Why People Don't "Hear" What You're Saying

Many years ago, I was with a colleague talking to a major existing client (a Top 5 Pharma company). We wanted to expand our business there - they were using us for one thing, but we had other offerings we wanted to talk about.

That client didn't want to hear it. In fact, she steadfastly refused to listen - "this is what we use you for, and that's the box you're in" was, essentially, the message.

We had been categorized. Pigeonholed. They had placed a label on us and it was not to be altered! It was an accurate label up to a point...but it wasn't the complete or current story.

I learned a very important lesson that day. The human brain does not want complexity, or ambiguity, or too many choices. As humans, we MUST label and pigeonhole. We WILL store keyword information in our minds about people and companies; and once that definition is made, it's extremely hard to change it.

You've had this experience. Someone has brought up something about you, or your company, that is old news, and you were shocked to discover that this piece of metadata (keyword information) was still locked into their minds, even though you've been doing something very different for many years.

You think you're communicating. But the message is not getting through. It's being blocked by the incumbent labeling. That's because the human brain does not want to do extra work. And changing the memory-labeling about people and brands and companies and products is hard work. Altering a pre-existing relationship, or even a long-ago thought pattern, is work.

When my biopharma clients launch a brand new drug, there's one set of challenges and opportunities. But planting fresh information about a new product is in some ways an easier challenge than explaining a new indication for an existing drug - because now we're up against pre-established categories and thought patterns and practices.

The brain's default is to maintain current/old information. There's only so much memory space, only so much energy to process something new. We can never assume that new information is "landing" and displacing the existing labeling. Great communication, therefore, is also a form of change management.

How do I make my message so vivid and attention-getting that I gain fresh memory space?

This is why we have to triple-down on simplicity, brevity, clarity, and repetition. We ARE going to occupy a pigeonhole in the minds of others - it's inevitable. So we want to make sure we provide the right statements and stories and summaries that paint an accurate picture of who we are and what we offer.

(In my book Clarity Wins, I urge each reader to embrace the principle of pigeonholing yourself. It's the most effective way to create and articulate a brand.)

It's never safe to assume that accurate communication is taking place, because our message is often not being heard above the noise, not being understood against the old metadata, and not being remembered because it's too much work. That's why getting to the point with clarity - and getting the point across - is one of the most vital skills for any professional to cultivate. In the immortal words of George Bernard Shaw:

Steve Woodruff is the author of?Clarity Wins?and the creator of the Clarity Formula for Effective Communications. He facilitates workshops for life sciences companies looking to equip their employees with superior communication skills.?#workshops #courses #consulting #coaching

>> If you're attending this year's LTEN (Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network) Conference, be sure to attend my workshop:

Workshop Title:?The Magic of Clarity: How to Get your Point Across to Any Audience

Session Description:?Getting to the Point?(Gaining Attention) is the first step in effective communications. We also have to?Get the Point Across, by quickly creating shared meaning and lasting memory.?Employing the 7S Clarity Formula (Statements, Stories, Snippets, Summaries, Specifics, Symbols, and Side-by-Sides) will supercharge the user's ability to gain understanding and mindshare for every form of communication: training, managing, coaching, presenting, leading, and emailing.