Newsletter July 05

Framing what you say

Imagine the Mona Lisa.

Now imagine that you have never seen it before, and when you do, it has a very old, dusty, grimy frame around it.

While it may be one of the greatest paintings in the world, the way it is framed will have an effect on how you view it.

And so it is with our speaking. We may have a great message to share with others, but if we choose an inappropriate frame for it, it will affect how our message is received.

Let’s say you are giving a presentation. What are some of the frames we need to be aware of?

1. Your frame: How do you introduce yourself?

If people don’t know who you are and why you are qualified to speak on the topic, this is likely to affect how they will receive the message.

You need to provide listeners with a framework that gives you credibility for speaking on your topic. Either you or your introducer can do this at the beginning.

In addition you can carry on building the frame of credibility during your presentation by, for example, referring to the experience you’ve had in this area.

2. Framing what you say

When people come to your presentation, they may come with their own mental frame for it.  This affects the learning experience they have.

It’s therefore useful to give people the frame you would like them to have.

Compare: “I haven’t been in the job long, so I’m not sure of all the minute details.

However, I believe there are 4 levels in the new structure…”

With: “There are 4 levels in the new structure…”

Compare: “This is just a little point I’d like to talk about”

With: “Let’s look at the most recent research and see how it can enhance what we offer”

Compare: “You only have 2 minutes to fill in your feedback forms, so you need to start straight away”

With: “You have plenty of time to fill in your feedback forms. We have 2 minutes, so take your time and I’ll give you a 10 second call when we’re due to finish”

So, when planning and practising your presentation remember to spend time on ensuring you are framing your message in the most effective way.

Happy speaking!

Copyright Successful Speaking 2005