Communication Tip - engage them with your opening.

I'm in Oxford as I write this, preparing to speak to an audience of Head Teachers tomorrow.

It's one of my favourite cities, and the location of a large part of one of my favourite novels - Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.

It's a vast, sprawling story of the relationship between Charles Ryder and Sebastian Flyte, and Sebastian's family. It was made gloriously famous by a Granada Television dramatisation in the early 80's (and less so by a film version a couple of years ago).

Thinking of the novel as I walked around the Oxford Colleges today, one thing kept coming to mind with regard to my speech tomorrow. The opening line of Brideshead Revisited.

The opening line of Chapter One (although there is a prologue) is "I have been here before".

It is spoken by Charles Ryder, on realising that the army platoon he captains (in the Second World War) is to be camped at Brideshead, home of Sebastian's family. "I have been here before".

The line sets up the whole drama of the novel, setting Charles on a journey through his memory of the preceding twenty or thirty years, from his first days at Oxford, to meeting Lord Sebastian Flyte and friends, Sebastian's dissolution through drink, Charles' marriage and development as an artist, and his relationship with Sebastian's sister Julia.

But it all starts with that one line - "I have been here before".

With the opening line, Waugh sets the stage for his story - and with an opening line, every presentation you make, every email you send, every report you produce will set the stage for how your audience will take it and understand it.

Work hard on that opening line. Is it strong, engaging, involving? If it is, you'll be some way to achieving your objective. (And you do have an objective, don't you?).

If it is weak, unengaging, banal - then you are off to the worst of all possible starts. And don't expect that your audience will come with you on the rest of the journey.

I'll be working hard on my opening for tomorrow's speech. But then again, I have been here before.

Presentation tip – Tell a story

One of the most powerful ways you can influence your audience is to use stories.

There seems to be some deep connection between people and story, perhaps going back to our childhood. Look into your own experience, or the story of your company, organisation or brand, to find stories that make a point.

Use the classic structure of conflict, resolution and point to make sure your stories resonate with the listener, and add to your pitch.

First, set up the conflict – what was the problem, challenge, danger?

Second, how was this resolved? How did you overcome it?

Finally, make the point. How does it uncover a greater truth? What does it mean for the listener? What did you learn from it?

Story is unquestionably powerful, and one of the best ways you can really connect with your audience.

Creativity Tip: It’s all about collaboration

"I tried to make ideas happen. Ideas that could change life".

The words of Malcolm McLaren, one of our great artistic directors, who died on Thursday. Next day, there was some bore on the radio fulminating about how disgraceful it was that Malcolm sailed a boat down the Thames with the Sex Pistols playing "God Save the Queen" outside the Houses of Parliament, during The Queen's Silver Jubilee.

Was it disgraceful? Perhaps. But it was funny, too. RIP, Malcolm. Rest in Provocation.

Although Malcolm McLaren created some stunning work himself (I love Buffalo Girls and Madame Butterfly in particular), his greatest skill was in collaboration. From his early collaborations in fashion retail with Vivienne Westwood and others, to helping bring together The Sex Pistols, Adam and the Ants, Bow Wow Wow and many others, he knew that great ideas, and great changes, come from bringing together the talents of others.

If you have challenges to overcome, or problems to solve, or need to come up with ideas (and who doesn't?), look to form new collaborations. Link with other teams, other individuals, people with new skills.

Creation comes from collaboration.

How to handle the hecklers, Gordon!

So Gordon Brown was on the receiving end of the first heckle of the election campaign.

Or as his political strategists might put it, he was involved in early interactive face to face voter participation in the ongoing national debate.

If you missed the event, you can watch it here: http://bit.ly/cw1wGb

Now, having been on the end of more than a few "interruptions" myself, I have developed a cunning three-option plan for handling those who wish to move from "audience", to "participant".

The three options are:

1. Ignore them.
2. Involve them.
3. Insult them.

The Prime Minister took the first option - Ignore them.

For you or me, when we're presenting to a meeting or conference, that's the correct option. Most times, the 'heckle' was only heard by the heckler and those immediately around them, and if it was a real heckle, you risk getting drawn off course.

But please note, Gordon, that isn't the best option when:

1. You're the Prime Minister standing for re-election,
2. It's in front of the country's TV, radio and press, and
3. The heckle is an appropriate question (even if the voter in question did seem able to get surprisingly close to the PM, and was suspiciously well caught by the TV cameras).

Second option, and moving it up a level, is to Involve them. This, I feel, is what GB should have done. He should have expressed concern, promised to look into it and get back to him (and done so). Then the TV pictures would have been about the PM handling things well, with one of his aides being seen taking notes.

That's the best response for you and me too, if appropriate. Firstly, because if it was a genuine heckle - that is, a pointed, nasty interruption - you taking your time to pause, and engage with the other person will usually embarrass them into silence.

However, if their point is valid, or interesting - and especially funny - you'll get great kudos from bringing them into the discussion.

The final option is to Insult them. This is by far the best option if you are incredibly good at thinking on your feet, prepared for a response which might be funnier than yours, willing to take a punch on the snoot, and you're doing the midnight show at the Comedy Store.

If you're in any other situation, hold the insults.

Unless, of course, you're John Prescott, who I understand has his very own way of dealing with interruptions.

Innovation Provocation - Beg, Steal or Borrow

"Bad artists copy. Great artists steal". At least, they do according to Pablo Picasso.

Looking at the work of others has always been a great source of inspiration for artists - and for writers, film-makers, advertising creatives, inventors, entrepreneurs and anyone else involved in coming up with ideas.

Of course, you don't want to simply rip off the ideas of others.

You want to take inspiration, pay homage, find that spark of inventiveness that starts a new train of thought which leads you developing something new, fit for your own purpose and answering your own challenge.

I heard a great example last week. I don't know into which category you'd put Rolf Harris - bad artist or great artist, but for me he's firmly in the latter category. (I still have to brush away a tear whenever I hear "Two little boys"). And anyone who can play "Stairway to heaven" on a wobble board in front of a capacity crowd at Glastonbury is truly great in my eyes!

Being interviewed by Jools Holland on BBC Radio 2, Rolf admitted that he'd heard a song by the great Harry Belafonte called "Don't tie me donkey down there, let him bray, let him bray". At the time, Rolf was performing every week at the Down Under Club in London, and looking for songs he could do with a chorus for the crowd to join in.

"I thought, if we change it to Kangaroo, and write some Aussie verses, that would do" said Rolf. And the rest is history - Top Ten in the UK, No. 3 in the chart in the USA, and Number One (of course!) in Australia.

Look around you - in other fields, other arenas, other organisations. What do they do that you could inspire new ideas for you and your team?

Use their Provocation to inspire your Innovation.