Mastering the 2-minute brief

How to make the most of increasingly hard-to-access face time with decision-makers.

To get the attention of the decision-makers in your organization, you need to make the best use of the limited time they might have for whatever issue you need to raise. 

This is because people are busier than ever, and their time is precious.

“I'll give you two minutes.”

We’re all overwhelmed by competing priorities and often feel we’re being pushed and pulled in all directions. As a result, people likely have neither the time, the energy, nor the desire to process all the information that’s coming at them. The bottom line is this: Nobody wants to have to work to understand what you have to say, and they shouldn’t have to. 

How to capitalize on the opportunity

To make the most of people’s limited time, make your message accessible and easily digestible. Whether it’s delivered orally or in writing, your audience should be able to understand what you are trying to tell them quickly and with little effort. 

History has proven the wisdom of Aristotle’s guidance that a play or poem should have 3 parts – a beginning, a middle and an end. Think of a 2-minute briefing as having 3 parts as well. 

Beginning

In the first 30 seconds, you should outline very specifically what you are bringing to the audience’s attention, and why you are bringing it to them now. 

Middle

The next 60 seconds is your chance to elaborate on why the information is important and why the audience should care. 

End

The last 30 seconds should be spent describing next steps and (very specifically) what the audience’s role should be in this matter. 

You can accomplish a lot in as little as 2 minutes if you are clear, structured and accessible. As the old saying goes, “be good, be brief, be gone.” 

If your training or coaching needs are not being met, feel free to connect with us. We can help. Reach out to nathan@spectrumsolutions.com.

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