How to simplify the complex

Here’s how to simplify the complex…

Example 1: simplifying presentations

With presentations, there are four things you must get right:

1. Content – say things your audience will find valuable
2. Visuals – if using slides, make sure they enhance your message, not dilute it
3. Delivery – deliver with charisma and impact
4. Mindset – build your confidence and belief – so you know you’re helping your audience

Master all four, and you’ll deliver a great presentation. If any one is missing, it could’ve been better. If all are missing, it couldn’t have been worse!

Example 2: simplifying Business Development (BD)

With BD, there are only two things that matter:

1. How? – how do you do it? Which techniques should you use? You want things that are (1) likely to work (2) quick to do (3) you enjoy doing. And
2. How often? – how often should you do BD? Once a day? Once a week?

Get both the “how” and the “how often” right, and you will be successful. It’s inevitable.

And, if BD isn’t working for you now, the solution is simple: you have to change one or both of these two.

Example 3: nailing difficult conversations

We have lots of difficult conversations – giving bad news, responding to others’ objections, etc. And, to give yourself the best chance of success, only two things matter:

1. Script – in advance of the difficult conversation, script what words you’ll say
2. Practice – practice saying this script out loud – at least 5-10 times – until you become comfortable with it, and the words sound natural

When you script and practice, you’re giving yourself the best chance of it going well. But if you miss one/both, you’re leaving too much to chance. So you’ve made a hard thing even harder.

What these three examples teach us, about Simplifying The Complex

Presentations, BD, difficult conversations … all three can feel complex. Where to start? What to do? How to get better? It just seems too much!

But, once you break them down into their very few, very core elements, everything feels more do-able.

This seemingly impossible presentation now feels ok – there are only four things to focus on.

This tricky BD? This difficult conversation? Again, it’s much easier, knowing there are only a couple of things to master.

So these are the first steps of Simplifying The Complex for others:

1. Break it down into a small number of very core elements
2. Start by saying the word ‘only’ and this small number – ‘there are only three things to focus on’
3. Ask for help if you need it

It’s so easy to think “Eek – this presentation is huge – complicated and scary. Where on earth do I start?”

But it feels a LOT better when we change this to “I only have four things to focus on. Let’s start with the easiest.”

Action Point

1. What complicated topic do you need to communicate today?
2. Find its core elements (there’ll usually be 2-4 ish)
3. Use these 2-4 as your Essay Plan Structure, your contents page, your intro…
4. … and it’s already easier for you – and for everyone who hears it