Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Power of Positive

'Tis the political season and it's exciting to see such a focus on language this time around. A recent Clinton line caught my attention: "It’s time we moved from good words to good works, from sound bites to sound solutions..."

It may be the time, but perhaps not the best strategy. It goes both ways, after all, perhaps it's time some candidates moved from good works to good words, from sound solutions to sound bites. The great things come from a combination of those principles. Push only the practical, you neglect to inspire. Neglect the practical and you deflate your promise.

Obama has hit a chord with a lot of people. They are responding to what they crave in their society, in their communities. They crave some hope. While the language speaks of "change," hope is at the heart of the matter. There is a power to the positive. Many Americans, right now, really want it (even if they can't define it). So, rather than pushing for a movement from promise to policy, perhaps it's time for all of the candidates to strike their balance.
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Sunday, February 03, 2008

Context is Crucial

Success lies within context. For anyone to succeed, they must know the context that defines success. For people to communicate effectively, they must know the context of the message. You can have a brilliantly crafted line but if put in the wrong or improper context, it loses all power. As you develop your next campaign, think about the context of how the message will be received and let that shape the context of its delivery.
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