the beginning to the end.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Dean Brenner

A book about change

The Latimer Group’s CEO Dean Brenner is a noted keynote speaker and author on the subject of persuasive communication. He has written three books, including Persuaded, in which he details how communication can transform organizations into highly effective, creative, transparent environments that succeed at every level.