The First Minute

1. Frame Your Message: Context, Intent, Key Message

"Framing helps individuals interpret data." – Erving Goffman

Set the stage. Framing is the simplest way to prepare an audience to receive your message before you deliver it. It consists of three elements: context, intent, and key message. Context orients your audience to the topic you want to discuss. Intent clarifies what you want the audience to do with the information. The key message is the most important part of your overall message.

Engage your audience. By providing these three elements in the first 15 seconds of your communication, you ensure your audience understands the core of your message from the start. This approach works for both verbal and written communication, helping to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.

Examples of framing:

• Context: "I'm working on project ABC..."
• Intent: "I need your input on..."
• Key message: "We're going to miss the deadline unless..."

2. Structure Your Summary: Goal, Problem, Solution (GPS)

"Simple and to the point is always the best way to get your point across." — Guy Kawasaki

Navigate your message. The Goal, Problem, Solution (GPS) method provides a simple structure for summarizing any work-related topic, no matter how complex. Goal is what you're trying to achieve. Problem is what's preventing you from reaching that goal. Solution is what you propose to overcome the problem.

Clarify your communication. This structure helps you avoid common pitfalls like diving into details too quickly, going off on tangents, or dwelling on the past instead of focusing on solutions. It allows you to summarize even the most complex topics in less than a minute, ensuring your audience understands the key points quickly.

GPS in action:

• Goal: Launch a new product by Q4
• Problem: Current testing process is too slow
• Solution: Implement automated testing to speed up the process

3. Validate Your Audience: Time Check and Checkpoint

"Make sure your audience is ready to receive your message." – Anonymous

Respect your audience's time. Before diving into your message, it's crucial to ensure your audience has both the ability and availability to engage with your communication. This involves two key steps: a time check and a validation checkpoint.

Ensure engagement. The time check sets expectations for how long the conversation will take. Instead of asking for "a minute," ask for the actual time you need. The validation checkpoint, placed after your framing and structured summary, gives your audience a chance to confirm if they're the right person to help and if now is a good time to talk.

Validation examples:

• "Are you the right person to help with this?"
• "Do you have time to talk about this now?"
• "Do you have any questions about what I just described?"

4. Master the First Minute: Get to the Point Quickly

"Tell me what you are talking about. Tell me why you are talking about it. And please, please, please, get to the point."

Maximize impact. The first minute of your communication is crucial. By combining framing, structured summary, and validation, you can deliver a clear, concise message that engages your audience and sets the stage for a productive conversation.

Avoid common pitfalls. Many people start conversations without providing context, fail to clarify their intent, or take too long to get to the key message. By mastering the first minute, you can avoid these issues and ensure your audience understands what you're talking about and why it's important.

First minute structure:

1. Time check (5 seconds)
2. Framing (15 seconds)
3. Structured summary (30 seconds)
4. Validation checkpoint (10 seconds)

5. Focus on Solutions, Not Problems

"Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer." – Denis Waitley

Drive positive action. When communicating at work, it's easy to get bogged down in describing problems. However, focusing on solutions leads to more productive conversations and positive outcomes. This approach is especially important in status updates and when escalating issues.

Look forward, not backward. By structuring your communication to end with the solution, you shift the focus to future actions rather than dwelling on past issues. This not only makes your communication more positive but also more likely to lead to constructive discussions and problem-solving.

Solution-focused communication:

• Instead of detailing all the problems, summarize the key issue
• Propose potential solutions or next steps
• Ask for input on how to move forward

6. Elevate Your Emails: Apply Framing and Structured Summaries

"If you send me a blank invitation, expect a blank response" – Anonymous

Craft clear emails. Apply the principles of framing and structured summaries to your emails to make them more effective. Use the subject line for context and intent, state your key message in the first line of the email, and use labeled bullet points or short paragraphs for the goal, problem, and solution.

Enhance readability. For longer emails, use headings, bullets, and white space to break up the text and make it easier to read. This structure helps your audience quickly identify critical information and calls to action.

Email structure example:

• Subject: Website updates – priority decision needed
• First line: Can you help me with a priority order decision for the website development team?
• Body:
  • Goal: [Brief statement]
  • Problem: [Concise description]
  • Solution/Request: [Clear action items]

7. Transform Your Meetings: Clear Invitations and Introductions

"If you send me a blank invitation, expect a blank response" – Anonymous

Improve meeting productivity. Clear meeting invitations and introductions are crucial for productive meetings. Use a modified version of framing in your invitations, including context, intent, meeting purpose, and expected output. This ensures attendees understand why they're invited and what to expect.

Start strong. Begin each meeting by reviewing the purpose and expected output, even if it's in the invitation. This focuses attendees on the topic at hand and provides an opportunity for questions or clarifications. Consider adding a validation checkpoint at the start of the meeting to ensure the right people are present.

Meeting invitation structure:

• Subject: [Context and Intent]
• Body:
  • Meeting Purpose: [One-line description]
  • Meeting Output: [Expected outcome]
  • Additional Information: [Structured summary if needed]

8. Adapt for Different Situations: Presentations, Updates, and More

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." – Confucius

Versatile application. The principles of framing and structured summaries can be adapted for various workplace communication scenarios, including presentations, status updates, unexpected questions, and escalations. In each case, the goal is to provide clear context, intent, and key information quickly.

Tailored approach. While the core principles remain the same, slight modifications may be needed for different situations. For example, in presentations, use framing and structured summaries to introduce your topic. For status updates, focus more on solutions and next steps rather than dwelling on problems.

Adaptation examples:

• Presentations: Use framing to introduce your topic and set expectations
• Status updates: Keep goal and problem statements short, focus on solutions
• Unexpected questions: Use the structure to organize your thoughts quickly
• Escalations: Emphasize the solution or proposed next steps

Last updated: July 27, 2024