Cutting Through
Helping executives
clarify and convey complex ideas
How to match your method with your message
Paul and I had been having such fantastic conversations, I decided to record one for you also.
In this masterclass-style conversation, we discussed how to:
- Communicate at each stage of a program of work, whether it is a formal project or BAU
- Engage people at different levels of the organisation. What works for senior leaders? What works for the shop floor?
- Keep core messaging alive during longer programs of work
… and much, much more.
We covered a lot of ground.
You will, I think, find it to be a deeply useful masterclass.
Be sure to download the one page framework we discuss throughout by requesting the show notes below.
Timestamps
4:48 – The Three Communication Modes Introduction – Paul introduces the framework combining structured thinking, design thinking, and narrative strategies.
8:20 – Beyond Hollywood Emotion – Paul clarifies that business emotion is about moving people out of inertia, not dramatic storytelling.
17:25 – The Pyramid as Navigation Tool – How pyramid logic serves as a navigation system for any communication, providing coherence.
27:57 – Design Thinking as Audience Testing – Using design thinking principles to iterate and test different message framings with stakeholders.
40:01 – The Anti-Story Concept – Identifying and addressing stakeholders' negative narratives or past bad experiences.
50:04 – Champion vs. Advocate Framework – Distinguishing between passive advocates and active champions who make real trade-offs.
1:01:54 – The Entrepreneurial Theme Example – How the Caribbean expansion becomes a career advancement opportunity through positioning.
1:12:44 – Living Themes in Daily Business – Organizational change themes should be alive in daily discussions, not just presentations.
E13 – Dan Auerbach – Overcoming resistance to coaching
CEO and executive coach Dan Auerbach and I discussed a challenging aspects of leadership development: how to coach people who don't want to be coached.
E12 – Russell King – Implementing unpopular decisions with minimal political damage
In this board paper writing podcast, Davina and Russell unpack how to communicate when implementing unpopular decisions while minimising political damage.
E11 – New Board Paper Writing books: Elevate and Engage
In this board paper writing podcast, Dan and Davina unpack how board papers come together and how teams can write better papers more quickly.
E10 – Alexa Chilcutt – How to make your presentation butterflies fly in formation
In this presentation skills podcast, Davina Stanley interviews Dr Alexa Chilcutt on how your ‘presentation butterflies' can fly in formation.
E9 – Lisa Carlin – Practical strategies and case studies to help you turbo charge your transformation
Lisa Carlin, a Transformation Mentor with an incredible 96% success rate, shares her top 3 ingredients for transformation.
E8 – Adam Bennett – Communicating during great change
Adam Bennett shares his experiences as a CEO leading a major change effort while navigating opposing expectations of the board and employees.
E7 – Cerise Uden – How to hit the ground running in a big new role
Cerise Uden shares her strategies for quickly engaging and delivering for senior decision makers within days of taking on a complex new role.
E6 – Carolyn Noumertzis – How to help a senior leader come back from a misstep
Carolyn Noumertzis shares how she helped a CFO recover from a communication misstep and how to align your Team.
E5 – Daniel Musson – A Case Study in Digital Transformation
Dan Musson joins us to share deep experience in helping top brands gain maximum value from their digital transformation efforts.
E4 – Kerry Butler – Helping leaders ‘shift testing left' to derisk projects
Kerry shares how he engages senior leaders in ‘shifting their focus to the left' to prevent problems and smooth out project delivery.
E3 – Baking Learning & Growth into BAU alongside Agile Ways of Working
Damien Woods discusses his experience in engaging the leadership in a new agile-aligned approach to learning and growth.
E2 – Making Time for Strategy
Do you struggle to find time to think at work? In this episode, Richard Medcalf shares ideas to help ‘cut through' our diaries to make time for strategy.
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