Write Your Own Core Script and Q&A

photo credit: Fruitanimal

Do you know who you are? Do you know where you’re going? If the answer to those questions is yes, great! But can you explain it effectively to others to show yourself off to your best advantage? If you’re not sure, you need a core script. If the answer is no, then you definitely need a core script. Read on to find out why.

In business they talk about having an elevator pitch, a short spiel that you trot out in those brief seconds you have to introduce yourself to someone new. Generally speaking it consists of your name, organisation, what you do there and why you’re completely awesome. It can be a very useful tool for that particular self-marketing opportunity.

I’d like to suggest two tools more suited to your personal life that will allow you to speak authoritatively and inspiringly about yourself and answer any questions people might have.

The core script and Q&A.

I work in government. Whenever an announcement is made, good or bad, a core script and Q&A are developed. The core script contains, in bullet point form and usually just one or two pages, all the key points and arguments to get acorss when talking about the topic at hand.

For example, if the government was announcing new funding for schools, the core script would set out a story that can either be read off the page or used pick ‘n’ mix style to set out how much funding was being made available, for what purpose, to which schools and the likely impact of the new policy. It would probably also refer to related positive impacts that have already been seen, so say for example this was the roll-out of a pilot scheme, the core script would trumpet the doubtless excellent results of the pilot.

Alongside the core script, a Q&A (questions and answers) document will be prepared. Generally this will contain the answers to all the tough questions the media or opposition politicians might ask. In our education example, these might include questions about where the funding is coming from, whether the pilot results are reliable, why this option has been chosen in preference to any others and whether it’s too little too late.

Your own core script and Q&A

I think the greatest value in this process comes from creating the script in the first place, whether it’s topic-specific (explaining your financial problems) or better a whole-life script setting out who you are and where you’re going. It forces you to set out your thoughts and motivations logically and coherently. In doing so you’ll see where you have successes you can point to and where you need to focus more energy in getting things to where you want them.

If you’re anything like me, you’re not always at your most coherent when thinking on your feet. Even if you’re an improv natural, it’s quite likely you won’t come up with anything quite as good as you could had you prepared.

Beyond writing it, when might you use your core script? The opportunities to market yourself in everyday life are varied, but here are just a few:

• At work: when interviewing for a job, when you unexpectedly find yourself on a train with your boss’s boss’s boss, when building your relationship with someone you’d like to work for or with in future
• In romance: if you’re dating, being able to talk confidently and inspiringly about yourself and your plans is a big plus. If you give the impression you’re simply stumbling through life without much in the way of purpose or direction, you’ll most likely attract others in a similar position.
• Socially: tell your friends about your new project, explain to your partner why you want to volunteer in South America, explain your financial predicament to your parents in its most positive light.

Hopefully this list triggered one or two things in your mind it would be useful to have a good way of explaining. You use the script to set out your argument and the Q&A to anticipate the most likely resulting questions, especially the difficult ones.

What goes into your core script and Q&A?

The core script should be a maximum of two pages of bullet points setting out your general arguments and principles. You’ll want to say briefly who you are, where you’re from and what you do. So far so obvious.

But then you’ll want to move on to the good stuff. Refer to all the great things you’ve accomplished in life, the setbacks you’ve overcome and the goals you’ve achieved. Then set out your forward story: what your goals are, what you’re doing now to achieve them and when you think you’ll have succeeded. If you don’t have any future goals to point to, or if you think your past successes appear rather modest, instead set out how you plan to address this.

Then brainstorm all the tough questions that might be asked by someone trying to undermine your story. Imagine a hostile journalist looking to write a negative article about you. Why have you chosen these particular goals? Wasn’t it by accident that you enjoyed certain successes? Weren’t you privileged in upbringing or environment and were therefore able to succeed more easily? Aren’t you neglecting certain key areas in your future plans such as finance, romance or health? Write the best answers you can to these tough questions. If you find you can’t come up with anything convincing, you’ve probably hit upon an area you should consider developing in future.

I’ll end with a quick health warning: there’s a risk that your core script and Q&A might make you come off sounding arrogant. My advice is to keep this in mind as you’re writing and try to be as humble as possible while still putting your point across. For a sense and arrogance check, run it past someone you trust such as your partner or best friend.

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