WHAT WISE PEOPLE KNOW

Graduation is a few months from now. 

Though commencement, for us, is a non-event, many of its rituals still ring of reality and, yes, authenticity. 

Like the actual live ceremonies, including the tasseled hat, robe, and well-printed diploma (notice:  It’s not an electronic replica).

As well as the speech, singular and plural, from the well-known and near-famous.  Who could forget Steve Jobs’ YouTubed advice:  “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”  Or Tim Cook’s encomium:  “The sidelines are not where you want to live your life.”

And the new beginnings of it all, whether throwing Midship-person hats in the air or simply releasing balloons.

As many of our relatives, friends, and family start preparing for that day, we can’t help but draw parallels to work, and to its not-so-unceremonious endings.  Celebrating the good things in an office is something that, unfortunately, is done all too rarely.  Impromptu festivities aren’t necessarily the mark of many corporate cultures.  After all, work is serious stuff and heads’ down is the mantra. 

But wouldn’t it make sense to, say, get together with colleagues when a particularly arduous goal has been reached?  Or a change milestone accomplished?  Even a ‘degree’ in a specific course of study earned?

Graduation memories do bring out the sage in us.

THE TYRANNY OF MESSAGING

At one point or another in our careers, we learn the importance of “messaging.”

“It’s the foundation of everything we do,” proclaim senior communicators.  “We need to ensure that we’re consistent and accurate in our statements,” insist agency brethren.  “And it’s the best way to spell out our uniqueness and differentiate us from the competition,” underscore marketers.

Sometimes the cry for re-messaging starts because of one specific event, say, an executive’s speech or a major presentation.  Other times, it’s the re-thinking of what to say about a company and its products/services, prompted by a merger, acquisition, reorg, new C-suite, and similar changes.  Or:  It’s simply time for a refresh.

Then … wordsmithing and architecting begins.  Reviewers, many of them, weigh in.  And go through many rounds until, voila!  Messaging is complete.

Not quite yet.  To us, the application of messaging often gets lost after the crafting’s done.  It’s all too easy to plonk down the messages in the middle of a blog or speech or Town Hall.   Recycle it, in other words.

But ask yourself first:  Does it ring true?  Is the leader’s quote plucked almost verbatim from the platform?   Could you imagine someone reading (or talking like) this?   Can you readily pick out key messages … simply from the exact words used and not the meaning?  How powerful, in short, is the conversation? 

One last question:  Does messaging control us – or do we control it?