Hope you all had a good Easter! Welcome to all the new people who just joined this newsletter! 

I finished my third round of self-editing and sent out an invite to have someone famous in the field of data analytics write the foreword for me. He agreed to do it! I'll reveal his identity at a later time. Now I'm working on a better title and subtitle. 

Reply 1, 2, or 3 at [email protected] to let me know which title appeals to you the most! I'd love to know what you think!

1. Data Insights Delivered: A Proven Guide To Understand Stakeholders, Manage Expectations, and Deliver Actual Value

2. Never Fail a Data Project: 7 Steps To Understand Stakeholders, Manage Expectations, and Deliver Actual Value

3. Insights Delivered: 7 Steps To Understand Stakeholders, Manage Expectations, and Deliver Actual Value in Data Analytics

This week my team combines Power BI and Power App together so we can have an interactive dashboard recording user input. It's pretty cool. Microsoft never ceases to amaze. 

This week let's talk about paraphrasing level 3!

If you missed the previous 2 levels:  level 1 and level 2

Paraphrasing For Experts

Let’s take it to the highest level. This is like Goku going Super Saiyan.

Use their words when you paraphrase. You need to spend some time together to observe what they like to say or care about in life.

Nowadays, remote work is a norm. You can look people up on LinkedIn before meeting them. People write like how they think.

I’m a direct talker. Corporate jargon isn’t my strength. I have to use that when talking to stakeholders that only speak in that style.

In this example, at first, you struggle a bit because you’re trying to figure out their speech style. They’ll respond well when you start using their words.

Stakeholder Charles: “We’re going full speed ahead with our integration plans and digital transformation. This is an exciting time for us. I’d like all of us to wear multiple hats, and you’ll be an essential part of this. Our goal this quarter is to integrate all our systems.”

At this time, you have no idea what integration plans are and what digital transformation means exactly in this context. What exactly do you need to do to deliver? Use what you’ve learned. First, repeat the part you hear.

You: “I see. We’re going at full speed with the integration plans and transformation. Thank you for sharing the goal for this quarter. I’d like to be part of it. How can we contribute to our goal by wearing multiple hats?”

Say what you hear first to show that you’re listening and then dig deeper. Don’t jump straight to the questions.

Stakeholder Charles: “We need to integrate systems fast because our contractors need to be fully engaged. We’d like to be as efficient as possible. The CFO is excited to see our progress this quarter.”

You need more information. Continue to probe.

You: “You’d like us to work as fast and efficiently as possible so the CFO can see we achieve our goal this quarter. So how can we be part of it?”

Stakeholder Charles:”I imagine we start gathering tech requirements from various stakeholders and start the integrations and digital transformation.”

Now you’re still not clear on what to do yet. Then you remember Charles likes the phrase “economies of scale”. To get him to explain what he wants you to do, you’ll use that phrase.

You have two options:

1) You can keep using your own words to get both of you on the same page.

2) You can make him feel like you’re on his team by speaking like a pro.

I’ll show examples side by side so you can see the difference.

You (using your own words): “You’d like us to work as fast as possible with minimal staff. The contractor is quite expensive, and the CFO wants us to be careful with the cost.”

Now you get it. However, it sounds like you’re just talking. You aren’t part of his team.

You (using his words): “You’d like to achieve economies of scale in our digital transformation journey.”

Journey is another word he loves from what you know about him.

Stakeholder Charles: ”Yes! I’d like us to be efficient teams and start working on it. I can see a team of 3–4 people on each of our source systems. We can do daily stand-ups with our contractors. Talk to Peter and Allen to get feedback on our system’s specifications. They’ve been working with the contractors already. You can learn from what they do and apply it to your respective source systems.”

People open up more when you use their words. It gets them talking, which is what you want so you can better understand them.

You (using your words): “Ok, I can talk to Peter and Allen to see how they work with the contractors and do that for my team.”

You (using his words): “You’d like us to work in small teams and be as agile as possible. Learn from Peter and Allen.”

Agile is another of his favorite words.

Charles is excited by what you say because you match his speech pattern. It’s easy for him to respond to you. You’d get to the bottom of the conversation if you were going with your own words. However, he’d respond to you, just not fondly.

It takes time to understand and observe this level of paraphrasing. You know when you hit the right cord when people get more and more excited as they talk.

It’s not enough to just get the ideas across. You need to make them feel they’re heard and understood in their own worlds.

Back to the Visual Example of the Bridge

Repeating what they say is just to wave back at them. Using your own words is like meeting them in the middle of the bridge. The last level I just showed here allows you to cross the bridge and visit their hometowns.

I always love when people don’t mince their words and just say what they think. You can imagine how well I respond to outspoken people. The same goes for your stakeholders.

Master paraphrasing, and you’ll talk like a pro in no time!

If you like me to

1) guest post on your platform,

2) provide copy writing service, and 

3) help with data project management.

Feel free to book a discovery call via Calendly here.

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https://www.matchmaker.fm/podcast-guest/mo-villagran-f84572?utm_source=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=profile

Besides writing about data project management, I also write novels. I recently discovered this Podcast by Jim Woods. I asked him how to find an editor. He recorded a short episode to answer my question. I'm just impressed by people's kindness online!

If you'd like to give better presentations at work and hone your public speaking skills, let Christopher transform you into star speakers. 

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