How to get to the point when speaking
Meet Leo.
He wants his teammates to understand his thinking. Sometimes he gives the background before the main point.
The main complaint is that checkout takes too many steps.
The goal is a clear order, with enough context to make your point useful.
Lead with what you found.
Leo reviewed customer comments on a new checkout page. Most complaints were about the number of steps it takes to finish a purchase.
Leo’s coworker
What’s the main takeaway?
Leo’s first response
I started by reading through the customer comments and looking at what people were saying about the checkout…
Give the takeaway first.
Leo’s coworker is still waiting for the finding. Start there, then explain how you reached it.
Leo’s clearer response
The main complaint is that checkout takes too many steps.
- Main finding first
When they ask for more detail
Explain what supports your point, then discuss what to do next.
Leo’s coworker
How do you know that’s the main issue?
Leo
It came up in most of the complaints I read.
Explain what supports your point.
You’ve given the finding. Now explain where it came from.
If they ask what to do next
Leo’s coworker
So what should we do first?
Leo
I’d review which steps we could remove or combine.
Give a clear next step.
Put the message before the explanation.
Three illustrative situations Leo might face. Start with the point, then explain.
Share a finding
A customer says their order never arrived. Leo checked the delivery record and found it was delivered to their old address.
Leo’s manager
What did you find out?
Leo
It was delivered to their old address.
Say what you found before walking through your investigation.
Give an update
The internet was down this morning, so Leo couldn’t check client emails. The connection is now restored, and he’s replying to the messages that arrived while he was offline.
Leo’s manager
Where are we with the internet problem?
Leo
We’re back online. I’m catching up on the client emails now.
Start with where things stand now.
Make a recommendation
Two teammates are away tomorrow. Leo’s team has customer appointments booked and an internal training session that can be rescheduled.
Leo’s manager
How should we handle tomorrow?
Leo
I’d move the training session so we can cover the customer appointments. We’re two people short.
Give your recommendation before explaining the circumstances.
Your turn
Your turn to respond.
Read the situation. Think of your answer or say it aloud before opening the example.
The situation
Your team shortened its weekly planning meeting from an hour to half an hour. Everyone still has time to give an update, and you finish with next week’s tasks assigned.
Your coworker
So what did we learn?
What would you say?
Start with what the shorter meeting still accomplishes.
See one possible response
One possible response
We can get through the updates and assign next week’s work in half an hour.
Lead with the observed result.
This states what the meeting accomplishes and how long it takes.
Practice before it matters.
Pressure gives you short conversations to answer out loud, feedback on your response, and a chance to try again when a retry is available.
See how practice worksFind your words.
Practice saying them.
Short spoken reps for everyday conversations.
