I love seeing patterns. And one that I particularly love is seeing how structures are the back bones of many aspects of our lives, and, in particular, communications because it provides a framework for a task.
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What do I mean by structures?
Structures are how something is organized. The term structure is synonymous with a model or a formula in the context of this blog.
Most of us are familiar with this basic structure of an essay:
- Opening/Introduction—Body—Conclusion.
However, many of us would not know that other things have their own structures, too.
Such as, as law students, we are taught the formulaic structure to solve a legal problem:
- IRAC: Issues-Rules-Application-Conclusions.
Or in communication, Educator John Dewey proposed an evergreen structure to talk about any topic:
- What? So what? Now what?
to keep the audience engaged and keep the talk organized and focused. I learned about this structure through the YouTube video Think Faster, Talk Smarter with Matt Abrahams. Matt also published a book that talks about communicating better. You should check it out!
Some other examples include: In writing a novel, the famous structure is:
- A hero who overcomes sudden struggle to realize their dream.
For bloggers, the favourite structures are:
- Problem => Solution
- A moment in life (Narrow) => Life lesson (Big).
For me, the most important structure that I have learnt and I use frequently throughout my law school is:
- Argument => Supporting point 1, 2, 3=> address opposing points 1, 2 => Closing
This has been my holy grail formula for essays, answering questions, and analyzing an issue or advocating for a solution.
This formula forces me to find the big picture, ground my argument by addressing different aspects, then conclude.
Why are structures so helpful?
- They act as frameworks for one to follow. They give directions and keep our thoughts organized and keep our audience engaged.
- They are simple. If one remembers the structure and uses it to practice, it is likely that the person will master that skill quickly.
- They somewhat guarantee the promised results.
For parents, structures can help parents communicate better and teach our kids to use these structures early on to organize their thoughts or speeches.
What? So what? Now what?
The What? So what? Now what? structure could be use to guide a child on how to react to a situation or to regulate an emotion.
- What feeling are you experiencing now?
- What does it mean when you have such feeling?
- Now what can you do now to deal with that feeling?
This can be used to explain any situation and guide the child how to think about a particular situation and how to analyze a feeling or a thought or an urge to do something.
Similarly, with the Argument => Supporting Point 1,2,3 Structure:
- What is your argument on this topic?
- What are the supporting points for your argument? 1-2-3
- What are the opposing points and why they are weak or invalid? 1-2-3
- Conclusion
If I had known these structures when I was younger, I think I would have learned to think more clearly and so speak and act more clearly. However, I appreciate my struggles in obtaining this wisdom as I now appreciate the structures more and can talk candidly about how the structures help improve my skills and confidence.
What structures have changed your life or your perspectives? Please share! I would love to know. <3
Have a great day!
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