The Decision-Maker’s Attention: Grabbing It, Keeping It & Winning with It
The Decision-Maker’s Attention: Grabbing It, Keeping It & Winning with It
It’s worth revisiting Trey Cox’s “Winning the Jury’s Attention: Presenting Evidence from Voir Dire to Closing.” In less than 200 pages, Cox covers 7 key principles of communication and persuasion in the courtroom.
“We must realize,” Cox says, “that a juror’s attention is a precious commodity and should never be wasted. As trial lawyers, we must find the best way to get and keep their attention in order to communicate our core ideas.” Thus, Cox turns to the fields of marketing, education and media for the substance of Winning the Jury’s Attention. The goal? To grab attention, keep attention and persuade.
To help us choose the right message, present in the right way, and do so in the most efficient manner, Cox focuses on three primary sources: “Beyond Bullet Points” by Cliff Atkinson, “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds, and “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die” by Chip and Dan Heath. Cox devotes one chapter to explaining the seven principles in general terms before applying the concepts to the courtroom in 9 more chapters.
The bulk of Winning the Jury’s Attention focuses on the 7 principles effective for building connections, gaining attention, and promoting understanding.
The Personal Credibility Principle: Demonstrate competence, accuracy, leadership, and efficiency to gain credibility.
Credibility
- Confidence
- Something to Say
- Efficiency
The Signaling Principle: People learn better when the material is presented with clear outlines and headings.
Clear Signals
- Road Map
- Transitions
- Signposts
The Segmentation Principle: People learn better when information is presented in bite-sized chunks.
Segmentation
- Chunking
- Rule of Three
- Headlines
The Multimedia Principle: People learn better from words and pictures than from words alone.
Add Images to Words
- Demonstrative Exhibits
- Props
- Flip Charts
The Coherence Principle: People learn better when extraneous material is excluded.
Unified Whole
- Less is More
- Keeping it Simple
The Stickiness Principle: Make your themes and ideas “sticky.”
Make It Stick
- Slogans
- Senses
- “SUCCESs”:
•simple
•unexpected
•concrete
•credible
•emotional
•stories
The Jolt Principle: Periodically jolt your jury so they don’t bolt.
Do Something Different
- Grab from the Start
- Move
•gesture
•position
•voice
Cox is a Dallas attorney specializing in complex business litigation. He is board certified as a trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and has been recognized as an effective trial lawyer and a rising star. He has served on the faculty at Southern Methodist University law school and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.
“Winning the Jury’s Attention” shines a light on the art of communication and persuasion. Cox will show you the principles, how they work on the mind, and how to use them to your advantage in the courtroom. He will help you improve your communication and persuasion skills, and more effective skills will position you for more successful outcomes at trial, as well as at mediation, arbitration and negotiations.