Understand this communication law, embrace it, and use it to your best advantage.
The Communication Law
You will never give the exact message you meant to give.
Dwight D. Eisenhower has inspired this blog. In a recent visit to the 34th US President’s Library this artifact stood out (see pic). Eisenhower admits, “I have almost never said exactly what I wanted to say, in the way I hoped to say it.”
If this malady can happen to the man who oversaw D-Day, it can happen to you, as you lead your organization.
How do you use The Communication Law to your advantage?
Add in Current Context – you have powerful content, your speech is organized and your slide deck has gone through its final edit. Then a major event happens within your business, or there’s a breaking news story. Your message will be elevated by being able to address what’s really going on in your local, zoom and/or global room.
Include Your Audience – no matter how prepared you are, your speech is only half of the equation. Your audience is the other 50% of your message. Make your group a part of your presentation. Sometimes this lesson is forced upon you. One time during a keynote one of my attendees (on the 3rd row) fainted. I stopped, asked the organizer to get help, and we did a quiet exercise until the emergency was handled.
Note – we did NOT say The Murphy’s Law about Communication! Murphy’s Law implies something goes wrong somewhere. Our Speak For Yourself® Communication Law goes the opposite direction. Your presentation might morph into something even more compelling.
Eisenhower admits his presentations were not what he hoped they would be.
My take – his humility prevented him from saying that he embraced The Communication Law as he led with courage, care, force and fairness.
© 2021 Karen Cortell Reisman, All rights reserved
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Karen Cortell Reisman, M.S., author of 2 books and President of Speak For Yourself®, works with decision makers on how to speak with gravitas. It’s all in how you speak for yourself. Karen also speaks about her cousin, #AlbertEinstein, in a message about hope, resilience and brassieres.
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