I have started to post shorter and shorter articles on this site. The reason has a purpose. The reason is on purpose.
I am trying, for myself, to work on THINKing more and talking less. Be able to fully understand the concepts I want to convey while translating those concepts for others to fully grasp, understand and relate to those ideas.
Dan Roam is the author of BLAH BLAH BLAH and explains why we talk too much. He also has a nice way of illustrating how we can use our natural visual advantage that the brain gives us to become better problem solvers. Using the concept of “Vivid Thinking” is one way of becoming better communicators and story tellers.
Here are two videos that walk through these ideas:
Branding, Logos, the communication of ideas and identity has always fascinated me. Because people make decisions on whether or not they will buy, interact, embrace or maintain their relationship with you based on how they identify with you. Even how you allow yourself to be identified!
They will recognize and sustain the relationship based on habit or a need. Whether that need is of indulgence, want, or survival we cannot control. However, if that need is based on individual WANT then we can help in the way an individual views us. They can either NOT want or WANT to interact with you.
The following video below is the result of a Sunday project Adam Ladd had with his daughter. After watching, think deeply.
Then ask yourself:
How do I project who I am?
Do others identify?
as a result… Should I change?
This is the world of corporate logos, as seen through the eyes of his 5-year-old daughter. Follow him at @ladddesign
Recently I left a very short comment on a popular industry blog (not HR). The overall post included the topic of bling and writing. It also had a number of images that were typical of what anyone would find in a bing search for images on the term BLING (i.e. Hip Hop, Black people, etc.). While I completely understood the point of the post and did not at all feel the intent of it was racial or negative, I did however feel a need to just leave a two sentence comment in short saying:
“While I do understand the point of this post, I just want to point out how the typical images you used could be considered culturally insensitive? Do you know the names of the artists you used?”
I left it at that. My attempt was just to ask a question and not imply that the individual wriitng the post was neither negative, mean, racist, or culturally insensitive. However, apparently I set a fire.
KINDLING TO THE FIRE
A day or two later this individual emailed me personally and noted that they had removed my comment. The email was a somewhat lengthy message stating they did not appreciate what I left and that “you don’t know me at all and I don’t appreciate these serious allegations.” ??? I was puzzled. I don’t feel at all that my two sentence comment was at all a “serious” nor an “allegation.” Am I reporting this person to the police?? I didn’t think so. This individual closed the overall message with something to the effect of ”I’ve had thousands of comments on my blog and have only deleted a few. Congrats. You’re in an elite club.”
So what did I do? He he he he he. I poured a little grease on the flame!
I emailed them back with another very short reply basically stating that it was not my intent to say they were insensitive but more that the images they used could be seen as culturally insensitive. I continued with “…your extreme action” of taking my comment down shows more than you may realize. “I wear my elite club status proudly!”
Well needless to say they did not like my reply. I received more back but that is not the point of this post. The real point in my eyes is that many bloggers don’t realize how much their removal of comments, or not allowing comments, speaks to their own lack of openness to dialogue. In this particular instance it was the lack of conversation around the issue of cultural sensitivity and really the use of Hip Hop artist images to identify with “Bling.”
Often times our own perception of what should be said is often clouded by how those words could be interpreted. It also speaks to how uncomfortable any question toward someones motives, especially around race, can still be misinterpreted.
I came across the following video which I think really speaks to my own intention of the original comment on that unnamed bloggers post. Jay Smooth, is host to the longest running hip-hop radio show in New York, Underground Railroad on WBAI 99.5 FM. Enjoy!
DO YOU THINK I WAS WRONG? I PROMISE I WON’T DELETE YOUR COMMENT )
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