3 tips for moving between the concept and the concrete
Imagine you are a mentor, educator or keynote speaker. How can you communicate in a way that people find relevant and rewarding? People often want to understand the overall philosophy but also get practical tools. One approach is to keep moving between the concept and the concrete. Let’s explore how this works in practice.
* You can give the concept.
Imagine you are helping people to develop their leadership skills. Begin by clarifying the key messages you want to give people. Plan how you can bring these messages to life by moving between the concept and concrete. One message you may want to give, for example, is that the leader is always ‘on stage’. Start by introducing the concept. You may want to say something like:
“The leader is always ‘on stage’. People will pick up on your mood. They will watch the way you communicate, speak and act. Looking back on your own life, remember how you reacted to parents, teachers and your managers. You probably watched them closely to ‘read’ their emotions - then judged what it was safe to say or do. Leaders set the tone - which is what you do in your daily work. Let’s consider how to translate this principle into practice.”
* You can move to the concrete.
Show that you understand peoples’ world by linking the concept to concrete actions. There are many ways to bring the learning to life. Here is a snapshot of one approach. You may want to say something like:
“Let’s start from your destination and do three things. First, write the actual words you want people to say about you as a leader. For example: ‘She/he is always positive. She/he communicates a clear vision. She/he always has time for us as individuals.’ Second, describe your leadership journey during the working day - especially the interactions you have with employees. Third, describe how you want to behave during each part of this journey - especially when you are ‘on stage’. Remember the impressions you want people to take away from their interactions with you.
“Let’s start the journey. When do people see you for the first time during the day? Perhaps when you get out of the car; then you enter the building; greet the receptionist; enter the lift; say ‘hello,’ to others in the lift; walk into the main office; say ‘hello,’ to individuals; greet your PA; get yourself a coffee; talk with people at the coffee machine; walk back through the office; sit in front of the computer; begin work; answer the phone; walk around the office and so on. Looking at your journey, ask yourself:
* How do I want to behave when I meet each person? If a video camera followed me during the day, what would people see? What messages do I want to give? How can I give these in a positive but natural way?
* How do I want to greet people? How can I be fully present and give each person 100% attention? How can I show a sincere interest in them? What are the specific things I want to say to each person?
* What impression do I give when I walk through the office? Do I appear friendly, preoccupied or disinterested? What messages do I want to give? How can I do this in a natural way?
* What impression would people get of me if they saw me at my computer? Would it be better for me to have my own office - or be facing the wall - so that people do not read too much into my expressions?
* Everybody needs ‘personal space’ where they can just be themselves. What can I do to create this reflection time or space to relax? Once I have taken ‘time out’, how can I then refocus and go back into the situation where I am ‘on stage’?”
Keep giving concrete examples. Answer questions and, where appropriate, give practical tools that people can use in their daily lives and work.
* You can keep moving between the concept and the concrete.
Some teachers stay on the conceptual level; others stay on the concrete. Great educators move between the two levels. After covering the first topic, move onto the second and repeat the process. Try tackling the exercise on this theme. Looking ahead, think of a situation where you want to use this approach. First, describe the key messages - the concepts - you want to give people. Second, describe the examples you can use to bring these to life and make them concrete. When communicating, make sure that: a) You are connecting with people; b) You are helping them to reach their goals. People are then more likely to find the messages both relevant and rewarding.
Imagine you are helping people to develop their leadership skills. Begin by clarifying the key messages you want to give people. Plan how you can bring these messages to life by moving between the concept and concrete. One message you may want to give, for example, is that the leader is always ‘on stage’. Start by introducing the concept. You may want to say something like:
“The leader is always ‘on stage’. People will pick up on your mood. They will watch the way you communicate, speak and act. Looking back on your own life, remember how you reacted to parents, teachers and your managers. You probably watched them closely to ‘read’ their emotions - then judged what it was safe to say or do. Leaders set the tone - which is what you do in your daily work. Let’s consider how to translate this principle into practice.”
* You can move to the concrete.
Show that you understand peoples’ world by linking the concept to concrete actions. There are many ways to bring the learning to life. Here is a snapshot of one approach. You may want to say something like:
“Let’s start from your destination and do three things. First, write the actual words you want people to say about you as a leader. For example: ‘She/he is always positive. She/he communicates a clear vision. She/he always has time for us as individuals.’ Second, describe your leadership journey during the working day - especially the interactions you have with employees. Third, describe how you want to behave during each part of this journey - especially when you are ‘on stage’. Remember the impressions you want people to take away from their interactions with you.
“Let’s start the journey. When do people see you for the first time during the day? Perhaps when you get out of the car; then you enter the building; greet the receptionist; enter the lift; say ‘hello,’ to others in the lift; walk into the main office; say ‘hello,’ to individuals; greet your PA; get yourself a coffee; talk with people at the coffee machine; walk back through the office; sit in front of the computer; begin work; answer the phone; walk around the office and so on. Looking at your journey, ask yourself:
* How do I want to behave when I meet each person? If a video camera followed me during the day, what would people see? What messages do I want to give? How can I give these in a positive but natural way?
* How do I want to greet people? How can I be fully present and give each person 100% attention? How can I show a sincere interest in them? What are the specific things I want to say to each person?
* What impression do I give when I walk through the office? Do I appear friendly, preoccupied or disinterested? What messages do I want to give? How can I do this in a natural way?
* What impression would people get of me if they saw me at my computer? Would it be better for me to have my own office - or be facing the wall - so that people do not read too much into my expressions?
* Everybody needs ‘personal space’ where they can just be themselves. What can I do to create this reflection time or space to relax? Once I have taken ‘time out’, how can I then refocus and go back into the situation where I am ‘on stage’?”
Keep giving concrete examples. Answer questions and, where appropriate, give practical tools that people can use in their daily lives and work.
* You can keep moving between the concept and the concrete.
Some teachers stay on the conceptual level; others stay on the concrete. Great educators move between the two levels. After covering the first topic, move onto the second and repeat the process. Try tackling the exercise on this theme. Looking ahead, think of a situation where you want to use this approach. First, describe the key messages - the concepts - you want to give people. Second, describe the examples you can use to bring these to life and make them concrete. When communicating, make sure that: a) You are connecting with people; b) You are helping them to reach their goals. People are then more likely to find the messages both relevant and rewarding.
Labels: education, encouragement, mentoring
posted by Mike Pegg at
19:32
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