Communication Programs |
The Significance of the MundaneBy: Robert F. Abbott This article begins with a tip of the hat to a scholarly publication called the Journal of Mundane Behavior. Unlike other publications, which herald the important issues, this one trumpets everyday, but rarely noticed, behaviors. It sees what the rest of us overlook because that stuff is so, well, mundane. For example, I just read an article in the Journal about beards and shaving, one that interests me because I've had a beard for almost as long as I've been able to shave. And while that subject may interest me, it doesn't mean much in the great scheme of things. Today, I'm interested in the connection between the mundane and communication. In this article we'll explore how great strategies can emerge from observing not great, but everyday events. We'll use our understanding of seemingly insignificant things and behaviors to come up with grand strategies. Federal Express, for example, used to run humorous television ads that showed ordinary people, shipping clerks I suppose, and how scared they were that their shipments might not get to their destinations on time. Clearly, a case of using the mundane to craft a great marketing strategy. That advertising strategy, coupled with a strong business strategy, led to one of the entrepreneurial success stories of the 20th century. And that business strategy might not have been so successful without the advertising strategy. After all, most companies would have opted for commercials showing shiny cargo planes, pilots in crisp uniforms, or bright people figuring out cargo scheduling. From that example, we might think of crafting our own communication strategies, based on the mundane. One of the great difficulties with the mundane, of course, is that it's harder to see and to grasp. After all, it's the absence of something rather than its presence. The classic expression of this phenomenon may have been the Sherlock Holmes remark about the dog that didn't bark. Having identified a mundane phenomenon, we're next faced with the challenge of understanding its significance. If not a single customer calls with a complaint or compliment, what does it mean? If there haven't been any resignations lately does it mean your employees are more loyal than they used to be? Or is it just a statistical blip? And, one final issue: how will you explain the significance of the phenomenon to others? Will you explain it for what it is, or what it is not? You may remember the Show About Nothing episode of the Seinfeld television series. George Costanza tries to explain to TV executives how a new show would be about nothing, while the executives look bewildered. And, switching quickly from art to life, a show about the mundane life of Jerry and friends became one of the most successful television series ever. To read another article, click here More communication resources...Want to make your writing more lively, more interesting, and more effective? Robert Abbott shows you three quick and easy techniques for achieving those goals, and as a result, getting better results. You get the techniques, a practice document, and an example document in one concise booklet.
One of my favorite resources on public speaking is a free newsletter that arrives by email -- Tom Antion's Great Speaking. Whether you're an experienced speaker/presenter or you're just getting started, this newsletter will help you.
Effective communication begins with a strategy. A plan and a statement that ensure you put your words into the right framework. How to Craft a Communication Strategy, guides you through the four steps involved in developing a strategy and a statement for the strategy. Want to know more? http://www.effective-communication.com/booklets.htm
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What do you need to know before you begin writing or designing your newsletter? Find the answers in A Manager's Guide to Newsletters: Communicating for Results, the response-focused newsletter book. It was written by Robert F. Abbott, who wrote most of the communication articles you've seen above.