One reason I really love doing workshops with new groups is that I hear my own work in a new way, and I learn a lot.
I had the honor of speaking to a large group of leaders in education last week. We talked about what situations are most challenging for them right now, how deliberate intention is helpful, and what intention looks like in action.
As always, I spent a lot of time in discussion with the group. It’s fun for me to get to share ideas with such smart leaders. We were talking about using powerful language, vivid words and phrases, rather than more generic or bland words.
One leader said, “I agree about using powerful words. It’s a good way to connect and to make ideas more animated. What do you think about using idioms that are specific to one culture? When we have students and families that speak English as a second or third language, they can be left out when the ‘powerful language’ is too idiomatic.”
Immediately, my mind went to the several times in that very presentation when I had used exactly these kinds of idioms.
Got one under my belt
Moved the goalposts
Got my ducks in a row
This was a group of English speakers, but there were several whose first language was not English. My intuitive use of idiomatic phrases wasn’t meant to exclude anyone, but the gentle reminder from this leader (whether he meant it for me or not!) was extremely helpful.
One of the most common pieces of coaching advice I give is this: Simply become aware of your habits. Turn on the part of your brain that can be paying attention to the way you communicate, while you communicate.
I’ll be taking my own advice here, in regard to the powerful language I choose when I’m leading workshops or giving talks. It’s important to me that I can connect with an audience around my ideas without leaving anyone out, so I’ll be taking a look at the words and phrases I typically use, and finding new ones.
