How to pitch an idea to your boss
A tool for action
Today: Andrés talks about What, Why, How, a communication framework that is very effective when presenting recommendations or plans to a busy stakeholder. Also, an interview with Dylan, who leaves Astrolab to start a learning consultancy.
Humans learn by experience, but not all experiences have the same impact on our learning outcomes. Experiences that are recurring tend to stick with us, and become lasting insights about the world.
For almost fourteen years, I’ve been helping knowledge workers understand how to get better at winning others over when communicating in conversations, presentations, meetings, one-on-ones, and even written messages.
Here are three insights that synthesize my learning journey at Astrolab:
Ideas are not enough to persuade people
Stories are a great way to build connection and inspire action
It's easy to underestimate the impact some meetings with senior stakeholders—leaders, clients, investors, future bosses—have on your career
In this INFLUX 🪐 edition, I’ll share a framework that will help you prepare for those meetings that can make, break—or brake—your career.
There’s a Mexican legacy company that has an annual revenue of $15B where, at least in one of their biggest business units, you can’t get to a leadership position if a certain person in the company doesn’t vouch for you after a one-on-one interview.
Now, there are equivalents in your organization: it is really hard to get a senior or leadership role if you’re not able to wow people during presentations. It seems unfair, considering that preparing and delivering these types of presentations account for a small portion of your time compared to the rest of your activities, but it is a practice I see everywhere.
The framework, called What, Why, How, and it’s the culmination of a decade of research, testing, and implementation in real projects.
The framework
Astrolab is a professional development training firm. Until recently, we only had one learning experience, INSPIRA Storytelling. Let’s Be Clear is our second workshop.
We spend the rest of our time helping leaders craft and share narratives around decisions or changes.
In this second line of work we’ve spent thousands of hours trying to find the perfect narrative structure, one that is general enough but with room for flexibility, and one that makes it easy for teams to align around the most important pieces of information.
After reviewing and working actively with many different narrative structures, including Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, Barbara Minto Minto’s Pyramid, Anecdote’s Clarity Story, Terry Borton’s What, So What, Now What), we’re convinced that a structure that
Starts with the suggested action,
Moves into the reasons behind the action, and
Finally get into logistics,
is the best way to go. It is intuitive, brain-friendly, and has a good ratio of simplicity-complexity that allows it to grow.
What, Why, How (WWH) is our best answer. I’ll briefly explain what goes into each of these three elements:
What are you proposing? (Start with the recommendation, not the background)
Why does it matter now? (The rationale, problem, urgency, benefit, vision, purpose)
How will it work? (The action steps, timeline, or key considerations)
WWH makes it easy for you to share in fifteen seconds, minutes, or months what is the course of action, why it matters, and what are the details and logistics.
The examples
Here’s a brief example:
(What) I recommend we move ahead with Vendor A for our summer campaign.
(Why) They’ve outperformed others in both cost and speed, and we need to launch by June 1st.
(How) Here’s how we’d do it: finalize the contract by next week, kick off the creative process by April 10, and begin testing by mid-May.
Here’s another example:
(What) We’re making changes to how we work to boost productivity and deliver better results for our clients.
(Why) Over the past six months, productivity has dropped 20%, causing delays and client dissatisfaction. Teams have flagged unclear priorities, too many meetings, and outdated tools as key blockers. If we don’t act, we risk burnout and losing momentum.
(How) We’ll start using clear frameworks like OKRs or Agile sprints, reduce unnecessary meetings, centralize communication, and upgrade our tools with smarter automation to streamline workflows.
WWH has many uses. Here are some ideas:
Writing an executive summary slide
Kicking off a project
Delegating a task
Presenting a roadmap
Introducing a new internal tool
Summarizing a new project plan to other functional areas
Final note: this framework does not pretend to be exhaustive. On the contrary, it is a structure that can and will adapt as time goes on.
It is not a script but rather a set of principles, if you want to.
The prompt
If you want to try this tool, use the following prompt in your favorite predictive AI tool, courtesy of Emilio from Astrolab.
Briefs
Dylan is leaving Astrolab to start a learning consultancy 🧑🏽💻: Read an excerpt from a conversation I had with him.
AO: Tell me about Bengala, your new project.
DM: I translate companies' learning needs into products or services that impact their business. This could be a course, onboarding program, webpage, video—there’s a wide range of possibilities.
My services fall into three categories:
Training Tools – Solutions like onboarding programs or microlearning modules tailored to specific needs.
Broadcast Services – Communication tools such as videos or visual designs that reinforce messages effectively within organizations.
Technology Solutions – Consulting on platforms like LMSs or integrating AI tools into workflows.
AO: Let’s dive into a big question: AI and learning in 2025—why will learning remain relevant (or not) in the coming years?
DM: Learning won’t stop being relevant—it’ll become standardized and more accessible. For instance, creating an AI bot that guides and helps users is a learning solution that simplifies access to information. However, successful implementation requires the right context: accessible technology like chatbots or videos within reach of employees. Without proper resources or infrastructure (e.g., PDFs or internet access), even the best tools won’t work effectively.
Some people don’t even have internet access at their plants or struggle with basic tools like Facebook. It’s fascinating how different scales look.
AO: What does an organization look like when it doesn’t prioritize learning versus one where learning is central to its strategy?
DM: A company without learning is disorganized—it struggles to grow and constantly faces challenges due to poor systems or shifting priorities. On the other hand, companies like Duolingo integrate learning into their culture with tools like handbooks and interactive examples. Learning reinforces culture—it doesn’t create it but strengthens it.
A strong learning culture impacts KPIs directly. With clear expectations and tailored training programs aligned with company goals, employees can perform more effectively. For instance, if someone struggles with a task outside their role due to unclear responsibilities or poor training, addressing these issues saves time and improves efficiency.
Often companies don’t know what they truly need—they might identify one problem but miss the underlying issues that require attention.
AO: How did you become interested in learning design?
DM: It happened by chance when I worked on a math course for a U.S.-based school at M Soluciones. My role was to make activities fun for kids using games inspired by titles like Super Mario and Angry Birds. Later on, Mariana (a mentor) introduced me to instructional design theories like ADDIE and Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Adults require different approaches because they already have life experience but are often resistant to change—they need communication styles tailored to their existing knowledge.
AO: Good luck with Bengala!
Let’s be Clear ✅: Last week we ran this workshop live for the first time. It was an amazing experience! Thanks to everyone who joined. If you’re interested in joining the second cohort, let me know.
New Client ✨: We just closed a deal with a company in North Carolina. More details soon :)
Let’s meet 🤙🏼: If you think Astrolab could help you drive better business results, schedule a call with me via this link.
That’s all for today!
See you next week.
– Andrés