This is a fun little simple presentation outline, or simple report format. I have found that it resonates very well with many people and once in a while creates an ‘aha‘ moment. I have dubbed it the Tell ‘Em Protocol. I picked it up somewhere along the line, perhaps law school, but don’t really remember. As my kids came up through high school and college, I shared it with them when it was needed. I could tell when the time was right because I would see understanding dawn in their eyes. Both of my daughters have stories of their own where they would share the message and have the joy of creating aha moments for others.
The Tell ‘Em Protocol
So… here it is. When faced with a presentation or report, how do you organize it?
- Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em
- Tell ‘em
- Tell ‘em what you told em.
Structure
You can see the structure. Any good report or presentation needs:
- An Introduction – tell ‘em what you’re going to tell em.
- The Body – tell ‘em.
- And Conclusion – tell ‘em what you told ‘em.
A bigger report outline
This simple presentation outline can be expanded to meet more complicated circumstances. I worked for a federal agency and we had to write documents asking for permission to do most anything. The report had to be in a specific format:
- A one sentence statement of the authority you were asking for.
- An introduction describing the information contained in the document and the conclusion that you would draw at the end.
- The body of the document containing information and expected results.
- A conclusion detailing what you said, what you wanted and why it was appropriate.
- A final statement requesting authority be granted as requested in the first sentence.
Or:
- Tell ‘em what you want
- Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em
- Tell ‘em
- Tell ‘em what you told em.
- Tell ‘em to let you do it.
I like simple solutions whenever possible. While it is not always possible, I find the best way to make information understandable is to summarize the detail as much as possible so that the big picture stands out. Summarizing the detail into an understandable message can take a lot of work. You need to know and understand the underlying detail to make this happen. Only then will you be in a position to help others understand and manage the issue. Start with the big picture and get your audience comfortable with the information. Then you can dive into the detail as necessary to enhance the understanding and support decision-making. Be prepared to dive deep into the detail. Nothing derails your credibility more than not being able to support your summary on the fly.
There you have it. The Tell ‘Em Protocol. A simple presentation or report outline.
Need help getting your information into an understandable format. I have years of experience compiling and presenting information to management, staff, and owners. I would be happy to help.