Answer Why? What? How? and What if? - Opening Lines
How to engage everyone in your audience
Why it matters
What to do
Plan content that will interest all, or most, people
Structure content in an easy-to-follow sequence
Reduce the risk of missing something vital from your talk
Increase the chances of gaining buy-in
Enhance the possibility of the audience taking actions you desire
‘Why should I listen?’
‘Why is this topic important?’
‘Why are you the right person to speak about it?’
‘Why now?’
‘What’s the key message?’
‘What’s the big idea?’
‘What’s the theory or model?
‘What’s the key information or evidence they need to hear?
‘How does it actually work?’
‘Can you explain the practicalities?’
‘How about some examples?’
‘Can we see some evidence to support your theory?’
‘Can you demonstrate it?’
Risks in what you are proposing
Flaws in your argument
Counter-examples that might dilute or refute your case
Exceptional circumstances when your guidance would not apply
‘What if there is not enough in the budget?’
‘What if the scope of the project gets wider?’
‘What if the client doesn’t pay us on time?
‘What if I don’t have all that equipment?’
Where the information they have gleaned will be of use
The positive results of actions recommended
A vision of a successful future
‘Where will this be useful to me?”
‘How can I apply this idea?
‘What if I were to put this into practice?’
‘When will we see the results?’
Think of a topic you have to speak about.
Think of all the questions that could be on the minds of the audience.
Write them down under the headings; Why? What? How? What If?
Use your answers as material for your talk.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text] [embed]https://vimeo.com/338855592/ce5881e343[/embed] [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
The four questions are based on ‘The 4Mat System’ by Bernice McCarthy. The system is useful for structuring presentations in a way that the maximum number of people will understand. It works because members of your audience will be interested, to a greater or lesser extent, in the four different types of questions. By covering all four of them you will appeal to most, if not all, of your audience.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="52617" img_size="full"][vc_column_text]Think through the four types of questions on the minds of any audience
Answering the four questions enables you to:
Put yourself in the minds of your audience and answer the questions below. 1. Why? Imagine you are an audience member: Ask yourself:
Think of more ‘why’ questions pertinent to your topic. 2. What? Ask yourself:
Write down any more you can think of. 3. How? Ask practical questions such as:
4. What If? There are two kinds of ‘what if’ questions. a. Negative ‘what ifs’? These are potential snags such as:
Such concerns might sound like this:
Think of your own questions specific to your situation. Tip Ask someone to play ‘devil’s advocate’ and think of the most difficult questions that could come up. 5. Positive ‘what ifs’? This is where people are already thinking about the future and imagining:
Such thoughts can translate into questions such as:
Decide which of the above questions apply to your topic and add more that relate to your own talk. Keep the answers and use them to help you decide what to include in your talk. Think through the four questions before every talk and you will be well-prepared Your Turn Get used to using the four questions:
Useful if you want to explore the system in depth and is helpful for applications to teaching and learning. Learn more public speaking secrets in ‘The Speaker’s Coach: 60 secrets to make your talk, speech or presentation amazing’ by Graham Shaw. Published by Pearson and available from all good bookshops and Amazon.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
