Secrets of Dynamic Communication

Secrets of Dynamic Communication Plot Summary

Introduction

Have you ever stood in front of an audience, feeling your heart race and your mind go blank? Or perhaps you've watched someone speak with such clarity and confidence that they seemed to effortlessly move an entire room to action? The difference between these two scenarios isn't talent or natural ability—it's a learnable skill rooted in one fundamental secret: focus. The most brilliant communicators understand that powerful speaking isn't about saying everything you know on a subject. It's about saying the right thing, in the right way, to achieve a specific objective. Throughout these pages, you'll discover how to transform your presentations from rambling information dumps into razor-sharp messages that change lives. Whether you're a business leader, sales professional, teacher, or someone who simply wants their words to have more impact, the principles and techniques shared here will revolutionize how you prepare and deliver every message.

Chapter 1: Master the SCORRE Method

At the heart of dynamic communication lies a powerful system called SCORRE. This methodology isn't just another set of public speaking tips—it's a comprehensive framework that forces speakers to achieve laser-like focus before they ever step onto a stage. The SCORRE method consists of six crucial elements: Subject, Central Theme, Objective, Rationale, Resources, and Evaluation. Each component builds upon the previous one, creating a scope that narrows your message to a single, powerful point. As J.H. Jowett wisely observed nearly a century ago, "I have a conviction that no sermon is ready for preaching, not ready for writing out, until we can express its theme in a short, pregnant sentence as clear as a crystal." This crystallization process is exactly what SCORRE facilitates. Consider how Ken Davis, who developed this method, transformed his own speaking career. In his early days working with youth, audiences would describe his talks as "good" but couldn't articulate what his message had been about. Though entertaining, his presentations lacked the focused impact he desired. This realization led him to develop the SCORRE method, which completely transformed his effectiveness as a communicator. The power of SCORRE comes from its ability to eliminate the unconscious objectives that often hijack presentations. When speakers haven't identified their true purpose, default motivations like "I hope they like me" or "I need to fill the time" take over. Davis illustrates this with a hunting story where, instead of aiming at a deer's vital area, he focused on its impressive antlers—and that's exactly what his arrow hit. Similarly, unfocused speakers hit everything except their target. To implement SCORRE, start by choosing a subject and narrowing it to a central theme. Then craft a single objective sentence that contains a proposition, an interrogative question (either how or why), and a response containing a key word. This becomes the foundation upon which you build your entire presentation. The process feels restricting at first—and it should! It's designed to force clarity and eliminate anything that doesn't contribute to your objective. Remember, the SCORRE method isn't about limiting creativity but channeling it. Once you've established your focused objective, you're free to be as creative as you wish in your delivery. The process is like the hidden framework of a beautiful building—the audience never sees it, but it's what makes the structure stand strong.

Chapter 2: Focus Your Message on a Single Objective

The heart of powerful communication is the objective—a clear, concise statement of exactly what you want to accomplish. Without this singular focus, your presentation becomes like a hunter firing randomly into the woods, hoping to hit something. The objective isn't merely important—it's essential for meaningful communication. Ken Davis encountered this truth vividly while hunting deer in his youth. During one hunt, he spotted a magnificent buck with impressive antlers. Though perfectly capable of hitting a small target at that range, he became so fixated on the impressive horns that when he released his arrow, it struck exactly where he was focusing—the antlers—rather than the vital area he intended to hit. This experience perfectly illustrates what happens when speakers fail to pinpoint their objective. Creating a proper objective sentence follows a specific formula. First, write a proposition that begins with "Every person should/can..." This establishes whether you're making a persuasive speech (should) or an enabling speech (can). Next, interrogate this proposition with either "why" (for persuasive talks) or "how" (for enabling talks). Finally, write a response to this interrogation that contains a key word—a plural noun that will categorize all your supporting points. One SCORRE Conference student was preparing a wedding message and initially wrote, "Every married couple should avoid the pitfalls of marriage." But when asked why he wanted the couple to know about these pitfalls, he immediately replied, "Because I want them to have a successful marriage." This response revealed his true objective, allowing him to reframe his message as "Every couple can increase their chances of having a successful marriage by following three simple guidelines." Suddenly, his entire presentation gained clarity and purpose. The key word in your objective sentence is crucial—it's the "bag" that holds all your supporting points together. If your key word is "principles," each point will be a principle. If it's "steps," each point will be a step. This creates a logical framework that makes your presentation easier to follow and remember. As one of Davis's most memorable presentations demonstrates, when you craft powerful, parallel points like "Live with nothing to prove," "Live with nothing to hide," and "Live with nothing to lose," people remember them decades later. The objective-writing process may feel mechanical and constraining, but that's precisely the point. Like changing your grip on a golf club forces a more effective swing, this uncomfortable process will change your preparation method and dramatically improve your presentations' impact. Remember Jowett's wisdom: finding this sentence "is the hardest, the most exacting, and the most fruitful labor."

Chapter 3: Build a Logical Argument with Rationale

Once you've established your crystal-clear objective, it's time to develop the rationale that will lead your audience to that destination. Think of rationale as the logical roads your listeners will travel on their journey toward your objective. Each point must contribute directly to your central purpose—there's no room for scenic detours or interesting side trips. Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, experienced the power of well-developed rationale firsthand. Before learning the SCORRE method, Hyatt spent hours preparing presentations, revising outlines repeatedly, and still feeling uncertain about his message. After attending the SCORRE Conference in 2010, he found that developing focused rationale dramatically reduced his preparation time while increasing his impact. "I'm not exaggerating when I say I've learned and improved more in the past two years under Ken's guidance than I did in the thirty years of presentations before," Hyatt noted. The rationale you develop must follow three important rules. First, it must correspond to your key word. If your key word is "benefits," each point must be a benefit. Second, it should be brief—resist the temptation to include everything you'll say in your rationale. Third, it should be parallel in grammatical form. This parallelism creates a pattern that helps your audience understand and remember your message. Consider one executive who was trying to persuade her team to set health goals. Her objective was "Every team member should prioritize personal health because of the workplace benefits." Her rationale included three clear benefits: increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and improved team morale. Each point was a benefit (matching her key word), brief, and parallel in structure. When delivering her presentation, she supported each point with research, stories, and applications, but the simple rationale kept her focused throughout. As you develop your rationale, be open to refinement. You might discover that your initial key word doesn't perfectly match the points you want to make. For instance, if you've chosen "facts" as your key word but your points include instructions or commands, you'll need to select a more appropriate key word like "steps" or "directions." This flexibility ensures your message remains logically consistent. Remember, the rationale isn't merely information—it's the pathway that leads to transformation. Each point should build logically upon the previous one, creating momentum toward your objective. When your rationale is clear, focused, and parallel, your audience follows your reasoning step by step until they arrive at the conclusion you've intended all along.

Chapter 4: Add Power Through Strategic Resources

Resources are the elements that bring your rationale to life—the illustrations, data, anecdotes, and humor that transform abstract ideas into concrete reality. Like colored lights illuminating a beautiful building, resources don't change your message's structure, but they draw attention to what was already there. Denver's City and County Building illustrates this principle perfectly. For most of the year, thousands drive by this building without noticing its remarkable architecture. During the Christmas season, however, the city bathes the building in magnificent colored floodlights, drawing visitors from hundreds of miles away. The building hasn't changed, but the lights make people notice what was previously ignored. That's precisely how good resources work—they illuminate your message and make people pay attention. The SCORRE Conference teaches communicators to constantly hunt for powerful resources. Like an experienced hunter who can spot partially hidden animals in a forest, skilled speakers train themselves to recognize potential illustrations in everyday life. During a flight, Davis observed a child running through the aisles until she fell into a passenger's lap. When her mother finally restrained her, the girl said, "I may be sitting on the outside, but on the inside I'm still running around." This perfect illustration helped Davis communicate how outward compliance without inner transformation is ultimately ineffective. Resources should fulfill three primary functions. First, they bring light, color, and clarification to your message. When Dan Jansen fell during the 1988 Winter Olympics shortly after his sister's death, his story illuminated the universal experience of failure and the possibility of eventual triumph. Second, resources make the audience want to listen. The human mind wanders unless it's engaged by stories, humor, and supportive data. Third, resources clarify and strengthen your rationale, making it more believable and compelling. To develop a rich reservoir of resources, follow five key practices: Look for illustrations in everyday life, Read widely across different sources, Journal your own experiences and insights, Network with others who can share resources, and Record everything immediately (Davis notes that "a mental note is no note at all"). This disciplined approach ensures you'll always have powerful illustrations available when needed. Remember that resources should never become ends in themselves. A fifteen-minute story that only marginally supports your point will distract from your objective rather than enhance it. Every resource must serve your message, not compete with it. When properly employed, resources transform your presentation from a dry lecture into a dynamic, memorable experience that changes lives.

Chapter 5: Deliver with Confidence and Clarity

Even the most meticulously prepared message can fall flat without effective delivery. Your body language, vocal variety, and physical presence dramatically impact how your message is received. When you deliver with confidence and clarity, you remove barriers between your audience and your message. Sheila Walsh, author and speaker, witnessed Ken Davis's mastery of delivery firsthand. "It's been my joy and privilege to travel extensively with Ken and watch as he holds an audience in the palm of his hand through his exquisite gift of storytelling," she observed. What made Davis's delivery so compelling wasn't just what he said, but how he said it—his confident stance, expressive face, and strategic movements all communicated conviction. Voice projection is foundational to effective delivery. Most speakers aren't loud enough, even with a microphone. Learn to use three levels of vocal projection: minimal voice (the smallest volume that can be heard), maximal voice (the loudest tolerable volume), and optimal voice (your natural, comfortable speaking voice). Using all three levels strategically adds variety and emphasis to your presentation. Eye contact establishes crucial connection with your audience. Avoid common mistakes like being a "sweeper" (scanning the audience without focusing on individuals), a "shifter" (making brief eye contact before quickly moving on), a "bird watcher" (focusing on objects instead of people), a "dreamer" (gazing into space), or a "reader" (keeping your head buried in notes). Instead, speak to individuals and complete entire thoughts with one person before moving to another. Your facial expressions and gestures should match your words. When you truly believe what you're saying, your entire body naturally becomes involved in communication. Practice delivering your message in front of a mirror or camera to ensure your expressions convey appropriate emotion. Avoid distracting gestures like "flipping" (minimal hand movements), "digital dating" (fingertips fidgeting with each other), or repetitive motions that audience members notice more than your message. Physical stance also communicates volumes. Stand with feet slightly apart, one foot slightly ahead of the other, weight evenly distributed, and lean slightly toward your audience. Move with purpose rather than pacing randomly, and avoid leaning against podiums or other objects. Your stance should communicate the same confidence as your words. Remember Michele Cushatt's experience: "For most of my life, I couldn't imagine anything more terrifying than public speaking. But then I discovered SCORRE and Ken Davis. SCORRE gave me the tools I needed to craft a focused and powerful presentation. And Ken Davis? He gave me the heart and confidence to deliver it with passion." With focused preparation and practiced delivery, you can transform fear into confidence and clarity.

Chapter 6: Connect with Your Audience

The most brilliant message will fall flat if you fail to connect with your audience. Remember, communication isn't complete until someone receives and responds to your message—like the philosophical question about a tree falling in the forest, if no one is listening, no communication occurs. Dan Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A, recognized the importance of this connection when he wrote, "Because of my storytelling role with Chick-fil-A, I am often invited to speak with various groups about a wide range of topics. Throughout the years, I have found Ken Davis' SCORRE method of communication to be an invaluable resource." Cathy understood that truly effective communication requires more than just delivering information—it requires engaging people's hearts and minds. The first step in connecting with your audience is considering them throughout your preparation process. Ask yourself what current events or circumstances might affect their mood and receptivity. When Davis spoke at a charitable fundraiser, he had planned to open with humor, but after a young woman shared a heart-wrenching personal story, he adjusted his approach to acknowledge her testimony before gradually introducing lighter elements. This sensitivity demonstrated awareness of the audience's emotional state. Research shows that people remember only 10 percent of what they hear, but 60 percent of what they see and hear, and 80 percent of what they see, hear, and do. To maximize connection, involve your audience in multiple ways. Provide simple outlines that help them follow your presentation, ask questions that engage their thinking, encourage note-taking, and when appropriate, give opportunities for action or discussion. One effective technique is creating anticipation through incomplete information. Instead of revealing everything at once, build curiosity by presenting partial information that makes your audience want to know more. For example, an outline that reads "Principles that lead to living fully alive: Live with nothing to _____, Live with nothing to _____, Live with nothing to _____" creates anticipation for the complete principles. Elisa Morgan, speaker and author, experienced the power of this connection firsthand. After attending one of Davis's sessions, she noted, "Pick up this book, follow Ken through the pages and come out on the other side with clarity and confidence that you can speak with purpose in the various arenas of your life." When you truly connect with your audience, your message moves from mere information to transformation. Remember that connection flows from genuine care. As Davis explains, "Communication is not about you or what people will think about you or how well you will perform. Communication is about the people sitting in front of you. It's about giving to them, helping them, instructing them, and persuading them of something that will enrich their lives." When your focus shifts from impressing to serving, genuine connection naturally follows.

Chapter 7: Use Humor to Enhance Your Message

Humor isn't just a way to entertain—it's a powerful tool that can transform your communication. As Victor Borge wisely observed, "Humor is the shortest distance between two people." When used strategically, humor doesn't distract from your message; it enhances it by breaking down barriers and making your audience more receptive. Norman Cousins, journalist and author, discovered the physical benefits of humor firsthand when battling a debilitating illness. Confined to bed with a poor prognosis, he requested funny movies and humor books instead of hospital care. "I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep," he reported. His experience confirmed the physiological benefits of laughter, but humor's impact extends far beyond physical health. Davis once spoke at a Valentine's banquet where his primary goal was simply to make people laugh. After the event, an elderly woman approached him with tears in her eyes: "Three months ago I lost my husband after forty-five years of marriage. Tonight is the first time I have laughed since he died. I thought that life held no joy without him, but tonight you lifted that burden of depression from my soul." The pastor later shared that the evening of laughter had catalyzed healing in his congregation, which had been experiencing conflict. Understanding what makes something funny helps you develop this skill. The best humor often comes from simple truth—pointing out the absurdity in everyday life, like a sign at a jewelry store that says "Ears pierced while you wait" (as if you could leave your ears and pick them up later). Ridiculous exaggeration can also generate laughs, though it requires greater skill and commitment. The humor of surprise—setting up one expectation and then delivering something unexpected—forms the basis of most jokes. For those new to incorporating humor, start with low-risk humor—true stories or illustrations that carry their own weight even if no one laughs. This approach allows you to practice timing and delivery without the pressure of generating immediate laughter. Be mindful of the "double edge" of humor: it can either build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. Avoid ethnic humor and jokes at others' expense, especially with audiences you don't know well. Tony Campolo, who wrote the foreword to one of Davis's books, experienced the power of humor when speaking to a group of unresponsive teenagers. After Davis had made them laugh the previous evening, Campolo found them completely transformed: "The atmosphere at the convention changed. The next morning the young people greeted me with rapt attention. They hung on my every word... Ken Davis had done more than just entertain, he made the kids want to listen and respond." Remember that humor should fit your natural style and personality. You don't need to become a comedian—simply allow your authentic humor to emerge in ways that enhance rather than distract from your message. When used appropriately, humor softens hearts, provides instant feedback, raises attentiveness, and creates memorable moments that make your message stick.

Summary

Throughout these chapters, we've explored the transformative power of focused, purposeful communication. The SCORRE method provides a proven framework for crafting messages that move beyond mere information to genuine transformation. As Ken Davis reminds us, "If you aim at nothing, you will hit nothing every time." This fundamental truth highlights why developing a clear, singular objective is the foundation of all effective communication. The path to becoming a dynamic communicator isn't about natural talent or charisma—it's about disciplined preparation and genuine care for your audience. Aristotle identified three essential qualities in effective communicators: logos (logical reasoning), ethos (moral character), and pathos (emotional connection). When all three elements are present, your message becomes nearly impossible to ignore. As you implement the principles from these pages, commit to one immediate action: Select your next speaking opportunity and apply the SCORRE method from start to finish. Don't settle for rambling presentations or scattered thoughts—embrace the power of focus and watch as your words begin to change lives, starting with your very next presentation.

About Author

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Ken Davis

Ken Davis, a best selling author and frequent radio and television guest, is a sought after speaker. As president of Dynamic Communicators International, he teaches the art and business of communication to companies and indviduals from all walkes of life. Ken's daily radio show, Lighten Up!, is heard on more than 1,500 stations in the United States and around the world. He and his wife, Diane, live in Tennessee and have two daughters and six grandchildren.

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