It's About the "So What?" Factor

You'll either be giving, or listening to, a presentation or pitch of some sort this week. 

When we speak, our audience has a set of mental scanners with blinking lights waiting for the "So What?" question to finally be answered. Those blinking lights pick up nuggets of wisdom until they add up to,  "This is how I can apply that to my life or my work." Make it easy. Tell them the answer to "So what?"

  When you do, the scanning stops and  they tune in to hear even more. 

Note: Don't assume that your well-researched facts will automatically add up to the same conclusion you reached. Tell them the conclusion and the application as you see it. The mind abhors a vaccuum. If you leave one, the vaccuum will be filled--be not necessarily with the same "So What?"

Lessson: Orchestrate your presentation outcome by stating it. If you start getting a lot of questions, you've done a good job. Questions mean people are engaged, not upset with your riff. 

So here's your mantra for the week: "So what?" When you become the person who answers that, you also become the person who turns theory into practical application. That's adding real value.

Note: My thanks to Barbara from Halliburton in the Great Republic of Texas for picking up a typo in the original second paragraph.  

Comments

[Aohanian]

Steve, those two words are vital, not just in presentations but in every communication: whenever we open our mouths to speak or write an email, we should always bear in mind the “so what” our listener or reader will be asking themselves.

[Steve Roesler]

Aohanian

Good to see you again and also a very good point. I think we could label that as "purposeful speech." Whenever we get ready to communicate, we ought to take enough time to understand the purpose and how best to ensure that our listener arrives at the same place.

Here's to a good week!

Steve

[Lynn Ferguson-Pinet]

The question should be asked for presentation and also for meetings in general. The So What doesn't need to be mind blowing but it does need to be worth the effort that went in to either attending the meeting or the presentation.

Thanks
Lynn

[Steve Roesler]

Hello, Lynn

Indeed. And your insight re: "not mind-blowing" really hits home. It needs to be something valuable for everyone in attendance.

Steve

[Cowan Anderson]

I like your point of note as u mentioned the research can be change as the work goes, more helpful for IT development company, as considering there research going.