Preparing a Two-Minute Briefing
Step 1 – Think
Who is your audience?
What do you need from them?
What do you need?
- Decision?
- Support?
- Agreement?
Who are you briefing?
- What are their concerns or priorities?
- How does your request fit into these?
Step 2 – Develop
Visualize and practise mentally
No script!
Start (30 seconds)
- Prepare a yes/no question.
- State three key elements to support it.
Develop (80 seconds)
- For each key element, elaborate three sub-elements: A (I, II, III) B (I, II, III) C (I, II, III)
End (10 seconds)
- Reformulate your initial yes/no question.
Step 3 – Deliver
Are you ready?
Important considerations:
Structure
Start
- Get and keep audience’s attention
- Establish the importance of the request
- State three important elements of the request
Elaborate
- Define elements with just enough detail
- Address audience’s concerns
- Use facts and logic
End
- End Reformulate your request at the end
Techniques
Voice
- Breathe normally
- Speak conversationally
- Avoid monotony by varying intonation
Spoken Language
- Use plain language
- Avoid unfamiliar acronyms, technical terms
- Avoid distracting repetitions (i.e. “so…” or “you know…,” etc.)
Body Language
- Make eye contact
- Remain confident
- Keep hands still or use sparingly for expression
Deliver in under two minutes.
