Challenge: Communicate complex policy clearly and without jargon.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administers projects to promote human development – focused on poverty reduction, equity, and sustainability – affects hundreds of millions of people across the world.

Officials across the organization face communications challenges that are enormously complex and varied: Senior leaders introduce new initiatives and strive to inspire their staff in sprawling bureaus and national offices around the world. They must bridge dozens of languages and cultures as they communicate their policies. Country-level program officials need to make sure the policies are understood and translated into action by local offices. They also frequently launch major media campaigns to publicize their initiatives. And they must connect with government agencies, funders, and volunteers.

The multiple audiences add an additional layer of complexity. Officials must avoid a thicket of vague talk, protocol, and bureaucratic constraint. The objective is to deliver key messages that are clearly understood around the world, whether at the General Assembly or a small village meeting.

Solution: Empower each person to identify their audience & key objective.

I have worked with UNDP officials in a number of senior positions and a wide range of presentation formats. In each case, I’ve tailored the program to the particular needs of my clients.

Policy Directors and Bureau Chiefs

Once, a brilliant and powerful director, formerly a head of state, was rehearsing a much-awaited speech. His team of experts each contributed a dry, detailed paragraph on major points, such as governance, environment, and gender. But I had to be honest: the speech had no cohesiveness—no theme to hold it together.

Using my presentation outline, and my fresh set of eyes, we pulled out highlights. Then we added rich and relevant stories, getting to the heart of the matter: What is the UNDP’s plan to address this problem? How will they put it into action? We added a conversational tone, one people could relate to.

International managers and researchers often need to step back and share a genuine, larger vision. After our training, the director began to be valued for his inspiring, clear and illuminating presentations. He was able to move people to take action on a common goal.

The Human Development Report Office

Every year, HDRO publishes a much-anticipated report that measures Human Development progress across the globe. I have worked with the full staff, researchers and analysts, who don’t often present to the public. Together, over many revisions, we capture the essence of the report. Then these scholars rehearse and finally present confident 10-, 15-, and 20-minute PowerPoint presentations to UN offices and the media. Along with drawing out the main themes of the report, we tailor the presentation for each individual country where they will deliver.

United Nation Volunteers

In 2011, I worked with 30 researchers and analysts in Bonn, Germany to present the first-ever “State Of the World Volunteerism Report,” at hundreds of pages, to the UN General Assembly. They also took the presentation around the world, from Brazil to Bosnia, hoping to inspire volunteerism, and to enlist cooperation with UN’s detailed anti-poverty agenda.

From a dense and scholarly report, I was able to elicit stories. An example:

“Right now, as we assemble here, a human rights lawyer is advising a refugee in Iraq, a doctor is attending an HIV patient in Namibia and a group of students is helping rebuild homes in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Right now, a midwife is assisting a 13-year-old girl to deliver a baby in South Sudan, an engineer is drawing up a plan for a village community centre in Bolivia while working from his home in Indonesia, and a retiree is cutting the hair of a young cancer patient in Australia.

Right now, here in this country, someone is offering a helping hand to someone who needs it, out of free will, and is saving lives and sustaining humanity. This is the power of volunteerism.”