“If you know, then you know.” It is a favorite refrain of insiders. It can build connections, but it can also isolate those seeking admission if you are not part of the tribe. How do we identify with those who communicate in shorthand while still accommodating those who are new to the group?
* Those hiking the Continental Divide Trail use the CDT logo pictured above to stay on course as they navigate over 2,000 miles of thru-hiking trails.
I prompted my photo app’s virtual assistant to identify images that contained artwork from my albums. Along with photos of traditional art from museums, it also produced some random pictures, including car tires that I had taken for an online ‘for sale’ post. I would not have selected the car tires as artwork if I had done this task manually.
AI is adept at compiling lists of information rapidly. It has yet to navigate the process of determining the validity of its response. For example, I received a special event announcement via email. There were several typos and a reference to a non-existent calendar date. This error-filled invitation was quickly followed by an apology email stating that the AI-generated draft had been sent before the professional team had started editing.
If we want something quick and are willing to accept inaccuracies, AI may be a good starting point. If we want a piece that will resonate, human oversight is probably required.
How many posts, announcements, launch celebrations, press releases, or community meetings have you observed during which information was shared about a new initiative or a significant organizational event? How many of these organizations continued to share relevant updates and nurture your engagement?
In my experience, people are keen to make the first announcement but struggle to find an appropriate communication cadence along the journey. It does not take much, but checking deepens connections.
Imagine boarding a long-haul international flight on which the pilots never confirm the destination, make no remarks about the flight plan, do not address abnormal flight conditions, and provide no update before landing. This might make some passengers a bit apprehensive about the journey. Perhaps we can aspire to be more like a well-regarded commercial pilot. Greet passengers, orient them, care for their safety, point out remarkable landmarks, address the unexpected, prepare them for landing, and thank them for their loyalty.
If you take a paper bag and aim a hair dryer towards its open end, the bag’s kinetic energy is released and assumes flight. A bag is an excellent option if we need to hold some produce, and a hair dryer is perfect if we need to dry our hair after a shower. When we pair them together, we get a dramatic result, which may or may not reveal the most productive use of both instruments.
When odd pairings work, they are sensational but can also fail us. Iterating in the design studio is an excellent option if we are willing to go on the adventure and open to uncertain outcomes. If we need a sure thing, we might hedge towards the predictable.
Booking two artists/authors/scientists/athletes to interview each other might be an insightful option. However, they might speak an insider language that is hard for the audience to access. A good interviewer can ask questions that help decode the artist’s superpower without abandoning the audience.
A hair dryer chasing a paper bag around a stage might be the pinnacle of performance art. But we must accurately represent the performance so our audience can live on the edge.
I tried to unsubscribe from a vendor’s emails, but none of my attempts were accepted. I called the company and was told updates could only be conducted online. The organization claims the issue I am experiencing is abnormal. The new splash page message should read, “We care more about our company’s subscriber numbers than a client’s preference. Therefore, we failed to honor any updates to your account that will impact our metrics.“
Honesty would be less frustrating than non-compliance.
How might we be honest with our clients, even if the truth is not the message they prefer to hear?
How might we deliver on our promise as consistently as possible? How might we inform those we serve when a disruption occurs? How might how we behave when we encounter unexpected circumstances deepen our relationships with those who want to see us succeed?
What qualifies as a big announcement? How remarkable of a statement qualifies? How might we build authenticity and trust with our notifications? How might we avoid the propensity to be shouting all our messages?
What do we think we are communicating perfectly, yet it does not appear evident to our fans?
If you make everything “important,” it is challenging for the essential information to reach your target. As a listener, it takes a lot of energy to absorb too many communications that are all prioritized the same.
Is heckling a statue worth the effort? What is gained by directing our grievances towards an inanimate object? Is the statue an iconic representation of a person or movement that is the nexus for exchanging points of view? Are there other ways to share our message with individuals who might contribute a response?
How might we amplify our message? Are you finding the best stage from which to deliver our viewpoint?
What-if-concepts 