Saturday, December 11, 2010

REPEAT

I was reading something by S. Godin the other day and he said something that so resonated with me, that I wish I would have said it. in fact, I've thought it so many times myself. Here it is, slightly edited for personalization purposes:

If you want to drive yourself crazy, read the Facebook or Twitter comments of an audience after you post something - or after you give a talk of some kind.

You didn't say what they said you said. You didn't mean what they said you meant.

Or read the comments on just about any blog post. People who read what you just wrote completely misunderstood it. Or else you did - but you WROTE it, so how could you misunderstand what you wrote yourself? Still, people sometimes insist you did. Hmmm.

We think direct written and verbal communication is clear and accurate and efficient. It is none of those. There is a huge amount of information communicated via your affect, your style and your confidence. The same thing is true by the affectation, style and confidence of the person reading/listening. But I don't think humans are so good at getting all the details.

Plan on being misunderstood. Repeat yourself. i've found this is particularly true when communicating vision. Not only does it leak, but it leaks wrong sometimes. And it has to be repeated many times to get thru the right way. I've been learning this the hard way, quite frankly.

So when in doubt, repeat yourself. When in doubt, repeat yourself. When in doubt, repeat yourself. When in doubt, repeat yourself. When in doubt, repeat yourself. When in doubt, repeat yourself. Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself.

Now ... what did I REALLY mean by this posting?

And be blessed.

6 comments:

KMB said...

That you're in doubt? That you're misunderstood? That people always "understand/interpret" what they hear through the filter of their own opinions, experiences, upbringing... That they "hear" and "comprehend" through their own eyes, their own brains which will never be totally in sync with anyone else because we are all unique........Not sure - just musing here, rambling from the coziness of my kitchen while the storm rages outside....wondering if the expected storm will shut down church tomorrow....Do I need to repeat myself???? Repeat myself? Repeat myself? Repeat myself?...Hmmm - scary!

KMB said...

That you're in doubt? That you're misunderstood? That people always "understand/interpret" what they hear through the filter of their own opinions, experiences, upbringing... That they "hear" and "comprehend" through their own eyes, their own brains which will never be totally in sync with anyone else because we are all unique........Not sure - just musing here, rambling from the coziness of my kitchen while the storm rages outside....wondering if the expected storm will shut down church tomorrow....Do I need to repeat myself???? Repeat myself? Repeat myself? Repeat myself?...Hmmm - scary!

PK's BLOG said...

SHUT DOWN CHURCH?????
NEVER I SAY. NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!!!!

PK's BLOG said...

HA.
Nice.

HA.
Nice.

Anonymous said...

What I take away from it is that discussion is key, esp in blogs or emails. There is nothing to read...no body language, no immediate response. We all interpret things based on our own life experience, based on years of conditioning. So, yes, repeat yourself...but clarify, if you have the time.

I am misinterpreted often, as well...but I am always open to discussion. I know you are much busier than I, so that is just a luxury that I have.

I do recall you saying that writing helps you to clarify your thoughts, so maybe that leads to a little confusion, as to the message.

Anonymous said...

Not only in blogs or any type of writing. It also happens in person "live" face to face;)