Page 170 - The Voice of Authority

It’s difficult to understand the details if you don’t
have a summary of the big-picture message first.
Attention wanes quickly. You’ll need to grab listeners
fast before they exit, nod off, or text-message their
dentist.
People expect applicable messages. With more than
500 TV channels to select from, 1,800 newspapers,
hundreds of headlines, and blogs popping online
faster than popcorn, people want to make their
choices quickly.

Whether good news or
When a speaker won’t bad, competent communi-
boil it down, the audi- cators understand the value
ence must sweat it out. of getting to the point.
—Anonymous The first words from the
moon: “Tranquility Base
here. The Eagle has landed.”
The first words of Winston Churchill after the fall of
France during World War II: “The news from France is very
bad.”
The first words from President Bush’s address immediately
after 9/11/2001: “This is a difficult moment for Amer-
ica. . . . Today we’ve had a
national tragedy. Two air-
planes have crashed into the Many people who have
World Trade Center in an the gift of gab don’t
apparent terrorist attack on know how to wrap it up.
our country.” —Lions magazine
Get their attention by
summarizing your message
succinctly. Then follow up with the details.

158 The Voice of Authority