SPEAK TO THE HEART, NOT JUST THE HEAD
Life would be much easier if human beings were rational but, for better or worse, we are not rational; we are rationalizing. Even the most logical actions land in a sea of human irrationality.
You’ve likely heard the old aphorism “say it, say it, and say it again.” Many of us were raised on the idea that repetition is the essence of communication. This has not been my experience at all. Most of us are overwhelmed by the barrage of communication we face on a daily basis.
We want context and meaning to navigate our world, not more noise. We want communication that speaks to our deepest feelings, our hopes and dreams, our fears, and concerns. We want communication to focus on the things that we care deeply about.
An audience will always pay attention to the messages that matter to them. You can say the same thing ten times, if it’s not meaningful to them, repetition won’t save you. But if you say something just once, that’s really meaningful to your audience, they may remember it for the rest of their lives. Figure out what is most meaningful to your audience right now and focus your communication on that.
INSPIRATION FROM OTHERS
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw
“Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON
- How much of your communication is geared towards the head Vs the heart?
- What are the hopes and concerns of your audience?
- How could you speak to those emotions?
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