If you want someone to catch the ball, don’t throw it before they’re ready.

We’ve all been on the wrong end of a mistimed throw. All they had to do was slow down and wait… but instead, you’re left scrambling, looking uncoordinated 🙄

It happens in conversations and presentations too. The message gets pitched across the table… and drops … because the other person wasn’t ready. 

In sport, a great pass is about timing as much as skill. You watch to see whether your teammate is in position - eyes up, hands ready - before you fire the ball in their direction. 

In conversations, that moment of readiness comes from framing. 

It’s been top of mind for me as I get set to lead a webinar tomorrow for Campus Plus NZ on influencing and stakeholder engagement. We'll be exploring the art of framing. 

Because the first 30 to 90 seconds matter. A lot. It’s the window to prepare our listener so our message lands. 

We don’t just prepare the message, we prepare the person to catch it. 

Help them see: 

⏵ What is this about?

⏵ Why does it matter?

⏵ Where are we heading?

Get the framing right, and we’ll not only help them catch our message, we’ll help them run with it.