It’s one of the things Clay Shirky said at ASAE09–control is a thing of the past. Clarity should be the goal for today. Clarity and control are not new topics among some of my favorite association blogs. Still, the way Clay Shirky framed the issue was, well, very clear. Scott Briscoe talks a little about what Clay said at ASAE09 on Acronym, and I wanted to think about the practical side of it here.
Clarity takes courage. I just did what feels like my thousandth interview about the risks of social media. There is just so much fear out there. What if someone criticizes us? What if they say something that’s not true? How will we know what to do in response? Who are the right people to issue that response? These are questions driven by uncertainty and confusion, two conditions that clarity can remedy. Here are a few ideas about how…
- Have some conviction. Take a stand, and be willing to back it up. If you get negative feedback, consider the source. Pushing buttons isn’t a bad thing, so long as they’re the right buttons.
- Repeat yourself. Repeat yourself until you’re sure everyone has already heard. Then repeat yourself again. It’s your first line of defense against misinformation and misunderstandings.
- Be consistent. Even the best communicators need to step back and reframe their message from time to time. Persistent, long-term communication along a consistent path builds a resonant story and people’s trust.
- Mark out the path. Make sure your stakeholders–especially staff and volunteers–know what you’re trying to do and how they can help. This is where social media strategy, guidelines, education, and internal teamwork make all the difference.
- Adapt your branding. Learn to differentiate your organization’s official voice, while still accommodating your raving fans.
What other ways can clarity make a difference? I know lots of you have stories about how you’ve done some of these things. Please share them.
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9 responses to "5 Ways Clarity Can Replace Control"
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On the mark again! And stealing from your list … repeat again #5 Adapt your branding. Learn to differentiate your organization’s official voice, while still accommodating your raving fans. If we could do just that step, we could all breath easier!
I love this post. Clarity. What a beautiful thing in a world filled with fuzziness, haziness, and “obfuscation.” Say what you mean. In simple terms. Like “Strike three!” When the umpire says “strike three!” he doesn’t need to say “you’re out!” because that’s what “strike three” means. And repeat. There is a tendency to believe that once you send the email or the letter that people KNOW. They don’t know. You have to repeat it. Like avoiding the flu. Wash your hands. Again and again. Wash, rinse, repeat. Good advice. Thanks.
Thanks for the posting. I really appreciate the attempt to offer people the key to defend from attacks and fear on Web. Clarity is important online as well offline and it is not always so easy to reach. Still it is very important to show people that the Internet is a very particular place, where the “good” of participants is most of the time prevailing and where they can go free of fears and prejudices and full of good will and desire to collaborate with the others. It sounds a bit strange but it is TRUE!
One more tidbit I picked up from another blog: don’t repeat the misinformation in an attempt to clarify. Stick with repeating the truth, as often, as firmly, and as consistently as possible.