- Clarity, not grease, is the word: Know what you want in clear simple terms, and communicate as such. Remember less is more as the likelihood it will get messed up increases, once it goes through the layers of your staff. “I hear she was asking us all for alignment” becomes “I hear she is instituting solitary confinement”. Or“ Blessed are the cheesemakers and makers of all dairy products” (with hats off to Life of Brian).
- Avoid trophy words: A colleague of mine once used the term “asymptotic” during a meeting. I found way to get it inserted into his annual review, and it passed our leadership without question. I am positive no one knew what it meant, but no one was going to admit they didn’t know. Except I did, and asked.
CHALLENGE: If you are reading this post, leave me a sentence using “asymptotic” in the comment space. No prizes, but pride at stake. Be creative.
- Control your messaging: Like it or not, in the digital social media world we live in, keeping it short and crisp is the only way to survive Or other words, #Conciseliscious. Short is the new black but on the flip side can be misinterpreted. Slow down when you are choosing fewer words. Be purposeful in your selection to eliminate risk.
- Pick your moments: Or in other words, evaluate the current environment with regards to the plethora of inputs that are being processed by your neuro sensors, and therefore thusly heretofore creating thought which are generated in milliseconds transposed across your referent learning to generate a response through the activation of words or activity as expressed by psycho motor functionality, based on correct environmental conditions linked to your desired outcome.
- Go one on one: Personalize as much as you can: Sexing is much better than sexting, n’est-ce pas? Go speak to the person. They won’t bite…usually.
- Be authentic: Don’t hide behind phrases as they can depersonalize issues. Example: Emotional Capital: If your people think you are full of BS, or teed off and they want to stuff you with reams of process maps, and cheer your demise with a nice New World Cabernet, that should spur action… vs “the balance of our emotional capital is trended downward slightly this quarter.”
- Use examples: Alignment, Integration, Robust.…all are great outcomes if they are explained in real terms. What does that look like really day today? Otherwise, you might as well tell me your vision is Homeostatic Plurality.
- Consistency: Using repeatable language helps you maintain the message. Words can become touchstones and easily recalled, and reminders of the path. They don’t call it a mantra for nothing. For nothing. For nothing.
Remember……it’s a jungle out there.