Highlights from the March 20, 2014 Knowledge Transfer Session on “Ways to Share your Story”
Presenting to a large group
Large groups can be difficult; be intimate and passionate
Know what message you want the audience to get out of your presentation
The purpose of slides is to remind the presenter what to say, and the audience what was said
Structure your presentation: tell them what you're going to say, say it, tell them what you said
Get to the point quickly and make sure you have a call to action
Let the audience know your preference for taking questions
We are selling our passion. Be genuine
Come up with one issue to address and then go from there; start small then expand
Focus on how complex some processes are for patients/families versus clinicians
Presenting to smaller audiences
Everything used in a large audience is heightened; even more important to be yourself
Use emotions; it all begins with an emotional connection; one person at a time
This is an emotionally charged session so be gentle; the emotional connection will drive the change
Simple chronological or logical process is easier for the audience to follow
Many, powerful images are important, especially at the beginning and end of the presentation.
Avoid negative wording; focus on collaboration
Ask real questions to help make the shift
Humour is an effective tool to connect to the audience, regardless of the size
Create collaborative space so everyone can move forward together
In a large group, think of delivering the evening news; in a small group you are the host of a talk show
In a small group create a conversation by moving around and to get close and engage individuals
Prepare people if they are meeting the person involved in the incident
Prepare audience members with pre-planned questions ahead of time just in case
Sometimes the story is unbearable; take a break before taking questions.
Sharing your own story
Make sure it's done in a respectful way; don’t generalize or blame; focus on the experience
Insert videos, pictures and quotes; it brings perspective
Appreciate the invitation to speak; sharing a story is unique. Tell them about yourself
The audience wants to learn and know what they can do
As the storyteller; know what you are looking for (validation, empathy); be honest with yourself
Concise, clear messages
Ask organizers why they want the patient speaker, what do you expect by engaging with me
Closing comments
Need to create a safe environment for both the receiver’s of the information and the storytellers
The power of our story can make an impact, our work is important
A collaborative partnership between patients and health care providers is the way forward to safe health care.
