WORKSHOP-ONE

WORKSHOP

communication is the key to success

“Communication as GPS Navigation”

Imagine your listener is a driver.
If you speak without structure, you’re giving them a long confusing description of the city: “Go somewhere left after that building… you’ll see a round thing… then maybe turn right.”
A good communicator gives GPS-style directions: short, sequenced, purpose-driven instructions.

Your message must answer 3 GPS questions:

Where are we going? → your purpose
What’s the route? → your structure
What should I do at each turn? → your key points

When people say “You’re so clear,” they mean you gave them GPS.

Let us evaluate your communication efficiency:

Explain a familiar topic in 20 seconds.

(Instructor identifies missing purpose or structure. )

Let us look at this you tube video:

The Clarity Triangle (Insert link)

Workshop Activities

1. Warm-up: “What’s your message?” (5 min)

Participants explain a familiar topic in 20 seconds.
Instructor identifies missing purpose or structure.

2. Teach the Clarity Triangle (10 min)

Participants rewrite the same explanation using "the clarity triangle principle".

Purpose: What do I want them to know/feel/do?
Message: The core point
Structure: The clarity triangle

3. HAVE YOU USED SCQA TECHNIQUE?

Link /Embed story book

SCQA is a structured communication framework developed by Barbara Minto for the McKinsey & Company consulting firm. It helps organize thoughts clearly and persuasively, especially in business writing, presentations, and problem-solving. SCQA stands for:

S – Situation

C – Complication

Q – Question

A – Answer

Here’s a breakdown of each component:

1. Situation (S)

- Sets the context by describing the current, stable state of affairs.

- Provides background that the audience already accepts as true.

- Should be brief, relevant, and non-controversial.

For Example: “Our company has maintained a 15% market share in the premium skincare segment for the past three years.”

2. Complication (C)

- Introduces a problem, change, or challenge that disrupts the situation.

- Creates tension or urgency—this is the “hook” that makes the audience care.

- Could be a new competitor, shifting customer behavior, regulation, internal inefficiency, etc.

For Example: “However, over the last six months, a new competitor has entered the market with a digitally native brand offering similar products at 20% lower prices, causing our sales to decline by 8%.”

3. Question (Q)

- Articulates the key question(s) that arise from the complication.

- Focuses the audience’s attention on the core issue to be addressed.

- Often implicit but can be stated explicitly for clarity.

For Example: “How can we regain our market position and reverse the sales decline without sacrificing brand premiumness?”

4. Answer (A)

- Presents your recommendation, solution, or key message.

- Should directly address the question raised.

- May include supporting arguments, data, or next steps.

For Example: “We recommend launching a digitally optimized sub-brand targeting younger consumers, supported by influencer partnerships and a subscription model—allowing us to compete on convenience and personalization rather than price.”

Why Use SCQA?

- Clarity: Helps you avoid dumping information without context.

- Engagement: Creates a narrative that resonates emotionally and logically.

- Persuasion: Positions your solution as the natural response to a recognized problem.

Variations

- ASCQ (Answer-first): Often used in executive summaries—state the Answer first, then explain the Situation, Complication, and Question.

- QSCA: Start with a provocative Question to grab attention immediately.

3. Main Exercise: PREP Drill

EMBED/ LINK

PREP = Point → Reason → Example → Point (again)

ACTIVITY
Participants practice “explaining your weekend plans using PREP.”

4. Real-life Application (15 min)

Pairs practice structured explanations in:

Academic settings (assignment proposal, research question)
Daily life (explaining a decision, asking a favor)

Homework

Record a 60-second explanation applying PREP or SCQA.

Participants rewrite the same explanation using:

Purpose: What do I want them to know/feel/do?
Message: The core point

Structure: PREP or SCQA

Turning Workshop 1 skills (clarity, structure, concise expression) into long-term habits

This is the real key to mastery.
Below is a daily-life implementation system that makes the skills automatic, using intuitive analogies and step-by-step routines.

🌱 THE CORE IDEA: Make Structure a Reflex

Workshop 1 taught you:

Purpose
Message
Structure (PREP, SCQA, etc.)

To turn this into a habit, you need a mental autopilot — something you use unconsciously in daily conversations, writing, and thinking.

⭐ ANALOGY: “Mental Weightlifting” — Turning Structure Into Muscle Memory

Think of your communication skill as a muscle group—like your core.

At the gym:

Doing one workout doesn’t make you strong.
Repeating small, correct movements daily builds reflexive strength.
Eventually, you don’t think about posture; your body automatically corrects itself.

Communication is the same:

Each message → one repetition
Each explanation → one set
Each day → training session

Your brain learns:
Whenever you speak → find the purpose, say the point, give the structure.

The goal is to make structured communication feel as natural as walking.

🔧 SYSTEM: The 3-Minute Daily Habit Framework

1️⃣ The “Purpose First” Pause (10 seconds)

Before you talk or write anything (text, email, WhatsApp, discussion), pause for 10 seconds and ask:

“What do I want them to know, feel, or do?”

This is like checking your GPS before you start driving.

Daily triggers:

Before sending a message
Before describing something
Before asking for help
Before answering a question

Soon your brain will automatically prep purpose.

2️⃣ The “One-Sentence Backbone” Exercise (60 seconds)

For every message, decide your backbone sentence:

“What is the one point I want to make?”

This creates mental clarity like setting the spine of a book before writing the pages.

Practice anywhere:

WhatsApp messages
Class discussions
Emails
Even casual conversations
Explaining an idea to yourself

3️⃣ Use PREP or SCQA Once a Day (2 minutes)

Pick just one conversation or message each day and intentionally structure it:

PREP example:

Point: Let’s start our project early.
Reason: We’ll avoid last-minute stress.
Example: Last semester we panicked at the end.
Point again: Starting early keeps everything smooth.

SCQA example:

S (situation): We have three major assignments coming.
C (complication): The deadlines overlap.
Q (question): How do we manage workload?
A (answer): Let’s build a shared calendar.

Doing this daily rewires your brain to think in frameworks.

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