Last month, I wrote about messages putting in overtime. As I reflect on what I wrote and the reaction to it, I'm still amazed by the layered nature of communication.
All the clients I have worked with over the years, no matter what their field or area of expertise, have one thing in common. Their message can be split into two separate categories: what they say the speech is about, and what the speech is really about.
I don't mean disrespect, of course; my clients are absolute experts on their stories. But the reality is that you craft great content with dedication to your expertise, and in that, there is always a deeper or broader truth. For example, an accomplished doctor takes about her own health journey, but the talk was really about creating a more emotionally vulnerable community among her colleagues.
The bottom line: every client - every single one - has an "aha" moment - the one key insight that will connect with an audience because of its universal, human quality. It's rooted in empathy, and it needs to be surfaced in order to make the time on stage most effective.
In today's climate, we need as many of those "aha" moments as possible. My professional experience has shown me that they have a knack for finding their way to the surface, but we all have to be looking for them with intention.
Empathy Needs to Have a Moment