Inch along

Communicating complex concepts to people who may not want to hear them is tough. See last week’s post for great advice from Neil deGrasse Tyson on that.

It can be just as hard to communicate complex material to people who do want to hear it. How do you find the right pace? How do you ensure they understand you? How to ensure that communication – the transmission of an idea from one head to another – actually takes place?

For example, you’re sitting down for an hour long background interview with an interested reporter to explain your extremely complicated biogenetics innovation. What do you do? First, thank the reporter profusely for his interest and time. Congratulate him on seeing something really important that not many people know about yet. He will feel valued, he will feel shrewd to have chosen to invest the time in you. He will be ready to listen.

When you start your discussion, do not dive in to the typical presentation you give to other experts in your field. Start in the simplest possible terms – at the level you’d explain to your grandparents. It’s really important to watch him carefully – is he fidgeting because he gets it and wants you to move on? Is he not writing anything down because he doesn’t even understand the Romper Room version? What’s the expression on his face? Is he asking questions that demonstrate comprehension? You need to read all the cues he gives to gauge how you’re doing.

Then, based on how he takes in the elementary level explanation, you can deepen the discussion. It’s always great to ask “Where would you like me to dive deeper? Which part of this would be most useful for your readers to understand?”

It’s also always good to stop and check in – in a gracious and not-condescending way – a way that shows that it’s your fault if there is a comprehension breakdown, not his. As in, “I think I may be getting a little technical. Are we still on track? If not I’d be happy to go back over things – I know I can get a little wrapped up in the science jargon!”

Keep doing both of these things – reading cues and checking in – throughout the whole conversation. At the end of the conversation, compliment the reporter on his questions, thank him for his focus and his time, and volunteer (sincerely) to be available to answer any further questions he has. A reporter ego is a delicate thing. Educating them without condescending to them is an art that requires zen-like patience and hawk-eyed perception. It’s a kabuki dance that’s hard to do, but if you do it well, you are doing the best thing you can possibly do to contribute to accurate and positive coverage.

Communication is the essential last mile in finding and motivating the right teams, acquiring strong allies, powerfully bonding with customers, and capturing mindshare with compelling stories. Nothing will serve you and your vision better than developing exceptional communication skills. If you’d enjoy finding pragmatic communications advice in your inbox every month, please click here to receive poseycorp’s newsletter.