Our brains are amazing. We can remember small things that happened to us as children. And we can forget what we ate for breakfast yesterday. While we all joke about our forgetfulness, as leaders who have important messages to share, it’s important to ensure that our audience remembers what we said. This is true for lessons with our students and for any Professional Development (PD) or other or presentations we do for teachers, and our ongoing interactions with principals.

Have you ever spoken with past students who have graduated? Did they talk about projects they did with you, books you recommended, or special events which you organized? This is you making a lasting memory and having a lifelong impact.

How did you do it? How can you do it more often?

In his article, How To Craft a Memorable Message, neurosurgeon Charan Ranganath explains what makes things memorable and what to do to make your message one they remember. He offers these “Four C’s of memorable messages.” (And by giving that concrete connection to his message, you are likely to remember it.)

1. Chunk it up – Powerful as our brains are, Ranganath says they can hold only a limited amount of information at a time. To get around this, share information under the “umbrella” of a centra idea. For example, if you are giving a talk on Mission and Vision Statements. begin by saying “Your Mission is your ‘Why.’ It’s your Prescription.” You start with the overriding idea you want to convey. Then follow it up with a few details. I think of it as constructing a spider web as I link the ideas together to form a strong and memorable center.
2. Make it Concrete – To anchor your message, bring in an emotional connection. For all our stress on data and being rational, our decisions and what we remember are tied to emotions. (When students remember you, it will be connected to how you made them feel). With a presentation on Missions, I make sure to share with librarians that without one, you are likely to end your day (or school year) feeling as though their only tools were duct tape and a fire extinguisher.
3. Provide Callbacks – Insert opportunities for listeners to recall what you said. This further implants those ideas/concepts/techniques in their brain. My presentation on Missions usually includes Vision Statements as well. I introduce that part by reminding that I said Missions are their “Why”, their Perspiration. Visions, by contrast, are their Aspirations and Inspirations. When I move into the values that underlie them, I refer to it as the Foundation.
4. Spark Their Curiosity – Ranganath says, “I have learned that the key to memorable communication lies not in conveying the answer, but in establishing a compelling question.” We know the importance of having a strong Essential Question for the learning projects we create (hopefully, with teachers). To begin my presentation, I will ask, “What would it be like if at the end of the day, you always felt as though you had your aims and were successful? What would your library look and feel like if it were everything you wished it were?”

You send your messages out daily. How many of them resonate and stick with listeners? Do the messages in your PDs and presentations remain in your audiences’ memories? Improving all aspects of your communication skills improves you as a leader. How will you use the “4 C’s” today?