Smaller Components Help Refine Your Message

As 2026 approaches, I’m developing a 40-minute presentation usable with several audiences on the topic of taking action and not being a spectator. To prepare, I’ve developed and delivered several shorter components of the larger presentation.

Photo by Finding Dan | Dan Grinwis on Unsplash

Shorter, reusable components are valuable for several reasons, including for simple practice. I want to be sure each component is complete on its own.

Delivering shorter components helps to refine and better understand my overall message, and to manage transitions in the material.

I’ve found this approach helpful in the past, and a similar approach may be helpful to you.

Practice Assists Discovery

Although this shouldn’t be a surprise to me, I’ve learned over the years that as a result of these iterations my core content can serve several purposes and support several messages.

Sometimes I learn this after I speak with people who were in the audience. The material I’m currently refining touches on risk, ambition, courage, confidence, experimentation, team coherence and more.

Core Material

The core material I use in this presentation begins with my experience as a one-time recreational skeleton racer.  Skeleton racing in the Olympic sport where athletes race head first down an icy track.  It is one of three sliding sports, along with bobsled and luge racing, in which racers slide head first down the hill.  More information is available from the sport’s governing body The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (https://www.ibsf.org/en/)

Personal Experience Drives Content

Often people will underestimate the lessons and instructional value of their personal experiences.  My odd little experience as a recreational skeleton racer is ultimately about risk and unique experiences, but most importantly about not needing to justify a choice or an action to others. 

 

My Presentation - Section 1 – Set The Stage

To set the stage for my core message, I describe my experience that day racing down the icy skeleton and bobsled track. Audiences have found the material quite engaging as the activity involves some risk, and it’s not a common pursuit for many people.  However, I do recommend it.

I wrote about my experience at The Whistler Sliding Center in British  Columbia  here https://substack.com/home/post/p-167638383

 

Section 2 – Describe Obvious Opportunities

Because the first organization that I will present with is a Toastmasters audience, I spend about 10 minutes describing developmental roles within Toastmasters. This is an obvious path those audience members.

Section 3 – Discuss Stretch Opportunities

The final section encourages audience members to personally note their stretch ambitions, whether inside their organization or outside their organization.  Sometimes I invite attendees to share a stretch ambition, but I won’t put anyone on the spot and potentially embarrass them.

Section 4 – The Power of Simply Starting

Once members have noted and acknowledged an opportunity then I walk them through a process to begin and then generate momentum that leads to achievement.  This may be a team ambition or an individual pursuit.

Conclusion

When developing material, it’s important to start. Experiment. Deliver shorter versions. Deliver several versions.  Discover the value and key messages surrounding your core material.

Usually sharing your message to an audience of one, or an audience of many, will help you refine and often discover additional purpose.