Persuasive Argumentation &
Structured Thinking
Pitching workshop
Fonden for Entreprenørskab
communication
“the imparting or exchanging of
information by speaking, writing, or
using some other medium”
discussion
“the action or process of talking
about something in order to reach
a decision or to exchange ideas”
argument
“an exchange of diverging or
opposite views, typically a heated
or angry one”
You can achieve communicative advantages by using Grouping
and SCQA
You can achieve
communicative advantages
by using Grouping and
SCQA when you
communicate, discuss and
argue.
Active
presenting
Thinking
Answering
question
Effective communication is about 3 things
Understanding
Convincing
6
remembering
Grouping and SCQA also give personal advantages
Grouping
• Makes your messages easier to understand
• Makes your message easier to remember
SCQA
• Makes your conclusion more convincing
• Makes you able to communicate in a way that is appeling
Personal
• Makes you more structured
• Gives you a better insight to the subject your are working with
• Being able to formulate the conclusion before you begin writing and talking
7
Agenda
12.00 – 12.10
12.10 – 12.30
12.30 – 13.00
13.00 – 13.15
15 min.
13.30 – 13.45
13.45 – 14.30
15 min.
14.45 – 15.15
15.15 – 15.30
15.30 – 15.45
15.45 – 16.00
8
Velkomst m/agenda
Gruppering
Øvelse
Gennemgang
Pause
SCQA
Øvelse
Pause
Putting it all together
Præsentation 1
Præsentation 2
Afslutning med tips & tricks og Q&A
A little exercise
9
How many can you remember?
Wheel
Paper
Marker
Fork
Gearbox
Knife
Plate
Cup
Battery
Spoon
Motor
Pen
10
Paper clip
Eraser
Brake
Information structured in a logical pyramid structure is easier
to remember and understand
Kitchen
Car
office
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
11
Plate
Knife
Fork
Spoon
Cup
Wheel
Battery
Gearbox
Motor
Brake
Paper
Marker
Pen
Paper clip
Eraser
Groups are created from the MECE principle
MECE
• Mutually Exclusive
• Collectively Exhaustive
Groups
• Never more than 5 object in a group
• Always insightful headlines to each of the groups
12
Grouping helps you to keep the overview
Grouping helps to structure your
argumentation into a logical pyramid
that makes it easier to understand
and remember for the audience
Elevator
Pitch
Grouping also helps you to navigate
in your argumentation (overview
contra detail)
Argument 1
Grouping also helps you to move back
and forth in your argumentation
13
Argument 2
Argument 3
A typically mistake is to go into detail to quickly
Elevator
tale
Argument
1
Argument
2
…
Argument
2.1
Argument
2.2
Argument
2.3
2.2.1
2.2.1.1
14
Exercise – Grouping
15
Walkthrough – Grouping
15 min. break
Agenda
12.00 – 12.10
12.10 – 12.30
12.30 – 13.00
13.00 – 13.15
15 min.
13.30 – 13.45
13.45 – 14.30
15 min.
14.45 – 15.15
15.15 – 15.30
15.30 – 15.45
15.45 – 16.00
18
Welcome w/agenda
Grouping
Exercise
Walkthrough
Break
SCQA
Exercise
Break
Putting it all together
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Round off with tips & tricks – plus Q&A
Have something to say and say it as clearly as you can
“Before they start, they do not
know what they are going to
say; when they are speaking,
they do not know what they are
saying; and when they have
finished, neither they nor their
audience know what they have
said”
Winston Churchill, 1912
19
Too often this happens
From: Søren Sørensen
Date: jan 08 2015 12:24
To: Kim Pedersen
Subject: FW: SAS plane delayed
James Filmore telephoned o say that his flight has been cancelled by SAS and
the new flight doesn’t get in until 10:15 for the regional meeting in Oakland. I
checked with Greg Toms says he’d rather make it later, as it will be a more
convenient time to dial in from New York. Claire’s secretary says that she is
fine for the meeting to start and finish later – she has a client meeting from
9am – 11an with our customers who are flying in from Beijing (they wont be
there till 8am) and so she wants to start her meeting after her meeting. Can
you let me know what you think.
20
... When this is much more effective
From: Søren Sørensen
Date: jan 08 2015 12:24
To: Kim Pedersen
Subject: Can you make Monday 11-12 for the Oakland regional meeting
Could we delay the Oakland regional meeting until 11am and finish an hour
later? This would be easier for all given flight delays, for dialing in from NYC
and would also allow Claire to attend from the start
21
How can you convenience the
audience that you have a good
idea/conclusion/business plan
It’s all in the
introduction
22
Situation Complication Question Answer (SCQA)
Situation
Start with a situation that can’t be discussed from the audience
point of view. It has to be fact based or a general accepted truth.
Complication
The situation creates a change or it’s being altered from some
outside force that creates new possibilities/challenges that needs
action
Question
”Situation” and the following “complication” should create a
natural question in the mind of the audience. It should be so
intuitive that you don’t have to communicate it directly
Answer
”Answer” should answer the question that pops up in the head of
the audience. It should be structured in as an elevator pitch
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The introduction shall automatically lead into your
argumentation pyramid
Situation
Complication
Question
Elevator
Pitch
Argument
1
24
Argument
2
Argument
3
Examples
Situation
Complication
Question
Answer
• Situation/fact that
can not be discussed
from the audience
point of view
• It’s going bad for the
company
• We’re losing money
• Our plan failed
• New opportunities
• We have to react
• Etc.
• How can
• How can
back?
• How can
it?
• How can
• Elevator Pitch
25
we solve it?
we win it
we improve
we use it?
SCQA can also be used in writhing
Situation
Complication
Answer
Arguments
26
SCQA can also be used for
executive summaries, onepagers, structure in
PowerPoints, answer to
questions, business cases,
etc.
Exercise – SCQA
27
15 min. break
Agenda
12.00 – 12.10
12.10 – 12.30
12.30 – 13.00
13.00 – 13.15
15 min.
13.30 – 13.45
13.45 – 14.30
15 min.
14.45 – 15.15
15.15 – 15.30
15.30 – 15.45
15.45 – 16.00
29
Welcome w/agenda
Grouping
Exercise
Walkthrough
Break
SCQA
Exercise
Break
Putting it all together
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Round off with tips & tricks – plus Q&A
Putting it all together
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Round off with tips & tricks – plus Q&A
Audience
Decision making style?
Role and expectations?
Concerns and issues?
Media preferences?
Your goals with them?
Likely reaction to your presentation?
Round off with tips & tricks – plus Q&A
• Action titles
• Display numerical
data in charts
• Structure ideas to
give conclusions
up-front
• Title and units must
be included under
headings and on
axes. Be sure to
label all items
• Sources should
always be identified