All chapters in this track
Chapter 1 of 5
1. Communication
Frameworks & Models
The Minto Pyramid Principle
Barbara Minto, McKinsey
- Lead with the answer
- Group supporting arguments
- Provide evidence
Used universally in consulting, executive communication, and strategic writing. It works because it matches how decision-makers consume information — conclusion-first, detail on demand.
Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
Marshall Rosenberg
Four-step model:
- Observation
- Feeling
- Need
- Request
Removes blame and defensiveness from dialogue. Research-backed across conflict resolution, negotiation, and leadership. Effective because it separates facts from interpretation and shifts conversations from positional to interest-based.
The Rhetorical Triangle
Aristotle — Ethos, Pathos, Logos
The oldest and most durable communication model. Every persuasive message balances credibility, emotional resonance, and logical structure. Still the foundation of public speaking curricula at Harvard, Wharton, and military leadership programs.
Shannon-Weaver Model + Feedback Loop
- Sender
- Encoding
- Channel
- Decoding
- Receiver
- Feedback
The foundational model for understanding communication breakdowns. Best-in-class for diagnosing why a message failed — noise, channel mismatch, encoding errors.
SCQA Framework
Situation, Complication, Question, Answer
- Situation
- Complication
- Question
- Answer
A narrative structuring tool from McKinsey. Forces the communicator to establish shared context before introducing the problem and solution. Produces consistently clear business writing and presentations.
Mental Tools
| Tool | Use Case | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Steel-manning | Argumentation | Restating the strongest version of the opposing view builds credibility and sharpens your own position |
| The 1-sentence rule | Clarity test | If you can't state your point in one sentence, you don't understand it well enough to communicate it |
| Active Listening (RASA) — Receive, Appreciate, Summarize, Ask | Dialogue | Prevents the most common failure mode: composing your reply while the other person is still talking |
| Audience Mental Model Mapping | Preparation | Before communicating, map what the audience already believes, knows, and wants — then bridge from their frame to yours |