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Building strong workable objectives is the second step in effective presentation planning. The emphasis is definitely on the word, workable. All our objectives have to be achievable by us, the speaker. And they have to be achieved in the time permitted with the audience’s involvement. Once we factor in the external pressures of time and audience it is imperative that we have the means to deliver — workable objectives give us the means.

Having good workable objectives is, therefore, an essential element of the effective presentation. Critically they fulfill 3 main purposes:

1. Workable objectives provide us with a framework for success — giving us a quick embodiment of everything that we need to present.
2. Workable objectives stop us from rambling and going off message — either when we plan, when we write or when we deliver our presentation.
3. Workable objectives get us to where we want to be getting — serving as visible milestones of progress made and distance still to be covered.

But that is not all they do. Workable objectives have another overriding purpose in our presentation. Well outlined and understood objectives assist our audience to understand our presentation’s logic flow. They ensure that our audience is more likely to follow the presentation and remain captivated by the subject — whatever that subject might be. And that has to be the overriding reason why we invest time and effort in getting the right objectives.

In an earlier article we used a mission statement selected from a presentation given in the South West: “To ensure that the team understands the HR (Human Resources) consequences of factory closure.” It was a dry old subject, but typical of many presentation missions made every day in the work-place. With this mission statement we could expect some workable objectives along the lines of:

• Set the scene for manufacturing optimisation.
• Establish the productivity benchmarks for manufacturing progress.
• Assess the options available and their impacts.
• Describe and cost the HR (Human Resources) consequences.
• Detail the preferred route for factory closure.

Our target should be some four or five workable objectives that can be handled easily and smoothly in a business presentation. Any more objectives than this, however, and you run the risk of exhausting your audience. It is a mistake that is most often found with the PowerPoint presentation style — where we are presented with multiple lists of objectives and issues at every stage. Too much detail at this early stage is not useful.

Our workable objectives should be short and sharp. And to the point.

They should stress action and focus on activity. Your choice of words is important, for they also convey important meaning for the audience. For the matter of the cardboard manufacturing plant we used the action words: set the scene, establish, assess, describe and detail. And they were probably appropriate for the circumstances. In a marketing presentation your workable objectives might include: research, develop, deliver, compete or gain share — action words which are well understood by the audience work the best. There is no room for misunderstanding.

Finally, once you have committed to your workable objectives, consider how they fit with your mission statement. Ensure that the two are in tandem and assist one another, bearing in mind how they impact upon an audience’s understanding and appreciation of our presentation. With the workable objectives settled, the next step is the planning of our presentation in more detail.

It was my birthday and as expected I got a call from Ashay saying Happy Birthday to me. I always wonder how he can remember so many birthdays. Everyone receives his phone call for birthdays and anniversaries.

I must accept that I cannot remember birthdays of people except some near and dear ones. How can somebody remember all the birthdays of all the people you meet? This was a mystery for me for many years, until this year. This year I decided to ask Ashay the secret of his memory.

“Hello Ashay,” I called him, “Can I ask you one question?”

“Yes why not?” said he.

“How can you remember so many dates so perfectly?” I asked, “I have heard many people say that Ashay wished me, and he almost remembers all the dates for his friends and family.” My curiosity was pouring out of my words.

“Friend, you will have to come down to my place to know the secret,” he said.

“Do you mean you have a secret?” I was amazed with the answer and also got relieved that Ashay must have something which I can also acquire. “Are you free now? Can I come right away?” I couldn’t stop but to ask him this with impatience.

“Certainly friend, come over, we will have a cup of coffee while I show you my secret,” Ashay said and we hung the phone.

I was more than happy as I finally asked him how he manages remembering so many dates. Now I was on my way to learn something, or maybe get something by which he does this fabulous thing.

I rang the door bell to find Ashay opening the front door. “So where is the magic lamp you posses, which gave you so much magical powers Ashay?” I asked with curiosity.

“This is no magic friend,” he said smiling mischievously and took me to the wall where a calendar was hung. He pointed towards that calendar and asked me to observe it.

It was a calendar dated 1998. Old calendar indeed. It was having current month set. I could see all the dates with names on them. There was today’s date with my name on it. Wow Ashay had maintained a calendar since 1998 with names on the birthday dates. What a simple journal to maintain. I was really amazed with the trick he was following since so many years. There were almost most of the dates filled with names. Some dates were having two names joined with equal to symbol.

“What is the equal to symbol Ashay?” I asked.

“Simple”, said he, “Those are the anniversary dates with two names joined with an equal sign.”

“One question?” I interrupted him.

“Yes.”

“There are too many names on this calendar. Do you really call all of them?”

“No, man,” he explained, “Some are very far now, some have lost the contact. This journal just reminds me of the birthdays and anniversaries of current month. I choose who to call. So the names still in contact and in good faith are chosen to be called.”

“And you know what”, he continued with enthusiasm, “This journal also reminds me all the names I was in contact with some day or other and also helps me remember and find our past friendships.”

What a simple thing to do and yet so powerful I thought after seeing this. The coffee was good. I was imagining the power I will possess just by maintaining such a calendar journal with me. All my friends and relatives will be so happy when I will call them on their important dates. The thought itself made me happy and this was a great birthday present for me from Ashay this year.