If time runs out …

If time runs out, we tend to switch our attention to what’s urgent. But it’s precisely then when it matters most to focus on what’s important.

For example, if I don’t have much time to prepare for a speech, the least thing I care about is my slides. Slides always scream “urgent”. But they are rarly important.

What’s important is that I get my point across. That I resonate with my audience. That I build a connection with my audience. That they can follow me so I can lead them.

Slides don’t help much with that if your content isn’t great. It’s much more important to reflect upon how your message relates to your audience. For example, if there’s only one thing they take away what is it? What do they need to understand that? What matters to them? What do they believe now and what do they know now?

It’s much more important to have a compelling story without slides than to have compelling slides without a story.

So, if time runs out, focus on what’s important.