Repeat Yourself

February 2, 2012

Today is Groundhog Day.  Groundhog Day always makes me think about Groundhog Day.  The movie.  You know, the one with Bill Murray.  The one where he’s in Punxsutawney, PA and living the idiom, waking up day after day in Punxsutawney at precisely 6:00 on February 2.  I love the movie, for a whole lot of reasons.  One of them applies to life in business.

As the film goes on, Murray’s character, Phil Connors, begins to anticipate certain events each day having repeated them already several times.  Scenes where Phil, aided by repetition, avoids a slush hole, calls a stranger by name, or orders Andie McDowell’s character her favorite drink adds to the humor of the movie for sure.  But without the aid of repetition, such a heightened level of preparedness would not be possible.

And that's the point for the week. 

Repetition is particularly important in matters of communication.  See, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that by saying something once, we're done.  Too often, we labor under the misapprehension that having hit the send button on an email or having mentioned something a single time, we are somehow indemnified against further follow-up or, worse, the likelihood of inaction.  We're not. 

Traction in any circumstance is the result of repetition. The more we repeat ourselves, the more the message takes hold. As a result, the teams we lead - at work, at home, and in our communities - accomplish more. 

See, our goal is not simply to communicate. The real object of the game in sharing information is to influence the behavior or thought of others.  It's why were we're taught the same lessons again and again in school, or for some of us, asked to write something on a chalkboard 200 times. The more we are exposed to a message, the greater its impact on us and our forward action. 

Repetition yields adoption, confidence and alignment.  Then comes repetition of action.  It reinforces the permanence of your message, dispelling the notions that skeptics can outlast you or that what you're trying to accomplish is just the flavor of the day. With repetition of communication and action, you'll achieve a consistent trajectory and an ever-increasing rate of speed as those you lead urgently seek their place on your moving train, then add to the force that propels it. 

Best of all, by creating alignment around any issue, we incidentally create something that each individual on your team holds in common, cares about, and will fight for.  These shared interests catalyze intellectual and emotional bonds between human beings - connections that quite easily withstand bad days, down markets and the inevitable assaults from the cynics, the naysayers, and those who wish to see you fail. 

So, say it until you're tired of hearing the sound of your own voice. Then say it again. And again. And again. Until others start saying it too, then begin acting on it, together, again and again and again - forming an ever-expanding chorus of disciples who talk incessantly about a better place and tirelessly lead others to reach it. 

Repeat yourself. 

And win.

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