Nourish Relationships - Lead with the point
I am sure you have all heard that, when presenting, you tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you have told them. In communications, do not bury the point; lead with it! The newspapers call them “headlines” for a reason. You are not writing a mystery novel or a thriller; get to “who done it” up front! This respects others’ time, and allows you to build your point up with stories, references and insight. How many times have you sat through a meeting, lecture or speech you thought was going to be valuable due to the summary you had been presented, only to find it a colossal waste of time? How differently would you have behaved if, up front, they told you exactly what they would be covering, allowing you to make an informed decision to stay and participate, or better invest your time elsewhere?
Leading with the point respects others, and can help create a culture of knowledge-sharing and honesty. Recently, I purchased a two-year phone service plan from a cell phone provider. They buried the point that, once you left the store with the phone, you where basically stuck with it for the duration of the two-year contract. No upgrades, no replacements, no second thoughts. Now, the phone does not exactly do everything promised, but the provider refuses to do anything about it, and points to the small print. What do you think I will do after two years with this provider? How many people do you think will hear about this bad experience? How often do you lead with the point to your customers? How many of them would love to change IT service providers? What can you do to address that?
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