Say what People Will Hear

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Friday May 23, 2008

Yesterday I watched someone I adore do something that doesn’t serve him.

If you find yourself not persuading as well as you like, think about your choice of words.

For people to be really “gotten”, they need to connect with others. Not with bigger words, said faster. But with simple words, said slower. Focusing on understanding and engagement, not brilliance.

The guy who uses big words isn’t the one who creates connection. It’s the guy who uses a visual metaphor to break down the idea to be easier to understand.

Remember:
- Keep stuff simple. Your brilliance will naturally come through.
- Keep stuff brief. Start small and engage till they want to learn more from you.
- Be “Hooky”. Tell people something different to grab their attention.
- Speak Aspirationally.
- Ask questions so they can seek out more.
- Use metaphors. It makes things concrete enough to be remembered and easy enough to get quickly.

By the way, I do this, too. Especially when I’m nervous. I get all caught up in my words and big ideas instead of connection. So I’m not saying it’s easy to keep stuff simple. But watching my friend reminded me on what it feels like on the receiving side.