The State Change Method
Inspired by on Lenny's Podcast
Your lecture about responsibility is three minutes in. Their eyes glazed over at minute one. You need a state change.
Wes Kao teaches that Zoom fatigue isn't about screens - it's about monologues. Her solution: every few minutes, switch something up. Ask a question. Change the scene. Have someone else speak.
Parent monologues are just as exhausting. The lecture about why we don't hit. The explanation of consequences. The backstory about when you were their age.
Eyes glaze. Processing stops. They're nodding but nobody's home.
State change. 'What do YOU think happened?' (Now they're talking.) 'Can you show me on your stuffed animal?' (Now they're moving.) 'Let's go sit somewhere else to talk about this.' (Scene change.)
'Every three to five minutes, go ahead and put in a state change.'
For adults, that's the limit. For kids? Even less. Anytime you find yourself lecturing, stop. Ask a question. Change the room. Switch who's talking.
The content might be important. But if they've checked out, it doesn't matter what you're saying. Nobody's listening.
Variety keeps attention. Switch it up.
PM Theme: Presentation / engagement
Parenting Theme: Keeping kids engaged in conversations
“The idea behind what I call the state change method is that you should punctuate your monologues with state changes. So state changes are anything that shakes your audience awake and adds some variety.”Wes Kao · 23:07
“Every three to five minutes, every three to five slides, go ahead and put in a state change.”Wes Kao · 25:17
