HR Communication Tip: Finish with a Flourish

Scene 1: Your presentation starts out great. You’ve carved your slides down to the the best ones and your audience is reacting. You’ve got ‘em. And then you get to that slide that says, “Next steps.”

Scene 2: Your benefits brochure has the best opening line since “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Nah, it’s the HR communication equivalent of “Call me Ishmael.” Crisp. To-the-point. The copy rocks. And then you get to that closing paragraph that says, “If you need additional information, please see your manager.”

Scene 3: Your managers’ training begins with a bang. You have ‘em hooked and you let everyone breathe a sigh of relief that there won’t be any role playing in this session. (You’re a great instructional designer.) And then it’s time to go, and you end up talking about where the group dinner will be that night.

STOP! FINISH WITH A FLOURISH.

Have you ever been to a killer speech? What happens at the end? Do the speakers fade into the podium? Do they end with a whimper? Do they mumble their last words? Hardly.

Here’s the deal: Whether you’re presenting, writing, or training, put as much energy — if not more — into the closing that you do for the opening. People won’t remember every word you used, but they will remember how you made them feel at the end.

Posted on August 25, 2008 by Frank Roche 
Filed Under Communication

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