What next level communicators understand about notes.
What next level communicators understand about notes.
Few things diminish a communicator like being dependent on notes. As Wayne McDill says, “Paper is a very poor conductor of electricity” (The Moment of Truth, page 145). Or as Dr. Jeffrey Arthurs points out, “The paper isolates you from your listeners and prevents the contagion from spreading; the paper weakens the flow of magnetic force” (Preaching as Reminding, page 120). What both Mcdill and Arthurs mean by “paper” is notes. Want to stunt your effectiveness as a communicator? Be tied by a very short leash to your iPad, computer screen or “paper”. I cringe every time I see someone try to move an audience while they stand behind their laptop, having literally erected a barrier between them and the people.
I want to offer you an easy fix. And no, I’m not suggesting you abandon notes altogether. My goodness, I don’t. Instead, if you do these three things, you’ll see an immediate jump in your ability as a communicator. But before I get to that, let me tell you why it’s crucial you become less dependent on your notes.
For some time, we’ve known of the power of nonverbal communication. We say way more than what we say. Our gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and so much more, impact our audience in ways we can’t imagine. Consider the presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy. Did you know that the majority of viewers rated Kennedy as the winner, while those who listened to the debate on radio said Nixon won? What was the difference? Nonverbal communication. Those who saw the debate were struck by Kennedy’s confidence, as he looked straight into the camera; while Nixon looked at the questioner while he wiped sweat from his brow, appearing shaken and shady. As important as this debate was to one of the closest presidential races in history, a case could be made that JFK won on nonverbal communication.
Standing behind a screen, looking constantly at your notes limits your ability to persuasively convey your ideas to the audience. It’s time to lengthen the distance between you and your notes, and unleash your effectiveness.
Here are three things I do to keep myself as free as possible from notes:
Minimal notes. If you’re a detailed note person, I want to encourage you to pare them down by at least half. I always take about 1-2 pages of notes with me on my iPad. These notes are developed from my manuscript which I never try to memorize, just internalize. But here’s the key- my notes are always color coded by points. For example, if it’s in my first point, the key words/ideas will be highlighted in red, the second point in green and the third in blue. This color system allows me to find my place quickly, and pull the info I need, while maximizing my nonverbal communication. I highly recommend some color coded system which makes sense for you, because you will lose your place and will need help quickly finding where you are.
A clear mental path. Every communicator needs to establish and stick to what I call a clear mental path. Here’s what I mean: Whenever I write and deliver that message, my points all follow the same pattern of explanation, illustration and application. This is not only helpful from a structure perspective, but also critical to me being as free as possible from my notes. I know, for example, when I’m giving an illustration in one of my points, that my very next movement will be into application. I never, and I mean never, waver from this. So find your structure, your flow of thought paradigm, and stick to it. You will find this to be incredibly freeing, as you get more and more comfortable away from your notes.
Internalize/Practice. Every time I write a sermon, I read it several times. In my younger days I could read the manuscript three times and that would be enough. Now with an aging brain, I need about six times to feel good. Right before I go to sleep the night before my talk, I will summarize each paragraph in my mind, and move quickly to the next (maybe this is why it’s so easy for me to go to sleep!). Then early Sunday morning, I will do a light run through of the message, and then pray over each paragraph. This pays huge dividends in emancipating me from my notes. But let me caution us: Too much rehearsal will leave us rigid in our presentations…mechanical. The whole point is to be free, not bound.
