How We Can Communicate Better Around Here

What I’ll Discuss Today● Pseudo-Intellectual Principals!● Death by PowerPoint!● E-mail Atrocities!● That Thing with Little Buttons and Lights on Your

Desk!● Conference Call Addiction!● Brief in Name Only

My Pseudo–Intellectual Principals

“Never mistake!activity for!achievement”

John Wooden

Winston Churchill

“I am sorry I have had to write you such a long letter, but I did not have time to write you a short one”

David Ogilvy

“I searched all the parks in all the cities and found no statues to committees”

Avoid Death by PowerPoint

Some Brutal Truths About PowerPoint● It’s almost always horrible!● Info overload !● Cram your brain, not your

slides!● Are you even needed?

Some Brutal Truths About PowerPoint● Consumed with creating “the

deck"!● Forget we’re making a

presentation!● No rehearsal!● No chance to excel

Ironic Insight

● If I’m so critical of PowerPoint, why use it to make the argument?

Tips for Better Presentations● Text and concept visuals!● Easy on the charts!● Commit to an

anti-clutter standard

Tips for Better Presentations● Present an outline. Hand

out the brain dump!● Animate with your

voice and body language!● Twenty minutes

Avoiding E-Mail Atrocities

Some Brutal Truths About E-Mail In The Workplace● E-mail overload is #1 killer

of productivity!● 126 received/day (average)!● Requires 41% of time

Some Brutal Truths About E-Mail In The Workplace● 53% of e-mail received is

unimportant!● 20% of important email is

overlooked!● Inboxes contain 70% of

enterprise info

Tips for Effective E-Mail● Meaningful subject line!● No DIY attachments!● Be editors, not matadors!● Don’t select “Urgent,” be that way

Tips for Effective E-Mail● Make one point per email!● “Reply All” = quasi-spam!● Specify the response you want!● Try texting or IM or Salesforce!!

● And while I’m at it….do you ever send mail containing these vital messages?

“I agree!”.

“Same here!”

“Thank you!!!”.

“You’re welcome!”!.

“Don’t be silly - I’m the one who should

say you’re welcome.”

Eliminating Conference Call Chaos

Some Brutal Truths About Conference Calls● Tools make scheduling

too easy!● Definition of Business

Insanity – on calls all day discussing how busy you are!

● “Having a good call” is not a meaningful accomplishment

Tips for Better Calls● Care enough to prepare!● Think twice about invitee list!● Would a memo suffice?!● Good reasons to meet: Present. Plan. Decide.

Tips for Better Calls● Bad reasons to meet: Read through docs.!● Focus on action items!● Summarize agreements and next steps!● Conference report

That Thing With The Little Lights and Buttons On Your Desk

Tips on when you should call instead of write● Truly urgent and time

sensitive!● Still unresolved after

three e-mails!● Requires less than ten

minutes (most things do)

Better Creative Briefs

Some Brutal Truths About Our Creative Briefs

● Often non-existent!● Paperwork, not thinking !● Production focused!● Brain dump!

Some Brutal Truths About Our Creative Briefs

Do you recognize these people?

● Minimal consumer insight!● Client focused!● No single-minded idea!● Source of confusion

Tips for Better Briefs● Treat as critical piece of thinking!● Strategy is sacrifice !● First phase of the creative process!● For the creative team, not the client

Tips for Better Briefs● Inspire the solution, don’t dictate it !● Crystallize the key, single minded message!● Concise, !● Transferable !● Actionable

Thanks for listening!Don’t be afraid to communicate!!Greg Curran!g.curran@yahoo.com!203 837 6000