A521.7.4.RB
Secret
Structure
Are
there secrets behind what we say? Do our
stories have cryptic means…hidden clues to what we really mean? I say no.
This would confuse our audience leaving them asking, “What did he/she
mean to say?” or “Huh?”. Great
communicators use a certain structure when communicating. Unlike “The Da Vinci Code” author, Dan Brown,
great communicators do not send cryptic messages that would have the listener
thinking that they were in a game of “Clue”.
Great
communicators allow their message to ebb and flow. In Nancy Duarte’s TED video (Duarte, 2010),
Ms. Duarte indicates that there is a pattern to communication. As I watched her video, I noticed a dragon
tooth pattern like the top of a castle parapet develop. The pattern started low, ebbed and flowed and
ended up high. I’ll explain.
Ms.
Duarte said that the communicator started out by flowing with the “what
is”. She then ebbed with the “what could
be”. Depending on the length of the
speech, there could be many ebbs and flows or just a few. The ebbs and flows would go on with the “what
is” and what could be” and culminated in the “new bliss” or ending.
Ms.
Duarte used the late Steve Jobs of Apple fame and the late Dr. Martin Luther
King to illustrate this pattern. She
highlighted Jobs’ introduction of the iPhone and Dr. King’s “I have a dream
speech”. Two very iconic speeches that
have absolutely changed the world both with electronic communication and
religious freedoms and Civil Rights.
These
speeches ebbed and flowed. “What is…What
could be…what is…what could be…what is…what could be…new bliss”.
Whether
the presenter added personal stories, videos and guest speakers, the pattern
was the same.
Although
I was unaware of this pattern, I’m sure that I have used it.
I
will now try to use the pattern in my future presentations. I like it.
It makes sense.
Reference
Duarte, N. (2010). Uncovers
common structure of greatest communications. [Video File].
[TEDxEast]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks
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