Show, don't tell

In partnership with

In Improv, it’s important to recognize the audience’s intelligence.

People are smart.

They may not always seem like it, but they are.

We don’t have to spell everything out for them.

E.g. Instead of saying, “My leg hurts from running a marathon yesterday,”

You could show this by walking with a limp and saying, “I ran a marathon yesterday.” 🏃‍♂️ 

The audience will be able to deduce that your legs are sore! They are actually happier for having figured it out on their own. Show, don’t tell.

I could say, “oooo this coffee is hot,” or I could mime holding a mug and blow on it before taking a sip. ☕️ 

Goal

• Get your point across quickly

  • Overexplaining may detract from your main point

Just like work…

The Powerpoint Presentation took over the corporate world. It is easier to digest information quickly when you add visuals and reduce text.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Startups presenting their ideas often use demos to explain. Seeing the actual product is SO much easier than describing it.

Show me the pair of shoes you are designing, don’t just describe the swoops and lines on them.

Instead of explaining your startup idea to someone, show them a sketch or mock-up of the prototype. Tools like Figma allow rapid prototyping to show what software could look like without writing a line of code. Airtable allows for creating easy-to-use interfaces for your data.

Next time you write an email to explain a concept, think about how you can show it!

Thanks for reading 📗 🙏 

Find a large body of water and go for a swim this weekend,

Tyler 🏊️ 🌊 

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