Impromptu

11Commit to a Message

Does having a message make a difference? Absolutely!

I once coached the head of sales for a large telecommunications firm. He was in the final stages of competing for a major contract—supplying an aerospace company with a communications system. The stakes were high—with hundreds of millions of dollars to be awarded to the winner. Competition was fierce.

After weeks of technical discussions, the aerospace firm asked each of the bidders one final question: “In ten words or less, why should we choose you?” Most of the suppliers couldn't answer the question. They fumbled, saying, “It's really impossible to state our value equation in so few words.” They explained that with twenty‐five components to the bid, it would take much longer to describe their offering.

But my client was ready with a message. He said: “We are the sole provider of peace of mind.” He assured the executives they could sleep at night knowing that all the components would be in place and working well. That was what they needed to hear and they chose his company. That's the power of a single, clear, compelling message. At the heart of the Leader's Script is a point—your point. It is the idea you want to get across.

Why Have a Message?

I came across a funny but all‐too‐true cartoon recently in which a disgruntled boss was sitting behind a large desk shouting at a stressed‐out employee. The caption revealed the boss's frustration: “You make a good argument, but I'm still missing the point.” ...