The key to creating breakthrough communications was recently presented to me. Actually, it was reflected back to me in a single word: witness.
Earlier this month, I recorded an appearance for a podcast which will be dropping later this spring (more on that in future newsletters, of course). A podcast which serves as a channel for a community of founders and consultants, it generated some interesting conversation.
Among the topics discussed, it offered that moment of reflection I mentioned . The host used a word that I had never heard used to describe my work: witness. He stated plainly that a big part of what I do is observing what people do, which goals they’re striving to achieve, and incorporating that into the work I produce with them. I know this, of course, but no one had ever described it that way.
Before anyone suggests that I’m using this space to congratulate myself, I invite you to listen to this episode of the Fixable podcast. There is a lot of great advice on how to handle layoffs with empathy and care, including the central idea of witnessing or reflecting the truth back to your audience is right there. Here’s the phrase the hosts use which has stuck with me since the first listen:
Courage over competence
Hosts Anne Morriss and Frances Frei encourage courage over competence in senior leaders so that layoffs are no longer third-rail discussions. The idea is that you must put courage over competence in dealing with layoffs head-on because no one gets them quite right, however well-intentioned they may be. In other words, if we have the courage to face an uncomfortable truth, again and again, that truth loses its power over time.
In the spirit of reflecting your audience’s truth: the employees who were just laid off must choose the mantra of courage over competence. They have no other choice in the face of potentially strained finances and altered career trajectories. Any leaders making these sorts of cuts should fully acknowledge that reality and match the courage of their soon-to-be ex-colleagues.
As Morriss and Frei point out, layoffs are sometimes a necessary part of corporate life. However, regardless of the circumstances, the best material results from honesty. Witnessing the audience’s truth and reflecting it back to them maximizes your message, every time.
Note: This post was adapted from my newsletter, Content Insights. Subscribe here.