Deliver March 2021: Clean Messaging
Barry Lewis Green
Educator, Speaker, Coach, Writer, Creator ... advancing Character Leadership and Education ... to move forward together, stronger ... engaging change.
The Heart's Content Cable Station was where messages traveled through from Europe to North America for almost 100 years; during two World Wars and a Great Depression... and more. My grandfather, Evan Pugh, was the Superintendent up until its closing in 1965, I gather, I can only imagine that communications were clearly important on so many levels.
In last month's Deliver, I offered up on Audacity. I have previously noted that "Deliver is a monthly blog where we explore how we best deliver on meaning and message." That said, quite recently, I offered on reconsidering Cleanliness post pandemic. With that in mind and heart, this month with Deliver, I offer up the notion of Cleanliness as it applies to our message and meaning.
Keeping It Clean
Considering the Cleanliness Reflection Card above, what does a fresh, clean healthy message look like? What does it look like discarding old habits that do not serve? What does it look like in handling our own dropped balls, if you will? How does Cleanliness apply to maintaining a clear, clean and simple message?
We live in a world full of distractions. As people wanting to be clear in our message, we need not add to the distractions... and we need to unclutter our message.
For me, and with 40+ years experience in leadership training and development, that means "stickin' to the knittin'"; not trying to be or do more than what my message is at core. I speak, teach, facilitate, coach, write, cartoon, sing, dance, blog, vlog and create all with the intention of moving the needle on Character to build palpable powerful Unity. Increasingly, I am aware that everything I say and do must be in such alignment and that I have to bring my individual and collective audiences back to that core every time. I may be addressing topics that are leaves and branches and trunks, but I need to always keep my message around the roots. My roots are Character and Unity; always.
My point to you is that... as much as it is important to keep the audience in mind, we must keep our content in mind. And that means we need to get clean and clear on our core message. It is the arrow for the target. So, I offer up these considerations.
- At core what is your message? Get as clear on that as you possibly can. What is the message you simply and cleanly want your audience to carry with them forward. Get that down to one sentence that can be tested whether it hit home or not.
- Consider where your audience is in their understanding of that message before you communicate. Get as clear on that as you possibly can. This is your ground level. Now you have the top of your ladder (their take away) and the bottom (where they are before they engage you).
- Then, figure what 3-5 key points will be the rungs on that ladder that will effectively help your audience move from ground level to your message. Build those rungs in an order and flow that makes sense with language that is familiar. These 3-5 key points are your learning objectives, one ladder step at a time.
Start with that and get to cutting away what is unnecessary and distracting. Get it clean. Keep it clean. Focus your attention. Next month, we will dig a little deeper and climb a little higher.
... peace, passion and prosperity.
Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy with Epic Engage
Lead, inspire, educate, and unite. Move forward together, stronger. My work is about bringing campuses, companies and communities together, moving forward stronger. I work with educators, entrepreneurs and emerging leaders to do just that. My work is about character leadership and education and its role in helping individuals and organizations build a better world at school, work, business and community. I deliver on it through speaking, coaching and development in character leadership and education. My expertise is character leadership and education. I advance unity in diversity by moving the needle on leadership and education that is high character and results forging. I speak, teach, coach, facilitate, lead, write, sing, dance, cartoon and create on that. In 1980, Professor Rolf Hattenauer changed my life. A highly respected expert in Human Resource Management, he expected much of us and he believed much in us. He was an educator and leader of high character. He was extraordinary. To this day and beyond, I try my darnedest to honor his spirit with my own work. That is another story. But I hope I did him service here.
CHECK OUT from January...
ALSO, CHECK OUT
THE GLOBAL GOALS
AAAAAAAND thoughts on character and leadership...
TUGtv
- Yes, we have launched TUGtv with the above in mind... in support of it all. To date, we have produced the following episodes with many more to come. Check out our All Team Show for December 2020.... oh and this great conversation with Linda Kavelin-Popov. And, we invite you to check the previous shows out. Here are our episodes up to and including November 2020.
