Electronic messages – emails mainly – are scanned first then trashed, or saved or acted upon, sometimes later rather than sooner. They are so numerous that their power to influence is diminished or lost. Email is not the best way to deliver really important messages.
Quality video, well produced, succinct and well presented will do in rare cases where the number of people needing the message warrants it. But that is a lesser option. It is also an expensive option.
Those most important messages that leaders really want to stick in the minds of people must be delivered in person, face to face, eye to eye.
What are those messages? Surely not the ones associated with deadly PowerPoint text that guarantees slumber? Surely not the routine data updates usually delivered at daily tool box meetings, or weekly team meetings?
No. The really important messages are these:
- Why we are doing what we are doing now.
- Acknowledging what we are doing well.
- The value we each bring to the vision achievement.
- Requesting what we need to be doing next to achieve the vision.
These messages must be delivered authentically. Perfunctory, “tick-the-box” treatment of these messages will be savagely counter-productive.
Leaders must become adept at crafting these messages, remaining consistent yet fresh. These messages need to have emotive power in them. That means there needs to be a relevant story that evokes the emotion needed for the message to stick.
Think about the best leadership speeches you’ve heard. What made them work for you? I’ll bet they all had the four points listed above together a relevant well told story.
So choose a story relevant to your message for emotive power and freshness. Choosing positive stories about people in the organisation will keep it relevant and fresh and emotive.
What are the most important messages that you need to communicate to your people?
Why not practice how you’d deliver them.
If you wish, run them past me.
Just email your message script to me requesting me to look at it for you. It’s gratis, no charge.
