Engagement triumphs over eloquence
Engaging your audience is the key to effective communication. I was reminded of this during the review of our corps (church) this week. The results of our Natural Church Development survey revealed that more work is needed in connecting with people, particularly when we gather together each Sunday. An eloquent and thoughtful sermon which has little or no connection to the daily lives, or thought life, of the listeners will have little or no impact. This is not because the word of God has lost its power, but because the speaker has failed to communicate its relevance to his or her listeners. Conversely, a simple and engaging message that intersects with the needs of listeners is powerful and effective. Relevance trumps excellence. Or perhaps relevance is excellence. An excellent childrens novel is different from an excellent magazine article or an excellent academic paper. Each one will be judged on the ability of the writer to engage the audience and to convey the message, or story, in a clear and interesting manner. How can we improve the connection with our readers or audience?
- Through building relationships with your listeners/ readers
Spending time with people reveals their struggles, hopes and longings. These will vary greatly depending on the age of the listeners. Last semester I completed a subject called, ‘Writing for children.’ At the same time, I started volunteering for one lesson a week at a local primary school. Listening to the children reminded me how a child’s perspective on the world can differ from an adult. Visiting people also provides a window into their lives and souls. What they choose to display on their walls, keep in their bookshelves or fill their calendars speaks of who they are and what they value. Building relationships with readers is more difficult, but book launches and author talks provide opportuities to meet face-to-face.
2. Through taking interest in their interests
As soon as I walked into the year two classroom, it was clear to see the children were engaged, but the object of their attention was not the lesson. Several were mesmerised by the whir of fidget spinners. Taking an interest in what captured their attention showed I was interested in their world. One Sunday I used one at the corps, as an illustration of the Trinity. Discovering the interests of your audience does two things. It opens up possibilities to include those interests in your talk/ book/ conversation, and it also conveys your personal interest in their lives.
3. Through gathering feedback
Receiving positive feedback such as, ‘That was a good book’ or ‘That was a good talk’ might give you a boost but it doesn’t supply you with any useful information. If people offer feedback, ask for specifics. ‘What in particular did you find helpful, enjoyable or inspiring?’ If no-one offers feedback, ask for it. Even negative feedback is more useful than no feedback. It can’t be worse than one comment we received from an elderly gentleman years ago in Tasmania. After one of our meetings, he said, ‘It was so boring I could have died.’ The success of a story or a talk is found in the response of the readers or listeners.
