8th February 2012 Wednesday 
Last week I posted about my experience with jury duty and mentioned that good communication should meet the audience where they are. I recommended three phases when communicating with people in tough times.
#1: Empathize with the emotions people are feeling
#2: Inspire by appealing to a sense of purpose
#3: Provide information on the details
I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I came across an article by leadership expert John Baldoni describing how President Obama is using a similar approach. Baldoni writes:
In the months since Barack Obama has taken office, a curious thing has occurred in his communication style. He has toned down the rhetoric and geared up the details. As Don Baer who once worked for President Bill Clinton put it, Obama is now “the Great Explainer.”
I think Obama is an excellent example of the three phases I discussed. In his campaign he addressed the emotions people were feeling and then moved on to inspiring with his “yes, we can” message. Now that he is in office and faced with implementation and execution, his communication is focused on helping people understand both the plan and their part in it.
For more, check out Baldoni’s article Great Communicators Are Great Explainers.
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