After countless years of research, I’ve finally discovered the secret as to why most communications are boring.
This is complex stuff. So concentrate carefully. Here goes – the reason most communications are boring…
… is because nobody ever asks “How can I make it more interesting?”
And that’s it.
Insightful, I know.
But you know it’s true. After all, when people prepare comms, their only thought is “what do I want to say?”
Not “how can I make it more interesting?”
Fortunately, once you know this, it’s easy to make things interesting. All we have to do is:
- Recognise what people find interesting
- Include some of that
Examples:
- Audiences like interactivity. So prepare questions to ask them, to guarantee they speak
- People like personal stories. So include some
- They like learning new stuff. So ensure you teach them something
- They like humour. So, where appropriate, use it
- People like short paragraphs. So press the “return” key more often!
- They prefer visuals to lots of words. So use more flowcharts and fewer long paragraphs
- They like things that are relevant to them. So ask them upfront: “What do you want me to talk about?”
- People want to get a good first impression. So spend 20% of your prep time on the first 2% of your communication – ensure you’re brilliant, early
- Etc, etc
And how many of these interesting things should you include in your next communication?
Well, it depends how interesting you want to be.
But I strongly advise you include more than none of them.
Because, if you don’t, you won’t have any interesting things.
Which means it’s boring.
And nobody wants to be that.
Action Point
For your next communication today – as in, the one you’re about to do right now – make it more interesting.
Use one of the above points – or one of your own – to help people enjoy what you say more.