WELCOME
TO
"WEIR
WONDERING
WHY"
Do you need help to say what you mean and focus on what matters, so you can make your ideas be come a reality?
Weir~Wondering~Why asks questions, provides fresh perspectives and helps people work out what they want to say
Trying to figure out how to communicate?
Looking for ways to deliver your authentic voice?
Want to be heard in a world full of noise?
What you may find helpful
Someone who can help you figure out what you want to say and to find your 'messaging mojo'
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Meet Andrew Weir
Andrew worked for 35+ years as a communications strategist at Publicis Groupe (mainly at Saatchi & Saatchi and Zenith International). His broad and diverse wealth of experience over that time has taught him a few things about how to communicate:
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Having stepped away from the corporate world, he now has the time and space to focus on what he likes doing most - helping people and teams to figure out what, why and how they should be communicating
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​​How to communicate with consumers to influence their attitudes and behaviours to brands
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How to communicate and develop trust with global partners
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How to communicate internally to build teams that work
It is all about asking "Why"
Asking "Why" is what Andrew does
..because figuring out the "why" behind what you want to say (and expect to happen) is key
Some examples..
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“Why” is this happening?
“Why” are people behaving that way?
“Why” will people care?
Asking why enough is like peeling back the layers of an onion
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It is only when you get to the core do you truly see what going on
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Overview of what a coaching session might look like..
1
What
(including who, when and where)
​​This step focuses on a Q&A session that aims to unearth what is really going on (context / situation / challenges)
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Questions help get to the heart of the matter​​
Answers will help to clearly define what communication needs to do
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Why
​​At this step the intention is to gain a deep understanding of how communications will need to work
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Questions reveal insights
Answers will help to ensure that the communications, that need to be developed, will be relevant and effective
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How
This step is about how to get started to build a plan
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Questions explore options, considerations and priorities
Answers will shape how communications should be framed, shaped and delivered
(messaging and touchpoints)
The number, nature and time spent on these sessions will vary significantly dependent on the type of project
Examples of challenges where good communication is vital
Andrew focuses on what matters
Seeing through the fog
Asking questions helps to unravel what might seem vague observations or a seemingly over complicated situation
Stripping away the jargon and honing in on what going on
To understand the challenges and the reasons "why"
Sharpening your thinking
Mapping answers to ensure a clear focus and brutal simplicity of thought:
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Following smart logic
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Chunking the problem
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Keeping it simple
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To highlight communication solutions, implications and "why" they are relevant
Crafting your narrative
Making the story engaging, relevant and effective
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Ensuring the communication experience is seamless and joined up
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To demonstrate you understand people and "why" they will care (about what you want to communicate)
Andrew's Toolbox
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A blank piece of paper - to map out the situation:
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Visual mapping helps see through the fog
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Translates abstract thoughts into concrete ideas
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Chunking challenges keeps the thinking clear and simple
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Shows links by 'joining the dots' and helping to formulate themes
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Structured questions - to guide the process:
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What? (including who, when, and where?) - To understand the situation and set goals
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Why? - To unearth insights and options
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How? - To explain the plan
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Relevant frameworks - to create order and logic (some examples):
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Simon Sinek's Golden circle - Considers first the "why" before what and how
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Ikigai - A Japanese method of determining whether or not your work will fulfill you
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Minto Pyramid - a framework for organising information into a structure to communicate ideas clearly and concisely
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AI and smart prompts - to access the world's intelligence:
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ChatGPT – to access knowledge, generate visuals, provide checklist, etc.
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Co-pilot - to interact with: to guide, clarify, simplify and support
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​(There are obviously an increasingly number of AI platforms that offer a range of other tools that can be useful)
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Andrew's guiding principles
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Focus on clear and orderly thinking
(avoid jargon)
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BE BOLD​
Look for ways to stand-out from the crowd (there is no point ‘re-arranging the deck chairs’)
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MAKE SURE WORKS
Aim for communications that will make a difference. Imagine what success looks like and how you will measure it
Working with people -
use cases
Simplifying the pitch for a grant application
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An associate professor asked Andrew for help with a medical research grant application - from a global healthcare trust
She needed to simplify her narrative to explain a highly complex medical story, in a way that would help the review panel to more easier understand it
Andrew worked with her develop an 'elevator pitch' and a narrative that would clearly explain "why" her research should selected to receive the (sizeable) grant
Re-defining a (personal) purpose
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The founder of a successful recruitment agency accumulated extensive experience over the years, effectively collaborating with c-suite executives and utilising her remarkable emotional intelligence, to navigate a variety of challenging and unique situations
After recently retiring, she found herself missing the dynamic nature of corporate life. She recognised the value of her experience, as evidenced by her substantial following of her regular posts on LinkedIn, but was not sure how to leverage it
Andrew assisted her in re-defining her purpose and "why" it was relevant; which also helped to guide the structure of an autobiographical book she is writing
Figuring out how to navigate a career pivot
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Andrew has worked with a number of people who are seeking a change in their career
They are generally not sure how to present the experiences and skills they have to offer, or how to communicate them in a compelling way - that will highlight "why" potential employees should be interested in taking them on
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(This type of project is always challenging but extremely rewarding)
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Projects with teams -
use cases
Developing the story for an African Wildlife charity
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Andrew was recently appointed chair of UK trustees for a wildlife charity based in Zimbabwe. A key priority has been to define the charities proposition and story more clearly, help it stand-out vs the other African wildlife charities and attract more potential donors to our mission
Andrew worked with the board to develop a clear proposition and story that taps into "why" potential donors should care (about what the charity is doing). This will help direct and inspire all future content/messaging​
Developing a communications launch plan for a golf app
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Andrew is working with the founders of an SME - who had created an app for competitive social golfers - to help develop the launch marketing communications strategy
A key part of the strategic development has been to identify "why" golfers would be interested in the app, download it and continue to use it
This is helping to identify the key factors that need to be addressed to ensure the launch plan is a success
Fixing a process through better communication
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A major advertiser had a problem with their media agency. The agency was not delivering plans in a timely or accurate way - which inevitably caused relationship issues and extra workload for both client and agency teams
Andrew worked closely with the advertiser and agency teams to help them collaborate and identify the problems, the reasons "why" and the fixes - that were largely resolved through more open and improved communications
Other valuable experiences Andrew has gained while working in a strategic global position within a corporate marketing services agency
How to take a brief and figure our what is required
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How to design, set-up and facilitate workshops for:
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Training
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Problem solving
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Id​eation
How to focus on outcomes not just inputs​
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How to build positive collaborative teams - with internal and external stakeholders - that make things happen
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How to work effectively and empathetically across any continent and culture