Nov. 20, 2009 at 1:35pm

How do you want them to feel?

Posted by Shari Campbell in Declassified, Internal Communications, Planning and Strategy
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©iStockphoto.com/mevans
 

“Don’t start with what you want to tell people; start with how you want them to feel!”

That pearl of wisdom comes courtesy of Laurie Vincent, an award-winning speech writer and president of LV Communications.

I recalled her advice last week when I attended a client’s launch of their strategic planning process. Which usually doesn’t create a lot of excitement or enthusiasm among the ranks. Or the folks charged with communicating about it.

But when one of the organization’s nursing leaders presented a PowerPoint about innovating patient care, I was riveted.

Why? A few tips for speechwriters and presenters, culled from her talk and Vincent's article:

Pictures inspire. Children at a playground. An elederly woman who reminded me of my grandmother. Friends gathered at Starbucks. In different ways, these images inspired me—and the entire audience—to think about patient care in different ways.

No bullet points, just a few words. Strength. Pride. Fear. Love. Personal care. Those few, powerful words, combined with striking visuals, reinforced feelings and set the stage for even more inspirational thoughts.

And when was the last time you viewed a PowerPoint without bullets? There wasn’t a single bullet point in this highly effective presentation. And many of the photos used the whole slide.

Ask me, don’t tell me. Twenty-five slides, inspiring images, powerful words and no bullet points! The cynic in me was holding my breath, waiting to be let down. But the presenter made a final, smart move:

She used her last slide to ask the audience a simple question:

What might extraordinary care look like?

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