KO#22: 3 Easy Frameworks for Work Conversations
Welcome to the 22nd issue of the Knockout Your Sunday Scaries Newsletter, an every-other-week newsletter by me, Kristy Olinger, with a focus on workplace communication and self-development. I’m glad you’re here. Was this forwarded to you? Get yours: Subscribe here
Sunday, January 19th, 2024
Hi there,
The majority of speaking that you do at work is not in scripted presentations, it’s in conversation-style speaking during meetings. Even when you are giving a presentation, it’s not an uninterrupted monologue (at least it shouldn’t be). Questions are interjected for you to respond to. You want this, because it means people are engaging with your ideas.
This means you need to be good at extemporaneous speaking. Also called impromptu, off-the-cuff, and spontaneous speaking.
How do you do that? Frameworks are your friend. Here are three easy frameworks for work conversations:
The Listicle
What is it?: Numbering your key points. (Also called enumeration but listicle sounds much more fun)
When to use it: When your points don’t directly relate to each other, making it difficult to create a cohesive story with them.
Why it’s valuable: Helps both you the speaker and the listeners to focus and remember.
Additional tip: Increase impact by combining this with the rule of 3, a writing principle that presenting things in groups of three makes them more effective, memorable, and satisfying. (see what I did there?)
What, so what, now what
What is it?: When you organize the information you share by answering these three questions in order.
When to use it: All the time. There are very few scenarios that this framework couldn’t be applied to.
Why it’s valuable: It’s simple enough to remember and use and it gives the listener a past, present, and future view.
STAR
What is it?: When you describe the S-Situation, the T-Task, the A-Action your took, then the R-Result
When to use it: Business review meetings and job interviews.
Why it is valuable: This ensures you present the information in a logical order with a satisfying conclusion, like a story.
These three simple frameworks will make work conversations easier… that feels like an antidote to the 😱 Sunday Scaries.
📚 What I’m Reading: The Wedding People, by Alison Espach
This book received an enthusiastic endorsement from my local librarian who said “this is not one to miss” while also delivering other social proof by saying “there are lots of people waiting for this”. The first 50 pages are living up to the hype. I don’t want to say anything else because I don’t want to give any spoilers.
Content Round Up - In Case You Missed It
In this section I link to all of the content that has launched in the last 2 weeks because even if you’re following me on social media, the algorithm may or may not put my post in your feed. Here is what has launched over the last 2 weeks:
Podcast: Competing with Yourself with Jake Thompson
Here we are in the 3rd week of January… how is that new year’s resolution going? Jake offers advice on how to commit to them and get off autopilot; and how making small, intentional, and sustainable changes tracked over a longer period of time can have a big impact.
Video: Framework for Public Speaking
I’ve been on a kick about frameworks, this video is about listicles.
Video: How to Speak Concisely
This is probably one of the most common questions I’m asked. In this video I share three tips.
Video: Micro-Feminism
Have you heard this term? A micro-feminism is exactly what it sounds like… a small thing that you do to advocate for women. In this video I share a micro-feminism that I’ve been doing lately.
TikTok Ban - My Take
As a small business owner, organic social media has been an amazing gift. I’ve spent $0 to promote @ko.communication and yet it has expanded my reach (250K followers across all platforms!) and brought clients that I would never have found otherwise. TikTok has been such a strong source of clients that I designed an entire workshop around these videos and its become my most popular offering.
As a perpetual student of marketing and media, I heard the warnings about organic social media from experts years ago. One who particularly stuck out summed up the situation like this:
Building a business based on social media alone is like building a house on borrowed land.
It’s so true. If you’re reading this on a social media platform, know that I’m at the whim of the company as to wether or not this gets to you… even if you’re following me and have ‘liked’ every post I’ve ever done. It’s borrowed land. At any time the landlord can increase the rent or evict me all together.
That’s why I started this email newsletter to create a more direct relationship with my community. Having this direct connection to you means that you won’t miss out on anything. So if you’re reading this anywhere other than your email inbox, consider subscribing HERE to be sure the all the proven and actionable communication tips get to you.
You made it to the end! Congrats & thanks. ❤️ Have a great two weeks.
Stay Curious,
Kristy
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