The impact of clear communication.
I love TED talks. One of the best things about the internet in my opinion. I really enjoy the ability to tap into an expert talk about something they are passionate about. I've probably watched a hundred of these things over all kinds of topics.
Weird thing is, I only distinctly remember one specific talk, and I'm reminded about it every day. If you watch it, you will be too. It's a perfect example of expressing an idea in a way that is so sticky it'll probably be the last thing you remember before you shuffle from this mortal coil.
How to use a paper towel.
That's it! That's the thing. Joe Smith, a former DA and Attorney General in Oregon spent 4 minutes talking about how to use a paper towel. I'll link it here, go watch it, i'll wait.
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Now that you've learned the proper technique, lets break down what we saw here. Joe opens the TED talk with some stats. The US uses a metric... sorry Imperial billion crap-ton of paper towels every year. He breaks down the several types of paper towels that are in regular use, and then describes how we currently use them.
Then comes the real clever bit. He explains how we should be using paper towels, with some wonderful audience participation (shake! fold!) and by following the correct method, you will have dry hands. Joe doesn't talk about how to wash your hands, or proper stall etiquette. These things are outside the scope of his presentation. He wants one thing: for you to know how to dry your hands correctly. This is the really cool part though, if you follow the steps laid out by Joe in the video, the Imperial billion crap-ton of paper towels starts to take care of itself. It's such a great example of clear communication having tremendous impact, I am reminded of it often.
Now you will be too.