It's Not Manipulation, It's Strategic Communication | Keisha Brewer | TEDxGeorgetown

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of strategic communication, highlighting that both 'what you say' and 'how you say it' are crucial for achieving goals. Through personal and professional anecdotes, they demonstrate how understanding the audience, identifying goals, communicating value, and expressing needs can overcome resistance and create mutually beneficial outcomes. The talk aims to equip listeners with the tools to effectively navigate communication challenges in various aspects of life.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ The phrase 'it's not what you say, it's how you say it' is a common misconception; both what you say and how you say it are crucial for effective communication.
• 🎯 Strategic communication is about communicating with purpose, showcasing value to achieve a goal, and evoking specific responses from the target audience.
• 🔍 Understanding your audience is key to successful communication; it involves researching their interests, values, and the type of partnerships or relationships they seek.
• 📈 Strategic communication can help in both personal and professional scenarios, from securing a partnership with a major company to helping a friend rekindle a romantic relationship.
• 💡 The speaker emphasizes the importance of identifying the goal of communication, which guides the approach and ensures the message is delivered with a clear intent.
• 🤝 Strategic communication aims to create mutually beneficial situations where both parties feel they are getting what they want from the interaction.
• 📝 The process of strategic communication involves four steps: identifying the goal, understanding the audience, communicating the value, and expressing the need.
• 🚀 The speaker's success in securing a partnership with Google and helping a friend in her personal life exemplifies the effectiveness of the strategic communication method.
• 💼 In a professional context, strategic communication can lead to career advancements, such as a raise, as demonstrated by the speaker's experience.
• 🤔 Resistance in communication often arises from skipping the strategic steps, leading to misunderstandings or ineffective outcomes.
• 📢 The speaker's presentation itself is an example of strategic communication, where the audience's attention was gained by following the same method discussed in the talk.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's presentation?

The main theme of the speaker's presentation is strategic communications, emphasizing that both what you say and how you say it are crucial for achieving desired outcomes in various life situations.

What is the speaker's definition of strategic communications?

Strategic communications, as defined by the speaker, is communicating with purpose while showcasing value in order to achieve a goal, and it helps evoke specific responses from the target audience.

What are the four steps the speaker outlines for effective strategic communication?

The four steps outlined by the speaker are: 1) Identify the goal, 2) Understand your audience, 3) Communicate the value, and 4) Express the need.

How did the speaker apply strategic communications in their professional life?

In their professional life, the speaker applied strategic communications by researching Google's mission and interests, aligning it with their company's mission, and crafting an email to propose a partnership.

Can you provide an example of how the speaker used strategic communications in a personal scenario?

In a personal scenario, the speaker helped a friend communicate with a romantic interest by understanding the man's values and interests, advising her to have an organic conversation to mutually express and align their values.

What was the outcome of the speaker's strategic communication with Google?

The outcome was that Google responded positively, expressing interest in partnering for an event, which led the speaker to realize the effectiveness of their strategic communication approach.

How did the speaker's friend, Jessica, utilize strategic communications to reconnect with a romantic interest?

Jessica used strategic communications by identifying common interests and values with the man, engaging in an organic conversation, and eventually leading to a mutual understanding and the opportunity to hang out.

What is the speaker's view on whether strategic communications is a form of manipulation?

The speaker clarifies that strategic communications is not manipulation but rather a method that creates mutually beneficial situations where both parties feel they are getting what they want.

Why might people face resistance in communication according to the speaker?

People may face resistance in communication because they are skipping one or more of the strategic communication steps, such as not identifying the goal or not expressing the need effectively.

How did the speaker engage the audience during the presentation?

The speaker engaged the audience by asking questions, sharing relatable scenarios, and applying the strategic communication steps to the presentation itself, making the content interactive and relevant.

What was the speaker's goal for the audience in terms of understanding strategic communications?

The speaker's goal for the audience was to help them understand what strategic communications really is, how it can be beneficial in their lives, and how it can help combat resistance in communication.