Capecci Communications provides training, consulting, and advanced writing services
to help clients communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact.
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Finding Your Advocacy Stories
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Demonstrate the range of personal engagement
 I've been fortunate to work with hundreds of individuals who use personal storytelling to advocate for their organizations and missions. Their stories are moving, inspirational, disturbing, funny, and hopeful. They narrate what it is to live with adversity, illness, injustice, and by sharing their stories they advocate for change: greater awareness and education, new policies, new actions.
When we think of story-based advocacy, the narratives that most often come to mind are those that are 'close to the core' -- those that speak directly to the main objective of advocacy efforts and are critical to advancing a cause, gaining support, and inciting action.
But our challenge is to listen for the potential of personal stories not only at the core of an organization, but on the periphery and in the silences. By listening for and sharing with our audiences a wide variety of stories, we enable engagement with our organizations at multiple levels. I've been reminded of this most recently during my work with arts organizations.
For example: a local visual arts organization dedicated to young and emerging artists needs to make its case for support and demonstrate its importance to the core constituency. Naturally, they gather inspiring and persuasive stories from artists who have worked, created, and exhibited in the gallery.
But there are other stories to be mined: stories of Board members and why they choose to volunteer time in service to the arts. Stories of audience members, narrating the experience of what it is to visit an event or exhibition. Stories of funders, and why their financial commitment is often deeply personal.
One Board member, a self-identified 'numbers cruncher,' told me of a childhood artist friend who opened his eyes to a new of way of seeing and how he honored him through his Board service. A woman spoke of how her family's regular attendance at art events had helped shape her boys into young men of whom she was proud, and how she wanted to insure that opportunity for others. When I asked a major donor why she had, for decades, consistently contributed her time and money to a contemporary art center, she told me the story of visiting a young artist's studio in the 1960s. She continues to support new arts, she told me, 'Because I remember what it felt like to stand there and witness the messy, raw, creative process -- it's exhilarating.'
Regardless of an organization's emphasis, advocating and gaining support for a mission means learning how to tell all the great stories. Stories that show the good work. Stories that demonstrate need. Stories that are compelling, authentic, engaging. But most of all, stories that demonstrate the wide variety of personal connections to an organization and mission.
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Webinars: New Tech, Basic Skills
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Tips to make the technology work for you
I'll admit it. When someone first suggested I offer one of my training sessions as a "webinar", I cringed.
It wasn't that the idea of conducting a "web-based seminar" (an audio-only presentation with visual support, experienced by attendees at their computers) was uncomfortable. It was the name itself: webinar.
Sure, it's a testament to the power and flexibility of the English language, this ability to blend, morph, smoosh two or more words into useful new terms - like "email." But a part of me (apparently, the crotchety part) feels just a little sad when the new word, one that obviously will have currency for a while and not as a brandname, is - well - a little too cute and clumsy. Edutainment. Staycation. Webinar.
I probably should just chillax . . . and say that webinars are a mighty handy means of reaching large audiences without having to travel. Most webinar software and providers offer interactive features such as live polling and "hand raising," and the sessions can be recorded for repeat performances. In budget-conscious times, webinars offer us a cost-effective alternative when face-to-face communication is just not possible.
But whenever we introduce technology into the communication event, we have to ask: how do we maintain our fundamental communication skills? How do we ensure that the live, speaking human is not fighting against the technology, but shining through it? The medium (and the term) may be new-ish, put presentation essentials still matter when conducting a web-based seminar.
Here are a few reminders for the next time you have to deliver a ginormous entertrainment via a webinar:
Voice. Like the audience for a radio show, your webinar participants rely on your voice to engage them. Keep the pace and inflection lively, but pause deliberately to transition between thoughts and visuals. Give yourself time to breathe. Verbally direct your audience through the visuals. Articulate clearly, and sign on early to test out volume and clarity.
Energy. A webinar is a vocal and physical workout for a presenter. Stand and deliver your presentation, even though you may be alone in front of your computer. Standing will help you maintain your presentation energy, facilitate breathing, and allow you to gesture. Your audience may not see you, but they will hear the difference in your voice and attitude.
Visuals. As always, visuals need to be clear, concise, engaging, and completely supportive of your verbal content. For a webinar, you may consider changing them more frequently than you would while presenting in front of a live audience, or incorporating animation or text effects that might otherwise distract. Remember that you are competing with everything your audience may have on their computer screens, including email and solitaire.
For a look at what a webinar participant sees and hears, view this short sample: Getting to the Point Quickly with Sustainable Design by Nathan Shedroff.
Have some tips of your own? Email info@capeccicom.
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Communication Training for Design Professionals |
Applying Design Principles to Speech and Text
 The WordForum Series is a collection of communication workshops we've created specifically for design professionals to improve writing and speaking skills. Developed in partnership with writer and landscape architect Adam Arvidson of Treeline, WordForum is the only communication training series designed by and for design professionals such as architects, landscape architects, interior and exhibit designers, engineers, or city planners. Instruction applies the design process to the crafting of text and speech, and incorporates examples drawn from actual design projects. Each one-hour workshop focuses upon an essential aspect of written or spoken communication, and can be customized to meet designers' skill levels, learning objectives, and schedules. For more information, contact Adam at adam@treeline.biz (866.859.7593) or John at john@capeccicom.com (612.229.8896). |
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Creativity:
Hans Rolling's speaking style is casual and enthusiastic. And you can't beat his innovative presentation of data (02:29 into this clip).
Clarity:
What's another word for 'precise'?
Courage:
WomenHeart advocates raise awareness of heart disease by speaking their personal stories.
Campaign:
Join me in the "fight" against this punctuation abuse.
Confidence:
Jacqueline Novogratz's speaking confidence takes over about 01:50 into her engaging story. A reminder to us all to start strong, and a fascinating talk on ending poverty in Africa.
Core Readings:
A helpful and entertaining bookshelf friend.
Comedy:
Beware fraudulent communication training outfits.
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Website Update: Capeccicom.com
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Visit our newly designed website ( www.capeccicom.com) for a quick look at current projects and an overview of services.
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Capecci Communications provides training, consulting, and advanced writing services
to help clients communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact.
612.229.8896
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