The Movie in my mind

Some times with my job I get paid to sit and listen to some very good speakers. Last night was just such an experience.

Ron Crossland is one of the authors of the book to the right. He spoke to the senior leaders at Washington Mutual last night. I was the sound guy for the event.

Crossland made a very compelling case for the idea that the mind takes in information through 3 channels and combines. When it recalls the information the 3 channels make 1 memory or as he stated it a movie.

Let me pause here to say I am a huge movie buff and even dabble a little bit in making short films, usually for student ministry stuff. But this idea connected with me at a very deep level. I'm getting a bit ahead of myself though.

The important factor in this is the 3 channels of information:

1) Facts - this is the data, the statistics, the knowledge that needs to be communicated.

2)Emotions - Does the information connect with me? Do I care about it? Do I want to act upon it? Studies have shown that we make decisions first based upon our past experiences and then on the information we've been given.

3)Symbols - This is the Metaphor, Story, Picture. It is this function that will make it last in your memory. Stories have been around since the beginning of man kind. One of the reasons we love movies and books is because we connect with the story. Also it's easier to remember a story then a fact!

So what does all that mean? Well he went on to say that a memory will contain all 3 elements wether you give them to them or not. So if you leave one out the listener will fill-in the blanks themselves. This explains how 2 people can hear the exact same thing and interprut it in different ways. The filled in the missing pieces in different ways.

As a leader then it is crucial that we communicate all 3 channels to allow for optimal communication with those we lead! He used several wonderful examples including a speech (text / video)by Ronald Regan just after the Challenger Explosion. If you read the speech or watch the video you'll notice the way he uses Symbols facts and emotion. He uses the names of the astronaughts, and begins with Nancy and I (not THe position of PResident)are pained to the core. It's a good speech.

I'm curious to hear if you buy it or not?