“Secrets of Dynamic Communication”

A couple of months ago, I listed some resources by Christian comedian and communicator, Ken Davis, in my post, Developing the Preaching Gift. Davis wrote Secrets of Dynamic Communication. He also offers CD and DVD sets from his 4-day Dynamic Communicators Workshops (DCW).

Davis has developed a process he calls S.C.O.R.R.E. (Subject, Central Theme, Objective, Rationale, Resources, Evaluation). It’s a process to help communicators focus their message so that it will be more effective.

I appreciate the fact that Davis says if you already have an approach that helps you be focused, stick with it. So, rather than trying to describe Davis’ process (that would take too much space), I thought I would make some observations on this process in light of Andy Stanley’s one-point preaching approach, which I’ve been using for several years now.

What I like about Davis’ approach is that it stresses the importance of focus. Davis calls focus “the most important ingredient,” arguing that “if you want people to listen, learn, and take action, you must speak with crystal-clear focus” (11). Davis adds, “To make it as clear and powerful as possible it is necessary to leave out perfectly good material if it doesn’t contribute to the objective (19).”

Having a clear sense of focus is a core part of one-point preaching, as well. The heart of Stanley’s approach is narrowing focus, picking a single point, and building everything around that one point.

Stanley writes …

You’ve got to narrow the focus of your message to one point. Then everything else in the message supports, illustrates, and helps make it memorable (41).

I’m still processing Davis’ approach, but I’m struggling with his insistence on a multiple-point rationale. In writing an objective, Davis insists on the use of a plural key word. From this plural key word come the main points of the message. So while there’s a big idea, there are multiple points.

One way to adapt this process is to think of it in terms of a sermon series (Stanley addresses this in Communicating for a Change), then do a message on each of the main points.

Other than that, the process is great for helping communicators bring focus to their talks. In addition to the S.C.O.R.R.E. process, Davis also offers some helpful advice on public speaking. He addresses preparation and time management, engaging the audience, the use of humor, and body language.

The book closes with a reminder that effective communication isn’t just about technique. Davis lists some important points to remember …

  • The effective communicator delivers a focused and organized message.
  • The effective communicator models the message.
  • The effective communicator speaks with passion.
  • The effective communicator cares about the audience.
  • The effective communicator touches the emotions of the audience.
  • The effective communicator touches the lives of the audience.

A few weeks ago, Michael Hyatt blogged about his experience at DCW. His reflections are worth checking out, if you’d like to learn more about becoming a more effective communicator.

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