This week’s post is an introduction to the method I use to craft meaningful stories, and the acronym I’ve created to share it. – Robert
We have all been there before: sitting in our seats listening to a darned good speaker who makes us laugh and reflect and nod like bobble-head dolls, all on cue. And then, three to five minutes after the speaker is done, we can’t remember what it was that kept us so engaged much less what we were supposed to do with it. Any time this happens the presenter failed either to ask this question… “What is your purpose?” or to deliver on its answer.
The first time it was asked of me had nothing to do with speaking.
I was a young, full time artist with a show I was pretty proud of. I was so proud, in fact, that I asked a well respected gallery manager to go take a look. The critique was not what I had hoped to hear. She said “You’ve obviously know how to use a brush, but the work doesn’t say anything. What is your purpose?” All the time I had devoted to becoming a painter and I had forgotten…an artist is obliged to communicate something. It was a game-changing moment for me.
That question stuck, and has served me well over the years. But nowhere has it been so well used as when speaking. Like an artist, a speaker is also obliged to communicate something. In order to communciate we need to have a purpose. In order to determine and deliver that purpose we need to put in a little effort. The following acronym – PURPOSE – represents the focus of that effort. The first three elements are the attributes of any meaningful presentation. The last four are the necessary components of any engaging story. Here it is:
Passion should be expected on both sides of the conversation. If the speaker is not passionate about his or her message there should be no presentation in the first place. Any audience deserves at least that. Furthermore, there should be a reasonable expectation that the message will be passionately embraced by at least some of the attendees.
Utility is the action step the audience takes with them. “By doing these three things my life will be improved in this way.” This is how an inspirational speech becomes a transformational speech.
Recall denotes the mental ’stickiness’ of the message. How memorable is it? It is one of those fantastic ideas that readers and listeners yank their hair over, trying deperately to remember, the following morning? Or is it an idea that sits glowing in the brain like a neon sign?
The Protagonist is your hero, the one undergoing an evolution by way of struggle.
The Obstacle is that which stands in the middle of your protagonist’s current path, blocking the way. It might fall from the sky like a bus-sized meteorite or it might grow slowly like an oak, ever so gradually blocking the way..
The Struggle is the journey the protagonist goes on due to the existence of the obstacle.
The Evolution incorporates the new understanding gained through the struggle and the transformation occurring as a result. This evolution will often, though not always, reflect to the audience a transformed image of themselves.
PURPOSE: Passion – Utility – Recall / Protagonist – Obstacle – Struggle – Evolution
During the coming weeks I’ll elaborate on these concepts one at time. I look forward to your comments…
Cheers!
Robert
1 Comment
Wonderfull…