Section
A: Stand Out…Don’t Just Be Outstanding
As the first two essays of this four-part
series – “Less Is More…More or Less and Play to Strengths” and “The New
KISS: Keep It Simple and Smart” – illustrated,
leaders, really all communicators, more than ever need to consciously craft
clear and concise yet also compelling
messages. (Clearly, the Stress
Doc is still learning to “heal thyself.”) The never ending digital/media
bombardment, a) not only strains attention spans, and b) fosters ever-lurking “d
and p” – distraction and procrastination,
but c) can foster social isolation d) rigid fixation, and e) drain energy for
even looking at another message, let alone thoughtfully ingesting and responding. (And being so digitally sedentary and sedated
is not good for the brain, back, or belly.)
Is today’s new mind-body mantra, Time
to detox from your digital inbox?
In fact, with this ever-present “brain-body
strain” and constant cacophony of data, dalliance, and diatribe, as one author
succinctly asked: Are You Being Heard or Are You Just Making Noise?
Designing
the Pass in the Impasse
In a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – driven and distracted world, being “clear
and concise” are increasingly necessary conditions for a message to be noticed. However, these two message components may not
be sufficient for your missive to be recognized and received, let alone engaged
and embraced. In a media jungle one must
have distinctive verbals, visuals, and nonverbals (including body language, volume
range, expressions, gestures, tone, pacing, etc.). Even being loud or commanding may fall
short. One must project a message that
radiates compelling contrast. And my “Contrasting Message Mantra”:
Ø
Stand Out…Don’t Just Be Outstanding
Ø
Be Out-“Rage”-Ous…Not Just “Out of the
Box”!
1.
Stand Out…Don’t Just Be Outstanding.
Outstanding or exceptional knowledge and experience in a complex skill-
and practice-based endeavor or field typically requires ten years and thousands
of hours of trial and error learning and practice. An extended apprenticeship is necessary for consistently
performing consciously and skillfully and for improvising as needed. High performance relies on both overt and
implicit or “muscle memory.”
With this rite of passage, an
insightful communicational leader develops well-honed “Substance and Style,
Structure and Strategy” concepts and skills, tools, and techniques. Such a conceptual-performance matrix is
foundational for launching a truly meaningful and compelling – or “outstanding”
– message and media platform. And, once
into a mutual engagement process…an authority’s savvy, integrity, and wisdom
(or lack thereof) will often be affirmed (or exposed).
Finally, three key components of savvy,
integrity, and wisdom: a) a well
spring of conscious and unconscious knowledge and memory along with comfort
with uncertainty or complexity; at the same time, a drive to learn continuously,
b) an ability to engage in both decisive action and judicious restraint, and c)
a capacity for discerning the need for intimate involvement and emotional
detachment; a recognition of the yin-yang nature of pain, partnership, and
progress, i.e., to achieve
“growing pains and evolving paths” wisdom.
The Challenge of Getting Started
However, there’s that start-up/engagement problem. Let me provide an analogy. Most of us know the time-honored adage: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Alas, these days that text/book may never be sighted, picked up, or downloaded, let alone evaluated, without an eye-catching and mind-grabbing verbal-visual or audio-video “brainbow”-colored jacket. (Brainbow comes from 2013 Surfaces and Essences by Douglas Hofstadter and Emanuel Sander, a ground-breaking work on the power and omnipresence of analogical thinking. A brainbow is an analogy that vividly connects diverse or distant minds). When folks are in scan (or emotional stress) mode, they may not have the focus and persistence nor take the time to begin distinguishing foundational or underlying excellence from a seemingly hot, smoke and mirrors façade…unless you fight smoke by providing some brain fire.
The Challenge of Getting Started
However, there’s that start-up/engagement problem. Let me provide an analogy. Most of us know the time-honored adage: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Alas, these days that text/book may never be sighted, picked up, or downloaded, let alone evaluated, without an eye-catching and mind-grabbing verbal-visual or audio-video “brainbow”-colored jacket. (Brainbow comes from 2013 Surfaces and Essences by Douglas Hofstadter and Emanuel Sander, a ground-breaking work on the power and omnipresence of analogical thinking. A brainbow is an analogy that vividly connects diverse or distant minds). When folks are in scan (or emotional stress) mode, they may not have the focus and persistence nor take the time to begin distinguishing foundational or underlying excellence from a seemingly hot, smoke and mirrors façade…unless you fight smoke by providing some brain fire.
The
Triple “A” of Audience Engagement:
Attention-Anticipation-Action
Three steps for powerful engagement:
1) In multi-sensory fashion, your first task is to grab an actual or potential audience’s attention.
2) You want them on the edge of their seat in anticipation of your next communication or action. (And being seen as edgy or quirky or deemed a “firecracker” – as personally dubbed by a Ft. Hood Senior Sergeant – is often a differentiating plus.) So in addition to being eye-catching or “brilliant,” increasingly you must bring and trigger energy, illumination, and “heat.” One must risk being provocative, even at times generate mind-challenging friction and conflict. (Of course, a danger as a communicator is that your heat mostly morphs into message smog and “hot air”; e.g., while some may find her “hot,” I’m most aware of Fox News pundit Ann Coulter’s “light-weight” yet deceptively oppressive and often toxic “air quality” index.)
3) Finally, to solidify your
connection with an audience, and to stimulate their sense of commitment and
involvement, provide an opportunity for group’s to take meaningful
problem-solving action. I always introduce or illustrate a concept or
skill with a “hands on” small group activity: buying-in to a new vision or
viewpoints, skills and strategies, or tools and techniques requires applied
knowledge.
Soular and Lunar Power
Soular and Lunar Power
This engaging “Triple ‘A’” will help
you reach your “stand out” goal:
achieving genuine and meaningful connection and contrast! You must be the solar (and “soular”) power
among the competing planetary platforms and programs. And even if smaller, you can still be unpredictably
lunar by possessing dimensional variability or bring a touch of divine lunacy; loom
in the shadows, disappear and return, have ebb and flow (obvious and subtle) influence
on the currents and characters of change; cast an indelible, luminous image on
the waters, place events in a bewitching light or mysterious perspective,
etc. All of the above help you both
exert a gravitational-motivational pull while out-shining other “stars” in that
swirling and swarming social media galaxy.
Such an uncommon performance would truly be “outstanding.”
Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW, "The Stress Doc" ™, a
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a national keynote and webinar speaker and
"Motivational Humorist & Team Communication Catalyst" known for
his interactive, inspiring and FUN programs for both government agencies
and major corporations. A training and Critical
Incident/Grief Intervention Consultant for the National EAP/Wellness Company,
Business Health Services in Baltimore, MD, the Doc also leads “Stress,
Team Building and Humor” programs for various branches of the Armed
Services. Mark, a former Stress and Violence Prevention Consultant for
the US Postal Service, is the author of Resiliency Rap, Practice Safe Stress, and of The Four
Faces of Anger. See his award-winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" – www.stressdoc.com – called a
"workplace resource" by National Public Radio (NPR). For more info on
the Doc's "Practice Safe Stress" programs or to receive his free
e-newsletter, email stressdoc@aol.com or call 301-875-2567.