Stop Putting Your Team To Sleep
Last week, I coached a marketing VP who had to present an update to her leadership team. Her approach was like most people's: a simple list of what changed.
"Here's update one. Here's update two. Here's update three."
Sound familiar? That's how most of us give updates. And it's why most updates are instantly forgotten.
Yawn...
Think about the last team update you sat through. Did it grab your attention? Did you care about the changes being presented? Or were you secretly checking email?
Most workplace updates follow the same forgettable pattern:
- Here's what we did
- Here's what we changed
- Here's what's coming next
It's factually correct but emotionally empty. It doesn't make anyone care.
The Missing Ingredient: The Problem
The secret to memorable updates isn't slicker slides or fancier language. It's starting with a problem your audience actually cares about.
I call this the PCSB framework:
- Problem: What challenge are we solving?
- Cause: Why does this problem matter to us?
- Solution: What's our approach to fix it?
- Benefit: How will this make things better?
Let me show you what this looks like in practice.
The Traditional Update (Boring)
"We're updating our customer feedback system. The new system will launch next month. It includes three key changes: a simplified interface, integration with our CRM, and automated response templates."
This update gives information but creates no emotional connection. It doesn't make me care.
The PCSB Update (Compelling)
Problem: Our customer response time has slipped to 24 hours, twice our target of 12 hours.Cause: This is happening because our team spends nearly 40% of their time switching between systems and manually formatting responses.Solution: To solve this, we're launching an updated feedback system next month with three key improvements: a simplified interface, direct CRM integration, and response templates.Benefit: These changes will cut response time in half and free up about 15 hours per week for each team member to focus on complex customer issues."
See the difference? The second approach:
- Starts with a problem the audience cares about (slow response times)
- Explains why it's happening (inefficient processes)
- Presents solutions (system improvements)
- Shows clear benefits (faster responses, more time for important work)
How to Apply This to Your Updates
Next time you need to give an update, try these simple steps:
- Start with the problem Ask yourself: "What issue is this work solving that my audience cares about?"
- Briefly explain the cause What's causing this problem? Why is it important for us to solve?
- Present your solution clearly Now share what you've done or changed.
- Highlight the real benefits Don't just say "it's better" - quantify how much time, money, or frustration this will save.
When you speak like this, your updates won't sound like jargon. Your leadership teams will remember what you said. And they'll be calling you back to speak.
Try this approach in your next update. Your ideas deserve to be remembered - and acted upon.
Until next week,
Preston
