“How did he come to that conclusion?”
An email arrived from Drew who attended a meeting I had recently lead. He was frustrated. Exasperated even. The tone of his email told me….he had completely misunderstood my message.
I didn’t take it personally – but I did think this….
…I must be absolutely clear in my communication! The audience arrives with perspectives, attitudes, and distractions. Your job is to cut through all of that and deliver a clear, compelling message. But, sometimes, know this too…..they are still going to hear what they want to hear.
One thing I didn’t do – don’t make the same mistake.
In a recent speech by Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of Equal Justice Center, he restated his point #1 when introducing point #2. He restated point #1 & #2 when introducing #3. And he concluded with all 3 points at the end. There was no way to misunderstand and misquote him because of his repetition! Furthermore, his repetition committed his ideas to our memories.
In conclusion!
When you discover someone has completely misunderstood you or misinterpreted your message, be careful to not blame the audience. Instead, use this moment to motivate yourself towards an even clearer communication style!