Structure in Communication Agenda Need for Structure The Pyramid - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Structure in Communication

Agenda Need for Structure • The Pyramid Principle • Benefits of T op-Down Communication • Practice Exercises • Navigating the Pyramid Swift, Smart & Structured 2

Structure: The Key to Effective Communication Three aspects to any written communication: Style of Writing Visual Appeal Substance • Content • Sentence construction • Professional • Structure • Consistent • Vocabulary • Appropriate use of fonts / • Use of visuals colours / highlighting etc. Swift, Smart & Structured 4

Ordering of Lists A Shopping List An Ordered List  Milk  Milk  Oranges  Cheese Dairy  Butter Products  Potatoes  Butter  Cream  Potatoes  Grapes  Apples All Items Vegetables  Carrots  Spinach  Cheese  Cream  Grapes  Carrots  Spinach Fruits  Oranges  Apples Swift, Smart & Structured 5

Writing: Two Choices Dear Sonal, Dear Sonal, Y ou and I have been friends for a long I hate you because : time. However , recently you said • Y ou said something I di dn’t li ke something I did not like. After that I • Y ou didn’t come to my party invited you for a party which you did not come for after confirming • Y ou borrowed my jacket and ruined it and……………………………………………………… ……………………………. Swift, Smart & Structured 6

Structure: The Need • T o ensure that documents are o Clear o Concise • Easy to understand • T o avoid ambiguity of key takeaways • T o easily translate to action items with accountability Swift, Smart & Structured 7

The Writer ’ s Responsibility • If the writer doesn't structure document, the reader will • Two problems o Higher level of dis-satisfaction and difficulty for the reader o Higher chances of mis-interpretations • Separate the thinking process from the writing process Swift, Smart & Structured 8

Agenda • Need for Structure The Pyramid Principle • Benefits of T op-Down Communication • Practice Exercises • Navigating the Pyramid Swift, Smart & Structured 9

The Pyramid Principle The structure of all effective communication is a pyramid of logically related ideas Main point 1 st Level Support Points 2 nd Level Support Points Swift, Smart & Structured 10

Exercise: Ideas about London for a Vacation T ask 1. Broadway 7. Great Food Find relations • between the points and structure them. 2. Large variety of cuisines 8. Madam T ussads Which is the highest • 3. Buckingham Palace 9. Great vacation spot level point? 4. Famous Sights 10. London Eye 5. Lots of restaurants 11. Entertainmen t 6. Night Life Swift, Smart & Structured 11

Exercise: London is a Great Vacation Spot 9. Great V acation Spot 7. Great Food 11. Entertainment 4. Famous Sights 1. Broadway 3. Buckingham Palace 2. Variety of cuisines 6. Night Life 8. Madam T ussads 5. Lots of restaurants 10.London Eye Swift, Smart & Structured 12

The Pyramid Principle • Why Pyramid? o The mind automatically sorts information into pyramids in order to comprehend o Writer should pre-sort the information into pyramids – Less effort for the reader – Less ambiguity • Concepts o Every piece of written communication should have a main message o Pyramid is created ‘bot tom-up ’ but communicated ‘ top down’ – Sort out the ‘ so whats ’ to create the pyramid – Communicate top down Swift, Smart & Structured 13

Three Rules Ideas at any level must be summaries of ideas Summary below them, because they derive from them Ideas at any particular level must be logically ‘at Logical Levels the same level ’ Ideas at any level must be in a clearly visible Logical Order logical order of priority Swift, Smart & Structured 14

Pyramid Principle Dear Rob, Dear Rob, James called to say he can ’t make the Can we reschedule today ’ s meeting to meeting at 3 pm. Harry says he doesn't Thursday at 11:00 ? This would be more mind making it later , or even tomorrow, but convenient for James and Harry, and not before 10:30, and Don Clifford ’ s would also permit Clifford to attend secretary says that Clifford won ’t return from Frankfurt until tomorrow, late. The conference room is booked tomorrow , but free on Thursday . Thursday, 11:00 looks to be a good time. Is that OK for you? Swift, Smart & Structured 15

Agenda • Need for Structure • The Pyramid Principle Benefits of T op-Down Communication • Practice Exercises • Navigating the Pyramid Swift, Smart & Structured 16

Why Top Down Communication • Keeps the reader engaged by What time / space creating a question – answer constraints enable you to cover dialogue o Each level raises a question which is answered by the level below • Enables us to create maximum impact in minimum time and space Entire argument Swift, Smart & Structured 17

Agenda • Need for Structure • The Pyramid Principle • Benefits of T op-Down Communication Practice Exercises • Navigating the Pyramid Swift, Smart & Structured 18

Agenda • Need for Structure • The Pyramid Principle • Benefits of T op-Down Communication • Practice Exercises Navigating the Pyramid Swift, Smart & Structured 19

Navigating the Pyramid • The pyramid can be navigated in different ways Main Message • Two decisions to be taken o How much of the pyramid? o T op down vs. Bottom up Further Lower Level Details Swift, Smart & Structured 20

Factors Determining Choice of Approach • Audience o Senior vs. junior o Positive or Neutral vs. Negative or Hostile • Type of Message o Positive vs. Negative • Time/Space Constraints • Objective o Impact Vs. Buy-in Swift, Smart & Structured 21

Thank Y ou Swift, Smart & Structured 22

Structure in Communication Practice Exercises

Structure – The Key to Effective Communication  Read through the passages given in your hand out o E-mail o Report o Memo  How are they currently structured?  How would you structure them using the Pyramid Principle? Swift, Smart & Structured 2

Passage 1 - Email T o: John Cc: Sub: Urgent + Important There ’ s a problem with your hotel booking for the conference in Cologne. I could only book T uesday and Wednesday night; the hotel is already full on Monday night. I tried several others, but there ’ s nothing to be had anywhere because of the Electronics Fair . (I haven ’t tried guest houses yet). According to the new summer timetable, there ’ s a flight on T uesday morning at 9.30. The arrival time in Cologne is 10.30 local time. As the conference begins at mid-day and the journey from the airport will take you about an hour , you will still arrive on time. The travel office has booked a seat for you already, just in case. And by the way: isn’t it your wedding anniversary on Monday? Swift, Smart & Structured 3

The Governing Thought Y ou should travel Tuesday morning instead of Monday night Y ou will still be on time Accommodation will be less Y ou can be at home for your of a problem anniversary Swift, Smart & Structured 4

Passage 2 - Report OEM ’ s have been able to maintain stable margins on account of steady volume growth, higher price realizations (due to the gradual shift towards higher tonnage vehicles), sustained index of industrial production (IIP) growth, healthy freight availability, quality improvement, reduction in development time for new products and the cost reduction measures. These measures have largely centered on material cost savings, better supply chain management, extensive manpower rationalization and reduction of overhead costs due to better capacity utilization. Swift, Smart & Structured 5

Passage 2 - Report OEMs have succeeded in maintaining stable margins How? External Factors Internal Factors Swift, Smart & Structured 6

Passage 3 - Memo Sub: Retail Price Data Survey In our earlier letter , we recommended some enhancements to the reporting characteristics of the Retail Price Data Survey. In addition to these suggestions we recommend that consideration be given to reviewing the stores actually being surveyed. At the present time we have a considerable number of non-keeper stores (including garages, grocery stores, etc.) being surveyed, only 243 or 34% are classified as “ A ” stores or long-range keepers. These are our high-volume stores, where competitiveness is most important and therefore, we feel the 34% being surveyed do not give us a true reading as to the actual price conditions in our key markets. In fact, we recommend that consideration be given to surveying only “ A ” type stores. Obviously, if we modify the Arc Oil surveyed stores, we will also have to modify the competitive stores to make them compatible. Finally, we recommend that the program ’ s built-in 52-50 ratio for self-serve be modified to 70-30, which is more in line with current experience. The increasing importance of the RPDS makes it imperative that we take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the data surveyed is truly reflective of the marketplace. Y our assistance will be appreciated. Swift, Smart & Structured 7