Like rock and the symphony: The multi-dimensional, multi-layered beauty of good communication
I went to a show recently. The artist, Amos Lee, is, according to Wikipedia, “an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock, and soul.” Accompanying the headlining performer was…the Chicago Philharmonic. I like Amos Lee. I like the symphony. I went to the show so obviously I expected to like the combination. And it did not disappoint. In short, by combining to seemingly disparate entities (rock and symphony), the multi-dimensional, multi-layered results were extraordinary.
And in the moment—thought no one ever until then—I thought, “This is how good communication works.”
It’s not enough to know your audience, you have to meet them where there are
Most of us have heard the maxim know your audience. And it is true we make better connections with our audience—be they business stakeholders, a target consumer audience or employees—when we understand who they are. Less talked about is the concept of meeting your audience members where they are. It’s a subtle but important difference. If their starting point to your narrative is different than yours, it is easy to lose them quickly. To know them means to understand who they are. To meet them where they are is about recognizing there may need to be some education or context-setting before you can even begin your narrative.
Strategy, purpose and culture: Is your triangle broken?
I can’t stop thinking about this article I shared on LinkedIn recently from HBR: Does Your Company’s Culture Reinforce Its Strategy and Purpose? It positions purpose (the north star and inspiration for talent), strategy (the plan to achieve success) and culture (what talent experiences) as a triangle. If one side of the triangle changes, the other two sides must also change or the triangle collapses. It even states the obvious: a communication plan can’t fix a broken triangle.