Structure in Communication Agenda Need for Structure The Pyramid - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Structure in Communication

Agenda

Need for Structure

• The Pyramid Principle
• Benefits of T
• p-Down Communication
• Practice Exercises
• Navigating the Pyramid

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Structure: The Key to Effective Communication

Three aspects to any written communication:

• Content
• Structure
• Sentence construction
• Vocabulary
• Use of visuals

Visual Appeal

• Professional
• Consistent

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• Appropriate use of fonts /

colours / highlighting etc.

Substance Style of Writing

Ordering of Lists

A Shopping List

• Milk
• Potatoes
• Grapes
• Cheese
• Carrots
• Oranges
• Butter
• Apples
• Cream
• Spinach

An Ordered List

All Items Dairy Products Vegetables Fruits

• Milk
• Cheese
• Butter
• Cream
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Grapes
• Oranges
• Apples

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Writing: Two Choices

Dear Sonal, Y

• u and I have been friends for a long
• time. However

, recently you said something I did not like. After that I invited you for a party which you did not come for after confirming and……………………………………………………… ……………………………. Dear Sonal, I hate you because :

• Y
• u said something I didn’t like
• Y
• u didn’t come to my party
• Y
• u borrowed my jacket and ruined it

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Structure: The Need

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• T
• ensure that documents are
• Clear
• Concise
• Easy to understand
• T
• avoid ambiguity of key takeaways
• T
• easily translate to action items with accountability

The Writer’s Responsibility

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• If the writer doesn't structure document, the reader

will

• Two problems
• Higher level of dis-satisfaction and difficulty for

the reader

• Higher chances of mis-interpretations
• Separate the thinking process from the writing

process

Agenda

• Need for Structure

The Pyramid Principle

• Benefits of T
• p-Down Communication
• Practice Exercises
• Navigating the Pyramid

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The Pyramid Principle

The structure of all effective communication is a pyramid of logically related ideas

Main point

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1st Level Support Points 2nd Level Support Points

Exercise: Ideas about London for a Vacation

1. Broadway 2. Large variety of cuisines 3. Buckingham Palace 4. Famous Sights 5. Lots of restaurants 6. Night Life 7. Great Food 8. Madam T ussads 9. Great vacation spot

• 10. London Eye

11. Entertainmen t

T ask

• Find relations

between the points and structure them.

• Which is the highest

level point?

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Exercise: London is a Great Vacation Spot

• 9. Great V

acation Spot

• 7. Great Food
• 11. Entertainment
• 4. Famous Sights
• 2. Variety of cuisines
• 5. Lots of restaurants
• 1. Broadway

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• 6. Night Life
• 3. Buckingham Palace
• 8. Madam T

ussads 10.London Eye

The Pyramid Principle

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• Why Pyramid?
• The mind automatically sorts information into pyramids in order to comprehend
• Writer should pre-sort the information into pyramids

– Less effort for the reader – Less ambiguity

• Concepts
• Every piece of written communication should have a main message
• Pyramid is created ‘bottom-up’ but communicated ‘top down’

– Sort out the ‘so whats’ to create the pyramid – Communicate top down

Three Rules

Summary Logical Levels Logical Order

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Ideas at any level must be summaries of ideas below them, because they derive from them Ideas at any particular level must be logically ‘at the same level’ Ideas at any level must be in a clearly visible logical order of priority

Pyramid Principle

Dear Rob, James called to say he can’t make the meeting at 3 pm. Harry says he doesn't mind making it later , or even tomorrow, but not before 10:30, and Don Clifford’s secretary says that Clifford won’t return from Frankfurt until tomorrow, late. The conference room is booked tomorrow , but free on Thursday . Thursday, 11:00 looks to be a good time. Is that OK for you? Dear Rob, Can we reschedule today’s meeting to Thursday at 11:00 ? This would be more convenient for James and Harry, and would also permit Clifford to attend

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Agenda

• Need for Structure
• The Pyramid Principle

Benefits of T

• p-Down Communication
• Practice Exercises
• Navigating the Pyramid

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Why Top Down Communication

• Keeps the reader engaged by

creating a question –answer dialogue

• Each level raises a question which is

answered by the level below

• Enables us to create maximum

impact in minimum time and space

What time / space constraints enable you to cover Entire argument

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Agenda

• Need for Structure
• The Pyramid Principle
• Benefits of T
• p-Down Communication

Practice Exercises

• Navigating the Pyramid

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Agenda

• Need for Structure
• The Pyramid Principle
• Benefits of T
• p-Down Communication
• Practice Exercises

Navigating the Pyramid

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Navigating the Pyramid

• The pyramid can be navigated

in different ways

• Two decisions to be taken
• How much of the pyramid?
• T
• p down vs. Bottom up

Main Message Further Lower Level Details

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Factors Determining Choice of Approach

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• Audience
• Senior vs. junior
• Positive or Neutral vs. Negative or Hostile
• Type of Message
• Positive vs. Negative
• Time/Space Constraints
• Objective
• Impact Vs. Buy-in

Thank Y

• u

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Structure in Communication Practice Exercises

Structure – The Key to Effective Communication

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• Read through the passages given in your hand out
• E-mail
• Report
• Memo
• How are they currently structured?
• How would you structure them using the Pyramid Principle?

Passage 1 - Email

T

• : John

Cc: Sub: Urgent + Important There’s a problem with your hotel booking for the conference in Cologne. I could only book T uesday and Wednesday night; the hotel is already full on Monday night. I tried several others, but there’s nothing to be had anywhere because of the Electronics Fair . (I haven’t tried guest houses yet). According to the new summer timetable, there’s a flight on T uesday morning at 9.30. The arrival time in Cologne is 10.30 local

• time. As the conference begins at mid-day and the journey from the airport will take you about an hour

, you will still arrive on time. The travel office has booked a seat for you already, just in case. And by the way: isn’t it your wedding anniversary on Monday?

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The Governing Thought

Y

• u should travel Tuesday morning

instead of Monday night Y

• u will still be on time

Accommodation will be less

• f a problem

Y

• u can be at home for your

anniversary

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Passage 2 - Report

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OEM’s have been able to maintain stable margins on account of steady volume growth, higher price realizations (due to the gradual shift towards higher tonnage vehicles), sustained index of industrial production (IIP) growth, healthy freight availability, quality improvement, reduction in development time for new products and the cost reduction measures. These measures have largely centered on material cost savings, better supply chain management, extensive manpower rationalization and reduction of overhead costs due to better capacity utilization.

Passage 2 - Report

OEMs have succeeded in maintaining stable margins External Factors Internal Factors

How?

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Passage 3 - Memo

Sub: Retail Price Data Survey In our earlier letter , we recommended some enhancements to the reporting characteristics of the Retail Price Data Survey. In addition to these suggestions we recommend that consideration be given to reviewing the stores actually being surveyed. At the present time we have a considerable number of non-keeper stores (including garages, grocery stores, etc.) being surveyed, only 243 or 34% are classified as “ A ” stores or long-range keepers. These are our high-volume stores, where competitiveness is most important and therefore, we feel the 34% being surveyed do not give us a true reading as to the actual price conditions in

• ur key markets. In fact, we recommend that consideration be given to surveying only “

A ” type stores. Obviously, if we modify the Arc Oil surveyed stores, we will also have to modify the competitive stores to make them compatible. Finally, we recommend that the program’s built-in 52-50 ratio for self-serve be modified to 70-30, which is more in line with current experience. The increasing importance of the RPDS makes it imperative that we take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the data surveyed is truly reflective of the marketplace. Y

• ur assistance will be appreciated.

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Passage 3 – Current Structure

Consider reviewing the stores being surveyed Non keeper stores distort market price Need to modify competitor stores also Need to modify self serve ratio Need to ensure data reflects market place

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Passage 3 – Structure As Per Pyramid Principle

Make sure the data reflects the market place Survey only ‘ A ’ type stores Shift competitive stores to match Change the self serve ratio

How?

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Passage 3 Rewritten (Pyramid Structure Forces Clarity)

Sub: Retail Price Data Survey As you know, the increasing importance of the RPDS makes it imperative that the data collected truly reflect the market place. T

• this end, we recommend that consideration be given to updating the stores actually

being surveyed, as follows: 1.Survey only “ A ” type stores. At the present time we have a considerable number of non-keeper stores (including garages, grocery stores, etc.) being surveyed, which tends to distort the actual market price. Of the 705 Arc Oil stores being surveyed, only 243 or 34% are classified as “ A ” stores (or long-range keepers). These are our high-volume stores where competitiveness is most important. Surveying only 34% does not give us a true reading of the actual price conditions in our key markets. 2.Shift the competitive stores to match. Obviously if we modify the Arc Oil surveyed stores, we will also have to modify competitive stores to make them compatible. 3.Change the self-serve ratio from 50-50 to 70-30. This figure is more in line with current experience. Y

• ur assistance is very much appreciated.

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Creating Effective Presentations

Agenda

Key Elements of a Presentation

• Steps to Create a Presentation

Key Elements of a Presentation

• Tell a story
• Relevant to the audience
• Interesting
• Create ‘AHA’ moments
• Showcase your strengths
• Something you believe in
• Keep it Simple
• Apply Pyramid Principle
• PPT Title
• Slide titles as the key message of

that slide

• Text / visuals are the supportings

for the key message

• Utilize space effectively
• Structure the presentation

into appropriate sections

• Ensure consistency of visual

appeal

Agenda

• Key Elements of a Presentation

Steps to Create a Presentation

Steps to Create a Presentation

Know Y

• ur

Goals Understand Y

• ur

Audience Determine Number of Slides Create a Storyboard Fill in Details Check Flow and Key Messages Prepare Backups

Know Your Goals

• Sell your idea/ create an impact
• Convince a key partner/investor
• Build consensus within your team
• Share information with the audience

Know Your Audience

• Background and Skills
• Interests
• Potential biases, if any
• Their objectives from the meeting

Determine Number of Slides

• Define structure of meeting
• Estimate amount of time available for presentation
• Determine number of slides required
• 3 minutes per slide

Create a Storyboard

• Outline/ Skeleton presentation
• Key messages in the right sequence
• Each key message becomes a slide headline/title
• Should read like a story

Fill in Details

• T

ext/ visuals on each slide to support the key message

• Not too many visuals on a slide
• Data/ charts should be relevant to the message

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Check Flow and Key Messages

• Flow / Consistency across the ppt
• Avoid gaps/ jumps in storyline
• Consistent form/ visual appeal across slides

and sections

• Key Messages
• Impactful
• Relevant
• New Insights
• Showcase strengths

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Prepare Backups

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• Additional details around analysis
• Expected answers to key questions

Thank Y

• u

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