Nowadays, what words weigh the most?
“He’s a tech bro.”
“They’re a philanthropist”
“She’s a Democrat.”
“He’s newly engaged.”
“She’s a hunter.”
Did you have thoughts about the people who the words described? Or at the very least did you picture a specific person with each phrase?
Of course, it could be a philanthropic tech bro who is a registered Democrat and just got engaged last weekend on a hunting trip. (Smirk.)
Think of how the context might switch the picture in your mind.
What if you read the words in:
– a card from a parent,
– a performance review,
– a marketing email’s subject line.
Words matter. They matter because they communicate. And — like other methods of communication (visual, etc.) — we swiftly and subconsciously associate what we see or hear with definitions, beliefs, and meanings.
You may have completely different beliefs of what it means to be “[insert word here]” than I do. That’s natural. And that’s not a word problem — that’s an interpretation challenge.
Words can be lovely in that they can be used in so, so, so many ways. To persuade and attract. To subtly clue people that something has changed, and to encourage them to take an action; maybe join an organization, buy — or even not buy — from your business.
My father used to say he wasn’t paid for what he did, but for what he knew.
This occurred to me:
I don’t work for a living.
I word for a living.
If you communicate with words in your work life, whether or not you pay it any mind, words are important. You word for a living, too.
So what are you trying to say?
Until next time
This blog is originally published in Marilee's newsletter.
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