One of the biggest stumbling blocks to good communication is the absence of context.  Context is defined as a set of facts or circumstances that surround a particular event, situation or communication.  At best, that information can help the listener put things in the proper perspective.  It can also be a persuasive tool to influence with integrity.

I recently watched an early Ryan Gosling film called, "Half Nelson."  In the film he plays an engaging and inventive teacher who also struggles with his dark side.  One of the ways he decides to get his students involved in history class is by giving them random dates in history.  Their job was to not only find out what happened on that day in time but to also provide context.  In one minute or less, they had to describe what happened, why it was significant, the impact it had and how it influenced the future.  It was amazing to listen to how the students so clearly defined and described a point in time.

This is a great exercise for all business presentations.  When you think of any of your key positioning statements  ("Our banking retail experience is solely focused on the customer…").  Respond to why is this significant (no one else is doing what we are doing in XXX  XXX); what impact it has on the customer (in recent JD Power Surveys, our bank was rated XXX);  and how you will influence the future ("we predict this trend will continue and we will remain at the front end…").  Asking yourself these questions is also helpful in determining the strength of your arguments and where you may need to fortify and/or explain.

If you are not influencing as powerfully as you’d like, consider context.  Give your audience the full picture so that they can let down their defenses, open their minds, engage in the conversation, feel confident in the information and be open to you as the speaker.

The power of story can not be denied or over-looked.  I found this article compelling.

OPINION

What Happened to Obama?

By DREW WESTEN

Published: August 6, 2011

IT was a blustery day in Washington on Jan. 20, 2009, as it often seems to be on the day of a presidential inauguration. As I stood with my 8-year-old daughter, watching the president deliver his inaugural address, I had a feeling of unease. It wasn’t just that the man who could be so eloquent had seemingly chosen not to be on this auspicious occasion, although that turned out to be a troubling harbinger of things to come. It was that there was a story the American people were waiting to hear — and needed to hear — but he didn’t tell it. And in the ensuing months he continued not to tell it, no matter how outrageous the slings and arrows his opponents threw at him.

The stories our leaders tell us matter, probably almost as much as the stories our parents tell us as children, because they orient us to what is, what could be, and what should be; to the worldviews they hold and to the values they hold sacred. Our brains evolved to “expect” stories with a particular structure, with protagonists and villains, a hill to be climbed or a battle to be fought. Our species existed for more than 100,000 years before the earliest signs of literacy, and another 5,000 years would pass before the majority of humans would know how to read and write.

Stories were the primary way our ancestors transmitted knowledge and values. Today we seek movies, novels and “news stories” that put the events of the day in a form that our brains evolved to find compelling and memorable. Children crave bedtime stories; the holy books of the three great monotheistic religions are written in parables; and as research in cognitive science has shown, lawyers whose closing arguments tell a story win jury trials against their legal adversaries who just lay out “the facts of the case.”

When Barack Obama rose to the lectern on Inauguration Day, the nation was in tatters. Americans were scared and angry. The economy was spinning in reverse. Three-quarters of a million people lost their jobs that month. Many had lost their homes, and with them the only nest eggs they had. Even the usually impervious upper middle class had seen a decade of stagnant or declining investment, with the stock market dropping in value with no end in sight. Hope was as scarce as credit.

In that context, Americans needed their president to tell them a story that made sense of what they had just been through, what caused it, and how it was going to end. They needed to hear that he understood what they were feeling, that he would track down those responsible for their pain and suffering, and that he would restore order and safety. What they were waiting for, in broad strokes, was a story something like this:

“I know you’re scared and angry. Many of you have lost your jobs, your homes, your hope. This was a disaster, but it was not a natural disaster. It was made by Wall Street gamblers who speculated with your lives and futures. It was made by conservative extremists who told us that if we just eliminated regulations and rewarded greed and recklessness, it would all work out. But it didn’t work out. And it didn’t work out 80 years ago, when the same people sold our grandparents the same bill of goods, with the same results. But we learned something from our grandparents about how to fix it, and we will draw on their wisdom. We will restore business confidence the old-fashioned way: by putting money back in the pockets of working Americans by putting them back to work, and by restoring integrity to our financial markets and demanding it of those who want to run them. I can’t promise that we won’t make mistakes along the way. But I can promise you that they will be honest mistakes, and that your government has your back again.” 

Whether you are a politician or business leader – the value of leverages that power or story and transparent communication is essential.

3 Ways to Eliminate “Corporate Speak” in 2011

"“Corporate speak” is the gobbledygook that slows down progress and understanding in companies across the world. This problem is not just limited to large corporations; it also runs rampant among small businesses, entrepreneurs and lawyers. It is often a symptom of your environment. Could you imagine telling a loved one about the synergies of red wine complementing the innovative marinade on your steak dinner, not to mention having the bandwidth to sit down and commiserate with your counterpart? If you did…you’d often be eating alone.

So let’s make a resolution to ban corporate speak in 2011. But how? Here are three questions to ask yourself when successfully merging action-oriented planning steps to directives…I mean…when you actually write something:

1.Who is my audience? Yes, your audience may use corporate speak. However, your message may be more effective by avoiding corporate speak in such an environment. Go through your writing and identify any words that your loved ones won’t understand. This doesn’t work in technical documents, but it will in 99% of everything else. If you can use plain, short language in a land of corporate speak you’ll be amazed at the response.

2.Why am I using that word or sentence? Many people use corporate speak because it makes them sound smarter. Most people assume “sounding professional” is the same as “sounding smart.” It’s not. Let your intelligence shine through your ideas. People often use complicated sounding words simply to sound intelligent. Don’t be that guy (or girl)!

Less is more. People seem to think that the longer something is, the more intelligent or important it is. This is especially important in email. Many people glance over long emails. Can your entire point be summed up in three regular sentences? I bet it can. Try it and watch how soon you’ll be able to sum up everything in one single sentence."

The words we use shape the relationships we have and the experiences we create. Take the extra step to ensure the words you use have meaning not only for our audiences but for yourself as well. 

As a speech coach, I talk to my clients about the value of incorporating stories and real life examples into their presentations.  I encourage them to use the 3N method for collecting those stories:  NOTICE, NOTE and NARRATE. 

NOTICE – Keep your eyes and ears open for stories and everyday experiences that spark your interest and teach you something.

NOTE – write them down in a journal  - capture them somewhere so that you can develop and fine-tune them.  Look for how the story might be applied to the world of work.  Is there a business lesson imbedded in the story.  Can it help you illustrate a point you are trying to make?

NARRATE - Tell the stories, practice delivering them out loud and see how you can continue to hone.

Here is a practice opportunity:  

On Saturday, February 19, 2011 NASCAR newcomer Trevor Bayne won the 53rd Daytona 500 in double overtime.  I am not a racing fan nor do I follow it but when I heard this story I wanted to know more.  Here are some self-selected highlights:

• Trevor just turned 20
• Trevor has only been able to drive legally for 4 years
• Trevor became the race’s youngest winner
• This was only Trevor’s second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
• The race experienced a 14 car crash (that included the race’s most experienced drivers) and a record number of lead changes and caution periods
• Team Owner – Wood Brother’s first win since 1979
• Preparing for the race he asked himself, "What do I need to do to not let the mountains get too high, and just stay focused?"
• Trevor donated part of of his winnings to an orphanage in Mexico.
• On this race day NASCAR marked the 10th anniversary of the death of its fallen hero, Dale Earnhardt, and it appears that a totally unexpected new hero emerged.
• Bayne has exhibited great humility and gratitude and has conducted himself in a down-to-earth manner.
• Bayne said. "One thing I haven’t really talked about is keeping our expectations realistic here.We won this race and that sets the bar high, but if we would have finished 15th we would have been happy."

These are a few elements I jotted down after googling Bayne and the race story.  The next step in the process is to begin pondering what the real-world lessons might be unearthed through this story. 

To discover them, consider asking questions like:

1. Was inexperience an asset?
2. How can experience get in the way of success?
3. What discoveries where made by the drivers – were there lessons learned?
4. What can be learned from the way this unexpected hero conducted himself before and after the win?
5. Despite a lack of wins, what does this story say about the tenacity of the team owners who pursued yet another opportunity to race with a beginner?

There are likely many elements of the story that can be mined and more points that can be made.  Practice incorporating story into your business presentation with this news story – see what you can develop.  Create an opportunity in the next 48 hours to use it.

NOTICE, NOTE and NARRATE – This process will help make your presentations memorable.

LAS VEGAS — It was one of those storybook, happily-ever-after endings, seen often in romantic comedies and dime-store novels. Trevor Bayne – a household name perhaps only in his hometown of Knoxville, Tenn. – led the last two laps to win the 2011 Daytona 500 the day after celebrating his 20th birthday to become the youngest victor of what’s often referred to as The Great American Race. Not only is he the race’s youngest victor, he also is the only driver to win in his first try. He gave the legendary Wood Brothers racing team – NASCAR’s oldest team – its first Daytona 500 victory since 1976. Throw in the fact that the car was painted to resemble David Pearson’s ’76 500 winner (which also won involved in one of those Hollywood-style finishes) and it has all the makings of a tinseltown blockbuster.

Greetings Colleagues, Clients and Community Members,

Mari Pat Varga

For a copy of our Spring Newsletter, visit:   http://tinyurl.com/ygcrdkz

I am excited to announce a new collaboration with filmmaker and videographer, Steve Zagata, called Adventures in Communication.  Our video blog invites you on an exciting journey to communication mastery through expert guides, timeless wisdom and exceptional resources.   

• Receive our introductory 2X4 Communication Tool Kit.  2 Reports for 4 months that feature skill building tips and techniques to help you create a foundation for compelling communication that will get you recognized, rewarded and remembered.
• Gain access to ideas and perspectives from experts, authors, speakers, gurus and business professionals on how to best communicate with your employees, customers, stakeholders – even friends and families.
• Have the opportunity to participate by reacting to our blog or even pitching an idea for a featured video or interview!
• Be the first to receive our updates and recommendations for products and services that will enhance your skills.
• Obtain ideas you can read or listen to today and put into action tomorrow.

Visit us today at http://adventuresincommunication.com/  We feature a great video interview this month with authors Chip Bell and John Patterson on their new book:  Take their breath away:  How imaginative service creates devoted customers.

Thank you!

Horse Racing today is justifiably fraught with controversy and scrutiny due to the recent deaths of high profile horses and the on-going risks that jockeys are subjected to every time they get in the saddle.  At yesterday’s Kentucky Derby – May 2, 2009 – it was good to see how much of the coverage focused on new safety regulations and innovations and the on-going pursuit of ways to make the sport safer for the horses and jockeys.  I need to mention this because as a Kentucky gal – born and bred – I grew up having an enormous respect and appreciation for horses and the men and women who ride them.  Part of me thrills at a horse race and another part of me is repelled by it because of the danger.  Cheering one minute and chastising the next.

Having put my split personality on the table I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the poetry and symbolism that came out of yesterday’s big race for me.  Like any sport, a horse race, is full of heroic stories, profiles of courage and colorful perspectives and portrayals on how to win…and lose.  As a communicator, I look and listen for these stories and use them in writing, speeches or casual conversation to better illustrate a point I am trying to make.  

Let me share two of my favorite poetic moments that came out of yesterday’s race…consider them to motivate your staff or inspire your team:

1)  The underdog can win given the right opportunity.  Mine that Bird, turning three years old in a few days, and bought for $9,500 traveled by trailer for 21 hours hauled by his trainer, Chip Wooley to win the Derby.  His jockey, Calvin Borel, took him to the rail and while no one was looking or paying attention to this 50-1 shoot he stormed across the finish line winning by 6-1/2 lengths making the other horses appear to be standing still.

A little known and not well respected horse, a quirky trainer with a broken leg and crutches and an over-the-top effusive jockey who has you worrying a bit about his emotional well-being – if they can win, you can win.  It is a simple snapshot that can inspire.

2)  Desormeaux’s Slide Show.   Jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rode Hold Me Back in this year’s Derby and rode the winner, Big Brown last year, was interviewed before the race and was asked to describe what it was like being in a horse race and his strategy for winning.  He said he always has a slide show playing in his head during a race.  He said, "… you first feel like you are in a fog and then you find yourself in the middle of a forest where you are a little kid who has been wandering and lost for days…suddenly you turn the corner and standing open-armed at the wire is your mother."  That he said, is what you are racing toward and with that level of hunger and desire.

I heard this, felt a lump in my throat, and raced to my note pad to write down what he said as I thought it was an incredibly rich image of the kind of passion required to snatch the victory – you’ve got to want it that bad.  What is a finish line image your team could use?

Many ways to get to that finish line, first.